420 Making software secure

Explore how secure software is planned, implemented, and tested throughout its development.

Overview

This chapter explores how security is built into software systems during development. It goes beyond theoretical principles and focuses on practical methods for ensuring that software behaves safely and reliably in real-world environments.

Security is not a single step—it is a mindset that must be applied from the very beginning of the development lifecycle. Secure software must be designed with intention, written using safe coding practices, and tested to ensure vulnerabilities are detected and addressed. It must also be responsive to the needs and capabilities of end users.

Students will examine how the secure software development lifecycle (SSDL) helps structure development activities, how defensive programming techniques help avoid common threats, and how design strategies account for user needs, system resilience, and real-world deployment.

Targets

In this chapter, students learn to:

• Apply structured methods for secure software development

• Implement strategies that minimise vulnerabilities in code

• Understand how user context and system design influence software security