The Growing Need for Integrated Security in SDLC.
with GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS)
As software development practices have evolved, so have the complexity and sophistication of security threats. Some of the common types of threats that organizations and developers face on day-2-day basis are;
- Malware This includes ransomware, trojans, spyware, viruses, worms, and other malicious software designed to harm or exploit systems.
- Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks These attacks aim to shut down a machine or network, making it inaccessible to its intended users.
- Phishing A method of trying to gather personal information using deceptive e-mails and websites.
- Spoofing The act of disguising a communication from an unknown source as being from a known, trusted source.
- Identity-Based Attacks These involve unauthorized use of someone else’s identity or credentials to access systems.
- Code Injection Attacks The exploitation of a computer bug that is caused by processing invalid data. Injection is used by an attacker to introduce (or “inject”) code into a vulnerable computer program and change the course of execution.
- Supply Chain Attacks These occur when attackers infiltrate a system through an outside partner or provider with access to systems and data.
- Social Engineering Attacks Tactics that trick people into revealing sensitive information or granting access to restricted systems.
- Insider Threats Risks posed by individuals from within the organization, such as employees or contractors, who may misuse their access to harm the organization.
These threats can lead to data breaches, financial loss, intellectual property theft, and damage to an organization’s reputation. It’s crucial for developers and organizations to stay vigilant and employ comprehensive security measures to protect against these evolving threats.
Hence, The introduction of GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) was driven by the growing need for integrated security features within the software development lifecycle. Some of the Important reasons why GHAS became necessary was…
Complex codebases where, Modern codebases are often large and complex, making it difficult to manually identify security vulnerabilities. Rise in Security Threats where there has been an increase in security breaches and attacks, emphasizing the need for proactive security measures. DevSecOps Integrating security into the DevOps process (DevSecOps) has become a best practice, requiring tools that can seamlessly fit into developers’ workflows. Automation of security scanning and secret detection helps teams identify and fix vulnerabilities quickly, without slowing down development. Organizations face regulatory pressures to ensure their code meets certain security standards, which GHAS helps address.
GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) is a suite of security features provided by GitHub to enhance the security of software development. It includes several tools designed to help identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities within your codebase. Below Images share some key components of GHAS:
- Code Scanning: This feature allows you to search for potential security vulnerabilities and coding errors in your code using CodeQL or third-party tools.
- Secret Scanning: Detects secrets, such as keys and tokens, that may have been inadvertently committed to your repositories. It also offers push protection to prevent secrets from being pushed to your repository.
- Dependency Review with Dependabot: Helps you manage your project dependencies and alerts you to any known vulnerabilities within them.
GHAS is available for enterprise accounts on GitHub Enterprise Cloud and GitHub Enterprise Server, and some features are also enabled for public repositories on GitHub.com
Resources
- For more detailed information, you can visit the GitHub Advanced Security documentation or explore the GitHub Advanced Security page for open-source initiatives and resources related to advanced security solutions.
- For private repositories, a GHAS license is required : About GitHub Advanced Security — GitHub Docs
