The Journey to a Scalable Software Maturity Model – Source: securityboulevard.com

As the nature of software development and cybersecurity threats evolve, software security faces mounting obstacles to success. Frameworks, tools, programming languages and teams are ever-changing, and intensifying attacks present an increasing risk to organizations.

Mature application security (AppSec) programs are essential to protecting software in today’s dynamic environment, but the journey to AppSec maturity is beset with challenges.‍ To help guide security professionals and their AppSec programs on the path to success, the Purple Book Community has embarked on a new global initiative: The Scalable Software Security Maturity Model (S3M2). On this journey, The Purple Book Community is commited to:

• Creating powerful educational resources
• Engaging hands-on with software security and development teams
• Developing a modern and practical model for assessing application security maturity that considers technical, cultural, and organizational factors

What is the Purple Book Community Scalable Software Security Maturity Model (S3M2)?

The Purple Book Community S3M2 is a framework designed to help organizations assess and improve their software security practices. It provides a structured approach to measuring and enhancing an organization’s maturity in software security, focusing on scalability and community collaboration.

The Purple Book S3M2 emphasizes scalability and community collaboration, meaning it aims to provide a framework that can be adapted and applied to organizations of different sizes and industries. It also encourages organizations to engage with the software security community, share knowledge and leverage collective expertise to enhance their security practices.

The model is broken down into three major categories with sub-categories beneath each of them:

• People – Relates to the ‘people’ aspect of software development organizations and addresses the needs for awareness, training, and Security Champions.
• Process – Describes the relative maturity across internal processes to address software security.
• Technology – Covers the selection, procurement, and use of software security and DevOps tools to help operate and report on the effectiveness of  a software security program.

For each of the major categories, the Purple Book Community’s S3M2 model consists of five maturity levels, each representing a higher degree of software security practices. These levels are as follows:

Level 1: Reactive/Ad-hoc 

At this level, the software security practices within the organization are reactive and ad-hoc. There is limited—if any—awareness and attention given to security issues. Security measures are implemented only in response to incidents or as a temporary fix. There is no defined strategy or consistent approach to software security.

Level 2: Proactive 

At Level 2, the organization transitions towards a proactive approach to software security. There is an acknowledgment of the importance of security, and efforts are made to implement preventive measures. Security controls and processes are integrated into the software development lifecycle (SDLC), and the organization takes steps to address common vulnerabilities and establish secure coding practices.

Level 3: Managed 

In Level 3, the organization establishes a managed software security program. There is the beginnings of strategy and policies in place for software security. Roles and responsibilities are defined, and security activities are integrated into the SDLC. The organization follows established standards, guidelines, and best practices for secure software development.

Level 4: Optimized

At Level 4, the organization focuses on optimizing its software security practices. There is a data-driven approach, with metrics and measurements used to evaluate the effectiveness of security controls. Lessons learned from previous incidents and experiences are used to continuously improve security practices. The organization strives for efficiency, automation, and streamlining of security processes.

Level 5: Dynamic

Level 5 represents the highest level of maturity in the Purple Book Community model. At this stage, the organization has a dynamic and advanced software security program. There is a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. The organization actively engages with the broader software security community, shares knowledge, and adopts emerging technologies and methodologies. It strives for excellence in software security by anticipating and adapting to evolving threats and industry trends.

The Purple Book Community Scalable Software Security Maturity Model provides organizations with an ability to develop a custom roadmap to enhance their software security practices. It encourages a progression from reactive and ad-hoc measures towards a proactive, managed, optimized, and dynamic approach to ensure the resilience and security of software systems.

By using the Purple Book Community S3M2, organizations can assess their current software security maturity, identify gaps and areas for improvement and develop a roadmap to advance their security practices. It provides a structured approach that enables organizations to incrementally enhance their software security capabilities while fostering collaboration within the broader community.

To hear more about the Purple Book Community S3M2 and learn AppSec strategies and best practices, join the Purple Book Community and ArmorCode at AppSecCon 2023, the world’s leading virtual AppSec conference, June 28 and 29, 2023. Register now to reserve your spot!