Data Protection and Security

VI

Operating System Security and Secure Programming

VI.IV

Secure Software Development

Technical Trends Affecting Software Security:

• Size and Complexity: Inherent complexity lets malicious and flawed subsystems remain invisible to unsuspecting users until it is too late.
• Extensibility and Mobile code: While extending, the risk of intentional or unintentional introduction of malicious behaviour increases drastically.
• Hidden Risk Problem: Users may incorrectly install a program that introduces unacceptable risks.
• Ubiquitous Networking: The growing connectivity of the Internet eliminates the need for an attacker to have a physical access to the system.
• Low Level Programming Language: For example C and C++ do not protect against simple attacks like buffer overflows.