CISO-Approved: 9 Hidden Software Risks Backed by Secure-by-Design Principles
A dev-friendly checklist for teams who want to ship fast — and stay secure.
How to Use It
Run a quick self-assessment
Check visibility and ownership with your team.
Use it in weekly dev/security syncs
Guide discussions and backlog prioritization.
Map it to your current tools
Close detection gaps by integrating with tools like SAST, SCA, IaC, and container scanning.
Share it with leadership or auditors
Demonstrate your team’s maturity and Secure-by-Design mindset.
Validated by CISOs.
Aligned to Secure-by-Design Principles
Each section includes:
Where the risk hides
How to detect it
Fix Priority by Impact
Hardcoded Secrets
These show up in code comments, old commits, config files, or accidentally pushed .env files.
Detection tip:
Use truffleHog or GitGuardian to scan repos.
Fix tip:
Remove and rotate keys, store in Vault or AWS Secrets Manager.
TL;DR: The Hidden Risk Table
Bonus: Priority Remediation List
Perfect for dev triage and stakeholder prioritization.
We've prioritized each risk area by:
Exploit potential
Audit visibility
Fix complexity
Start Left Risk Tracker
Use this grid to track your progress in addressing each risk area.
Common Security Risks Explained
Hardcoded Secrets
API keys, passwords, and tokens embedded directly in source code pose a critical security risk. These can be discovered through code reviews or automated scanning tools.
Outdated OSS Packages
Open source dependencies with known vulnerabilities that haven't been updated. These create entry points for attackers who can exploit documented weaknesses.
Misconfigured IaC
Infrastructure as Code templates with security misconfigurations that can lead to exposed resources or excessive permissions in cloud environments.
Exposed APIs
Endpoints without proper authentication, rate limiting, or input validation that can be discovered and exploited by attackers.
Want to Go Deeper?
We offer a free Secure-by-Design Readiness Session — 30 minutes, no prep needed.
We'll walk through your environment and show you exactly where gaps may be hiding.
Schedule a session here
Book a Session
Use our calendar link to schedule a convenient 20-minute slot
Quick Assessment
We'll analyze your environment for hidden security risks
Get Actionable Insights
Receive practical recommendations tailored to your specific needs