Software Development

Microsoft officials credit more robust software security design with a diminished number of bugs garnering the tech giant's most severe rating.

Microsoft on Thursday released updates for three, free Security Development Lifecycle (SLD) tools designed to aid with the design and verification of applications. The updated tools - Threat Modeling Tool v3.1.8, MiniFuzz Tool v1.5.5 and RegExFuzz Tool v1.1.0 - include fixes for security and stability bugs, Microsoft said. In addition, the tools now add support for the 2010 versions of Microsoft's development environment, including Visual Studio and Team Foundation Server. Microsoft's SDL tools have been downloaded nearly 700,000 times since 2008, according to the Redmond, Wash.-based computing giant.

Software flaws provide the attack vector of many of today's largest breaches, and organizations must work to rectify those weaknesses.

Security professionals should find little comfort in the announcement over the weekend that LulzSec was folding up shop following an unprecedented, two-month-long hacking spree that left a trail of disruption and embarrassment across multiple industries.

SQL injection vulnerabilities first appeared in the 1990s, yet massive breaches in recent years prove the problem still remains a thorn in the side of security experts.

The Software Assurance Forum for Excellence in Code (SAFECode), a nonprofit seeking to advance software assurance, released on Tuesday an updated guidance document outlining the most effective secure development practices in use today. The free report builds upon the first edition by including verification methods and tools that can be used to confirm whether development teams have followed prescribed practices. The report is intended to help organizations initiate or improve their own software security programs and encourage industry adoption of secure development methods. - AM

Microsoft on Monday announced the free availability of a new software development tool designed for coders, as well as IT professionals.

2010 is on pace to become a record-setting year for software vulnerabilities, and third-party applications that are not properly patched are a major blame, according to a new Secunia report.