[ISM] Client authentication and authorization :

Authentication and authorisation of clients is performed when clients call web APIs that facilitate access to data not authorised for release into the public domain.

[OWASP] Implement flexible authentication mechanisms (SSS-02-17-01)

Ensure authentication mechanisms are flexible and secure by supporting multiple authentication methods while phasing out weak or deprecated authenticators. For example, design authentication systems to support agile authenticator management, allowing users to adopt stronger authentication methods like hardware tokens or biometrics while smoothly deprecating insecure ones; Avoid reliance on email and SMS-based authentication, as they are classified as "restricted" by NIST 800-63 and may be removed from future security standards; Implement adaptive authentication to provide secure, user-friendly login experiences based on risk assessment; Continuously evaluate and update authentication strategies to align with evolving security best practices.

[SAMM] Classify and protect sensitive data (SSS-02-17-01-01)

Identify and understand the types and sensitivity of data stored and processed by applications, ensuring that basic data protection measures are in place. Protect all data associated with an application based on the requirements of the most sensitive data it stores or processes. Prohibit propagation of unsanitized sensitive production data to lower (non-production) environments, focusing data protection policies on production environments. Implement security controls like encryption, backups, and controlled data sharing to prevent unauthorized access and mitigate risks.

Operations

ID Operation Description Phase Agent
SSS-02-17-01-01-01 Identify and Classify Data Elements Identify all data elements processed and stored by the application. Classify these data elements based on their type and sensitivity level to ensure appropriate handling. Preparation Data Governance, Security Engineers
SSS-02-17-01-01-02 Implement Controls to Protect Sensitive Data Implement necessary controls to protect the most sensitive data, ensuring that data is handled according to its protection requirements. Development Security Engineers, IT Operations
SSS-02-17-01-01-03 Prevent Propagation of Sensitive Data to Lower Environments Implement controls to prevent the propagation of unsanitized sensitive data from production environments to lower (non-production) environments. This reduces the risk of exposing sensitive data during testing or development. Development DevOps Teams, Security Engineers
SSS-02-17-01-01-04 Monitor Data Handling and Fate Maintain awareness of how sensitive data is processed and handled, ensuring it is not inadvertently shared with external partners or improperly stored in backups or lower environments. Post-deployment IT Operations, Security Engineers

References

Industry framework Academic work Real-world case
Information Security Manual (ISM-1817)
OWASP Application Security Verification Standard
OWASP SAMM: Software Assurance Maturity Model (OM-1-A)