Source Code Analysis
Acquire visibility into the security of the software with the use of “Secure Code Review”.
Overview: Source code Analysis
A secure code review is a specialized procedure that entails manually and/or automatically examining the source code of an application to find weaknesses in the design, discover unsafe coding techniques, find backdoors, injection flaws, cross-site scripting problems, weak cryptography, etc. The goal of secure code review is to improve the code’s security and uncover any flaws before they may cause any harm. Insecure code that could potentially result in a vulnerability at a later stage of the software development process and ultimately result in an insecure application is found through a procedure called secure code review.
Methodology of Source Code
The secure code review process is divided into two different techniques –
Automated Tool Based
This method employs a variety of open source/commercial tools for the secure code review. The majority of the time, developers utilize them while they are developing, however security analysts may also use them. When the safe SDLC process is implemented within the business and the developers are given the ability to undertake a “self-code” review while they are working, the tool is highly helpful for code review. Additionally, the tools are helpful for examining huge codebases (millions of lines).
Manual Tool Based
This method involves performing a full code review on the entire code, which may be a highly time-consuming and difficult task. But throughout this procedure, logical errors such as business logic issues could be found that are impossible to find with automated techniques.
Our Approach on Source Code Analysis
Reconnaissance
To offer the review team an understanding of how the programme is supposed to operate, a look at the real operating application is absolutely necessary. The review team can begin going with a quick rundown of the database's structure and any libraries that are being used.
Threat Assessment
Carrying out a threat analysis to comprehend the architecture of the application. These threats need to be prioritized among the vulnerabilities during the code review. The organization's essential applications must be identified, and a threat assessment must be done for that group of applications.
Automation
Code review is carried out during automation using a variety of paid/free technologies. Automated technologies are frequently used to analyze huge code bases with millions of lines of code, speeding up the code review process. They are capable of locating all the unsafe code packets in the database, which the developer or any security expert can then examine.
Manual Code Review
In order to verify access control, encryption, data protection, logging, and back-end system connections and usage, manual code review is the only method available. A manual inspection is crucial for tracking an application's attack surface and figuring out how data moves through an application from sources to sinks. Although going line by line through the code is expensive, it improves code readability and also aids in reducing false positives.
Confirmation
Following the completion of the automated and manual reviews, we thoroughly verify any risks that may have been identified as well as any potential remedies for any known codebase vulnerabilities.
Final Report
After completing all of the aforementioned stages, we compile all of our findings into a report that is easy to read. Every bug is tested in the code along with the patching solutions. The client's development team and Kratikal's security team discuss the problems and suggestions, and the development team fixes them as a result.
Benefits on Source Code Analysis
- Easy Bug Detection
- Analyze in depth
- Detailed Reviews
- Analyse with care
- Recognizing insecure programming practices
- Reporting
- The strengths and weaknesses of your team.
- Recommendations and solutions
- Compliance to industry standards
FAQs on Source Code Analysis
What is the importance of Secure Code Review?
Finding security-related vulnerabilities and weaknesses inside the source code is important; this is the purpose of secure code review. These bugs might make the entire code unfriendly to being exploited and are potentially harmful. Applications’ integrity, security, confidentiality, and attainability may all be at risk if their source code is not secure.
When to Perform a Secure Code Review?
The optimal time to do a secure code review is near the end of the source code development process, after the majority or all functionality has been developed. A secure code review costs money and takes time, which is why it is postponed until late in the development phase. Cost-reduction is aided by carrying it out just once near the end of the development phase
What aspect of code review is most crucial?
The primary goal of a code review should be to provide helpful criticism that will improve the code’s readability, maintainability, and bug-free nature.
What are the factors to bear in mind during secure coding?
a) Security by Design
b) Access Control
c) System Configuration
d) Password Management.
e) Input Validation and Output Encoding.
Which tools are designed to Analyse source code?
PVS-Studio is a tool for detecting bugs and security weaknesses in the source code of programs, written in C, C++, C# and Java. It works under 64-bit systems in Windows, Linux and macOS environments, and can analyze source code intended for 32-bit, 64-bit and embedded ARM platforms.
How does source code analysis work?
Source code analysis is the automated testing of source code for the purpose of debugging a computer program or application before it is distributed or sold. Source code consists of statements created with a text editor or visual programming tool and then saved in a file.
What is the purpose of source coding?
The aim of source coding is to represent information as accurately as possible us- ing as few bits as possible and in order to do so redundancy from the source needs to be removed.