Developers Shift Focus to Software Security in Modern Development

Understanding the Growing Emphasis on Software Security

Recent findings underscore a major shift among developers towards prioritizing software security. This trend, driven by evolving threats, has significant implications for how companies operate and compete within the tech space.

Insights from the IDC Survey

The IDC conducted a comprehensive survey that analyzed how developers allocate their time, particularly regarding security-related tasks. From this survey, it emerged that companies allocate approximately $28,000 per developer each year to various security activities. This encompasses a wide range of responsibilities including manual application scan reviews and context switching, which can dramatically impact productivity.

Time Spent on Security Task

According to the survey, half of the respondents indicated that they invest around 19% of their weekly hours in security-related tasks, often extending this work beyond normal hours. Such an allocation can foster a reactive rather than proactive security approach.

Challenges Faced by Developers

Asaf Karas, CTO of JFrog Security, highlighted that securing the software supply chain presents considerable challenges. The use of multiple tools often forces developers to navigate between different environments, which not only hampers efficiency but also increases the overall risk for organizations.

Key Findings from the Study

The IDC survey revealed several critical insights regarding the challenges developers face in software security:

• Eliminating False Positives: On average, developers dedicate about 3.5 hours reviewing security scan results due to the prevalence of false positives and duplicate findings.
• Context Switching: A striking 69% of developers agree that their duties necessitate frequent transitions between various tools, leading to inefficiencies.
• Understanding Secrets: Developers spend half their time interpreting secrets scanning results and making necessary corrections to their code.
• Infrastructure-as-Code Scanning: More than 54% of developers report that they conduct Infrastructure-as-Code scans either weekly or monthly, ensuring changes to code are secure.
• SAST Adoption: Despite the integration of Static Application Security Testing tools, only 23% of developers run these scans prior to deploying code, leaving significant vulnerabilities.

The Importance of DevSecOps

As Katie Norton, Research Manager at IDC, mentioned, adopting DevSecOps practices is not merely beneficial; it is essential for organizations aspiring to build robust applications. Overcoming inefficient security tools is critical to optimizing developers' time and reducing costs associated with security.

Achieving Efficiency in Software Development

Organizations must embrace automation of repetitive tasks, ensuring that security tools provide reliable data while minimizing false positives. Continuous access to security training and resources is imperative for developers to remain vigilant in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

About JFrog

JFrog Ltd. (Nasdaq: FROG) is dedicated to creating a seamless experience in software delivery from developers to end-users. With an emphasis on their “Liquid Software” vision, JFrog’s Software Supply Chain Platform serves as a unified system for building, managing, and securely distributing software. This platform ensures that software is easily accessible, can be tracked, and remains untampered. With integrated security features, JFrog assists in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities. Their multi-cloud platform, available as both self-hosted and SaaS, is utilized by numerous organizations, including many Fortune 100 companies. Learn more about JFrog and its innovative solutions on their official website or through social media channels.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the main findings of the recent IDC survey?

The IDC survey revealed that developers spend a significant amount of their time on security tasks, leading to inefficiencies and highlighting a growing focus on software security.

How much do companies typically spend on developer security?

Companies are reported to spend approximately $28,000 annually per developer on security-related activities.

What challenges do developers face in software security?

Developers encounter issues such as context switching between tools and the time spent dealing with false positives in security scan results.

Why is DevSecOps important?

DevSecOps is crucial as it enables organizations to integrate security throughout the software development lifecycle, enhancing the protection of applications.

How can organizations improve their security processes?

Organizations should focus on automating repetitive tasks, minimizing false positives in security alerts, and providing ongoing training for developers regarding security practices.

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