In a recent update, the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) collaborated on an advisory memorandum with the aim of strengthening security measures within application development software supply chains.
The memo, titled "Defending Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) Pipelines," delves into the vulnerabilities associated with deployment processes and sheds light on potential methods that attackers can employ to exploit these pipelines.
These tactics range from the theft of login credentials and encryption keys to injecting malware into or assuming control over source code projects. To address these concerns, the advisory memo draws heavily upon the MITRE ATT&CK threat framework, utilizing its threat classification system to offer recommended strategies and countermeasures. The publication underscores the substantial scope for improvement in this area and serves as a valuable resource for enhancing defense mechanisms.
According to the recent State of Software Security report by Veracode Inc., a significant majority of the 130,000 applications tested exhibited at least one security flaw, accounting for 76% of the total. Furthermore, the report highlighted that approximately 24% of all applications assessed contained high-severity flaws. These findings indicate a substantial scope for improvement and ample opportunity to develop more secure applications.
Software code pipeline security encompasses the following measures and practices:
Source Code Management: Implement secure version control systems with proper access controls and monitoring to protect code repositories.
Build Process Security: Ensure secure build environments and tools to prevent tampering or injection of malicious code. Validate dependencies and use approved components.
Code Testing and Analysis: Conduct comprehensive security testing and code analysis at different stages of the pipeline. Utilize static code analysis, dynamic testing, and vulnerability scanning.
Secure Artifact Storage: Safeguard artifacts generated during the build process, such as binaries or container images. Maintain secure storage and apply appropriate access controls.
Deployment Security: Establish secure deployment practices to deploy authorized and validated artifacts to production environments. Verify code integrity and detect unauthorized changes.
Continuous Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring and logging mechanisms to identify security incidents, unauthorized access attempts, anomalies, or code tampering.
Access Control and Authentication: Enforce proper access controls and authentication mechanisms for code repositories, build servers, and deployment environments. Utilize strong authentication, role-based access control, and least privilege principles.
By implementing these security measures throughout the code pipeline, organizations can enhance protection against code tampering, unauthorized access, and vulnerabilities, ensuring the overall security and integrity of the software development process.