Re: [SC-L] Darkreading: Getting Started

2008-01-10 Thread Gunnar Peterson
Another approach is decentralized specialized teams, centers of excellence
in current managementspeak, with a specific agenda and expertise on an area
deemed strategic. This approach is probably best paired with 2,3, or 4 from
your list. For example, a roving specialized threat modeling team that works
with many groups to help develop threat models, attack patterns, tests, and
so on. Or a roving team that focuses on build secure web apps and cuts
across groups for specialized tasks for secure web app dev, say how do I use
cardspace in my web app?

Once you figure out what your strategic goals are for security - threat
modeling, cardspace, static analysis, secure web app deve, etc. You can use
#2 to focus them on the right stuff, or use #3 as roving advisers (like the
cia in the cold war), or in #4 arm them with a tool or technology like XML
Security gateway or static analysis tools to make a small band more
effective in a large organization.

-gp


On 1/9/08 6:48 PM, Gary McGraw [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 hi sc-l,
 
 One of the biggest hurdles facing software security is the problem of how to
 get started, especially when faced with an enterprise-level challenge.  My
 first darkreading column for 2008 is about how to get started in software
 security.  In the article, I describe four approaches:
 1. the top-down framework;
 2. portfolio risk;
 3. training first; and
 4. leading with a tool.
 
 We've tried them all with some success at different Cigital customers.
 
 Are there other ways to get started that have worked for you?
 
 By the way, I can use your help.  Darkreading is beginning to track reaction
 to topics more carefully than in the past.  You can help make software
 security more prominent by reading the article and passing the URL on to
 others you may find interested.  Another thing that helps is posting to the
 message boards.  Thanks in advance.
 
 Here's to even more widespread software security in 2008!
 
 gem
 
 company www.cigital.com
 podcast www.cigital.com/silverbullet
 blog www.cigital.com/justiceleague
 book www.swsec.com
 
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 as a free, non-commercial service to the software security community.
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List charter available at - http://www.securecoding.org/list/charter.php
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Re: [SC-L] Darkreading: Getting Started

2008-01-10 Thread Jim Manico
Gary,

Interesting article. May I ask, why get started with only one of these 
approaches? Since 1-3 effects different parts of the organization 
(portfolio risk seems like a biz-management approach, top-down framework 
seems to effect software development management, and training effects 
developers, primarily) - why not *start* an initiative on all levels? In 
fact, doesn't it really take all of the above to truly effect permanent 
change in an organization?

4) Makes me nervous. I worry if you just toss a very expensive static 
code analysis or app scanning tool at development staff, you only 
provide a false sense of security since the coverage of even the best 
application security tools is very limited. Doesn't it take rather 
in-depth developer training and awareness for a tool to be truly useful?

- Jim
 hi sc-l,

 One of the biggest hurdles facing software security is the problem of how to 
 get started, especially when faced with an enterprise-level challenge.  My 
 first darkreading column for 2008 is about how to get started in software 
 security.  In the article, I describe four approaches:
 1. the top-down framework;
 2. portfolio risk;
 3. training first; and
 4. leading with a tool.

 We've tried them all with some success at different Cigital customers.

 Are there other ways to get started that have worked for you?

 By the way, I can use your help.  Darkreading is beginning to track reaction 
 to topics more carefully than in the past.  You can help make software 
 security more prominent by reading the article and passing the URL on to 
 others you may find interested.  Another thing that helps is posting to the 
 message boards.  Thanks in advance.

 Here's to even more widespread software security in 2008!

 gem

 company www.cigital.com
 podcast www.cigital.com/silverbullet
 blog www.cigital.com/justiceleague
 book www.swsec.com

 ___
 Secure Coding mailing list (SC-L) SC-L@securecoding.org
 List information, subscriptions, etc - http://krvw.com/mailman/listinfo/sc-l
 List charter available at - http://www.securecoding.org/list/charter.php
 SC-L is hosted and moderated by KRvW Associates, LLC (http://www.KRvW.com)
 as a free, non-commercial service to the software security community.
 ___



   

-- 

Best Regards,
Jim Manico
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
808.652.3805 (c)


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List information, subscriptions, etc - http://krvw.com/mailman/listinfo/sc-l
List charter available at - http://www.securecoding.org/list/charter.php
SC-L is hosted and moderated by KRvW Associates, LLC (http://www.KRvW.com)
as a free, non-commercial service to the software security community.
___


Re: [SC-L] Darkreading: Getting Started

2008-01-10 Thread Gary McGraw
hi gp,

Yup.  I count that as 1 (top-down framework) because that approach often leads 
with the creation of a special ops execution team that becomes the software 
security group.  By far, this is the most impressive approach in terms of 
results and the one that is the most effective in well-run enterprises.

Please do note that getting started does not mean you have to stick with only 
one of the ways.  Any mature approach to software security requires aspects of 
each of the getting started ways.

gem

company www.cigital.com
podcast www.cigital.com/silverbullet
blog www.cigital.com/justiceleague
book www.swsec.com

-Original Message-
From: Gunnar Peterson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 10:00 PM
To: Gary McGraw; Secure Mailing List
Subject: Re: [SC-L] Darkreading: Getting Started

Another approach is decentralized specialized teams, centers of excellence in 
current managementspeak, with a specific agenda and expertise on an area deemed 
strategic. This approach is probably best paired with 2,3, or 4 from your list. 
For example, a roving specialized threat modeling team that works with many 
groups to help develop threat models, attack patterns, tests, and so on. Or a 
roving team that focuses on build secure web apps and cuts across groups for 
specialized tasks for secure web app dev, say how do I use cardspace in my web 
app?

Once you figure out what your strategic goals are for security - threat 
modeling, cardspace, static analysis, secure web app deve, etc. You can use
#2 to focus them on the right stuff, or use #3 as roving advisers (like the cia 
in the cold war), or in #4 arm them with a tool or technology like XML Security 
gateway or static analysis tools to make a small band more effective in a large 
organization.

-gp


On 1/9/08 6:48 PM, Gary McGraw [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 hi sc-l,

 One of the biggest hurdles facing software security is the problem of
 how to get started, especially when faced with an enterprise-level
 challenge.  My first darkreading column for 2008 is about how to get
 started in software security.  In the article, I describe four approaches:
 1. the top-down framework;
 2. portfolio risk;
 3. training first; and
 4. leading with a tool.

 We've tried them all with some success at different Cigital customers.

 Are there other ways to get started that have worked for you?

 By the way, I can use your help.  Darkreading is beginning to track
 reaction to topics more carefully than in the past.  You can help make
 software security more prominent by reading the article and passing
 the URL on to others you may find interested.  Another thing that
 helps is posting to the message boards.  Thanks in advance.

 Here's to even more widespread software security in 2008!

 gem

 company www.cigital.com
 podcast www.cigital.com/silverbullet
 blog www.cigital.com/justiceleague
 book www.swsec.com

 ___
 Secure Coding mailing list (SC-L) SC-L@securecoding.org List
 information, subscriptions, etc -
 http://krvw.com/mailman/listinfo/sc-l
 List charter available at -
 http://www.securecoding.org/list/charter.php
 SC-L is hosted and moderated by KRvW Associates, LLC
 (http://www.KRvW.com) as a free, non-commercial service to the software 
 security community.
 ___




___
Secure Coding mailing list (SC-L) SC-L@securecoding.org
List information, subscriptions, etc - http://krvw.com/mailman/listinfo/sc-l
List charter available at - http://www.securecoding.org/list/charter.php
SC-L is hosted and moderated by KRvW Associates, LLC (http://www.KRvW.com)
as a free, non-commercial service to the software security community.
___


[SC-L] Darkreading: Getting Started

2008-01-09 Thread Gary McGraw
hi sc-l,

One of the biggest hurdles facing software security is the problem of how to 
get started, especially when faced with an enterprise-level challenge.  My 
first darkreading column for 2008 is about how to get started in software 
security.  In the article, I describe four approaches:
1. the top-down framework;
2. portfolio risk;
3. training first; and
4. leading with a tool.

We've tried them all with some success at different Cigital customers.

Are there other ways to get started that have worked for you?

By the way, I can use your help.  Darkreading is beginning to track reaction to 
topics more carefully than in the past.  You can help make software security 
more prominent by reading the article and passing the URL on to others you may 
find interested.  Another thing that helps is posting to the message boards.  
Thanks in advance.

Here's to even more widespread software security in 2008!

gem

company www.cigital.com
podcast www.cigital.com/silverbullet
blog www.cigital.com/justiceleague
book www.swsec.com

___
Secure Coding mailing list (SC-L) SC-L@securecoding.org
List information, subscriptions, etc - http://krvw.com/mailman/listinfo/sc-l
List charter available at - http://www.securecoding.org/list/charter.php
SC-L is hosted and moderated by KRvW Associates, LLC (http://www.KRvW.com)
as a free, non-commercial service to the software security community.
___