What’s the Difference Between Application Security and Software Security
When discussing application security vs software security, it’s important to understand the difference between these two approaches. Application security focuses on the security of a specific software application, ensuring it is resistant to threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks. This includes addressing security risks, implementing secure coding practices, and managing application-level access controls and authentication.
In contrast, software security takes a broader perspective, encompassing the entire software development lifecycle. It involves integrating security measures throughout the entire process, from design and coding to testing and deployment. Software security aims to build secure software systems that can withstand a wide range of threats, not just those targeting a single application.
Key Takeaways
- Application security focuses on securing software applications, while software security focuses on building secure software.
- Application security protects apps from threats like data breaches, DDoS attacks, and unauthorized access. Software security builds apps to be secure against vulnerabilities in design, code, and architecture.
- Key differences include application security being reactive and software security being proactive. Application security acts after development, but software security is part of development.
- Complementary strategies are needed. Application security shields apps, but constant software testing and best practices make them resilient. Integrating both maximizes application security posture.
- Organizations need application security tools like WAFs, RASP, sandboxing, and firewalls, as well as software security testing like SAST, DAST, and IAST to cover all bases.
Head to Head Comparison Between Application Security vs Software Security
| Feature | Application Security | Software Security |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Focuses on the security of individual applications and their components. | Encompasses the security of the entire software system, including the application, operating system, network, and infrastructure. |
| Threats | Addresses threats specific to the application, such as injection flaws, cross-site scripting, and unauthorized access. | Addresses a broader range of threats, including network-based attacks, malware, and system vulnerabilities. |
| Techniques | Employs techniques like input validation, secure coding practices, and vulnerability scanning. | Utilizes techniques such as system hardening, access control, and security monitoring. |
| Lifecycle | Integrates security throughout the application development lifecycle, from design to deployment. | Considers security throughout the entire software development lifecycle, from requirements to maintenance. |
| Responsibilities | Application security is primarily the responsibility of the development team. | Software security involves a cross-functional team, including developers, IT operations, and security specialists. |
| Compliance | Focuses on compliance with application-specific security standards and regulations. | Ensures compliance with broader software-related security standards and regulations. |
| Metrics | Measures the security of the application using metrics like the number of vulnerabilities, security incidents, and compliance violations. | Evaluates the overall security posture of the software system, including metrics like the mean time to detect and respond to incidents. |
| Tools | Utilizes tools like application security testing, web application firewalls, and code analysis. | Employs a broader range of security tools, including network monitoring, vulnerability management, and security information and event management (SIEM) systems. |
| Scope of Testing | Emphasizes testing the application at the unit, integration, and functional levels. | Encompasses testing at the system, integration, and deployment levels. |
| Automation | Focuses on automating security testing and vulnerability remediation within the application. | Automates security processes across the entire software ecosystem, including deployment, monitoring, and incident response. |
| Expertise | Requires specialized knowledge in application-specific security principles and technologies. | Necessitates a deeper understanding of software architecture, infrastructure, and security principles. |
| Continuous Improvement | Continuously improves the security of the application based on feedback and evolving threats. | Focuses on the continuous improvement of the overall software security posture, including processes, policies, and tools. |
What is Application Security
Application security refers to protecting software applications from threats once they are developed and deployed. It focuses on shielding live apps in production from attacks and unauthorized activity.
The Main Goals of Application Security
- Prevent data breaches that lead to the loss of sensitive customer and business data.
- Block attacks like DDoS, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting that can disrupt availability and exploit vulnerabilities
- Stop unauthorized access to application functions and resources.
- Protect applications from emerging and undisclosed threats.
Application security employs tools and techniques such as:
- Web application firewall (WAF): inspects web traffic to filter out exploits like XSS, SQLi, etc.
- Runtime application self-protection (RASP): provides runtime monitoring to detect and block threats within apps
- API security: secures the APIs used by mobile and web apps to connect with backends like databases
- Access control: manages user roles and access permissions to app resources
- DDoS protection: filters out malicious traffic intended to disrupt availability
- Sandboxing: runs apps in isolated environments to analyze behavior safely
These capabilities allow apps to be secured against threats without needing to alter the application code itself. Application security solutions are deployed alongside the app topology to monitor traffic and activity.
This means application security takes an outside-in approach focused on protecting apps from external threats rather than building secure code internally. It acts as a defensive shield around apps.
What is Software Security
Software security refers to practices used throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) to build more secure applications. The goal is to create resilient code and architecture that is inherently secure by design.
The Main Goals of Software Security
- Secure design principles like least privilege, defense-in-depth, fail-safe defaults
- Threat modeling to identify risks and guide mitigations during design
- Secure coding best practices like input validation, SQL parameterization, error handling
- Security testing of code including static (SAST), dynamic (DAST), interactive analysis (IAST)
- Fixing vulnerabilities before applications are released
- Security training for developers on writing secure code
Unlike application security, software security takes an inside-out approach, starting from the foundation of application code and infrastructure. It focuses on:
- Designing apps with security built-in from the ground up
- Finding and remediating vulnerabilities early during development
- Hardening code, configurations, and architecture against risks
- Building quality and resilience to untrusted input/traffic
This proactive stance during the SDLC contrasts with application security’s reactive stance after apps are live.
Now that we’ve defined both approaches, let’s highlight some key differences.
Key Differences Between Application Security and Software Security
While application security and software security aim to protect apps from threats, they go about it in very different ways:
Timing
- Application security is reactive and happens after development once apps are operational
- Software security is proactive and part of the development process itself
Focus
- Application security focuses on adding protection around apps
- Software security focuses on building secure apps themselves
Depth
- Application security sits at the surface, protecting apps from external threats
- Software security is deeply embedded in application code, design, architecture
Approach
- Application security monitors and shields apps using tools like WAFs and RASP
- Software security finds and fixes root causes like vulnerabilities in code
Ownership
- Application security falls under operations/infrastructure teams
- Software security involves developers and security champions
Testing
- Application security relies on live-testing production apps
- Software security performs extensive testing, including SAST, and during the development
Adaptability
- Application security uses policies to block threats, which can require updates for new techniques
- Secure software is resilient to novel attacks due to quality code, architecture
Cost
- Application security costs more when retrofitting protection after applications are complete
- Software security is more cost-effective when built in from the start
These differences show why both approaches are vital for a mature application security posture. Relying on just one leaves gaps an adversary can exploit.
Next, let’s look closer at why running software security and application security in tandem is so critical.
Why Both Application Security and Software Security Matter
Application security and software security offer complementary strengths when done together:
- Software security creates resilient apps proactively
- Application security shields apps reactively against threats that get through
Like layers of an onion, both are needed because neither is sufficient alone.
For example, software security aims to build quality, hardened apps that are resilient to attack. But remain sure that WAF, DDoS protection, and access policies still help shield running apps.
Conversely, application security stops many threats trying to exploit apps. Yet resilient software prevents vulnerabilities that tools may miss.
Software security also reduces dependence on application security policies that must be kept updated. Quality code holds up better to new, unforeseen threats.
Ultimately, integrating both practices delivers defense-in-depth with inner software resilience and outer application security monitoring.
Integrating Application Security and Software Security
Here are best practices to integrate application security and software security:
- Involve AppSec experts early during design: Collaborate on threat models, security architecture reviews, and training secure design principles.
- Guide developers on secure coding:
- Establish secure coding standards.
- Conduct reviews.
- Perform SAST and DAST testing.
- Fix vulnerabilities before release.
- Perform penetration testing: Ethically attack finished apps to find flaws missed during development. Feed results back to improve code quality.
- Deploy application security tools: Install WAF, RASP, sandboxing, and access control for defense-in-depth around running applications.
- Share monitoring data: Provide application security tool logs and incidents to developers to improve software security practices.
- Maintain coordination: Ensure software security and application security teams stay aligned through shared roadmaps, status reports, and meetings.
- Drive culture change: Instill a secure coding mindset via training incentives for developers. Celebrate security wins.
- Automate processes: Use CI/CD pipelines to automatically apply security policies and testing, reducing reliance on human execution.
- Manage with metrics: Track progress via key indicators for code quality, application security posture, and incident response.
- Prioritize: Focus initial software security efforts on high-value applications that handle sensitive data. Expand scope over time.
Integrating application security and software security boosts overall security posture while delivering efficiency gains. With a unified application security program spanning development and operations, organizations can make apps a source of strength rather than vulnerability.
Final Thoughts
Application security and software security are complementary disciplines that together provide layers of protection to secure valuable applications. By taking an integrated approach that spans development and operations, organizations can defend against evolving threats more effectively. The key is constant collaboration to ensure secure coding practices and resilient software design on the inside, monitored by application security tools on the outside.
A culture of security and shared responsibility for application protection also helps unify software security and application security activities for maximized security posture. Ultimately, the synergy of proactive software practices and reactive application security measures delivers robust defense in depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is application security part of software security?
No, application security and software security are distinct practices. Software security focuses on building secure code, while application security protects running applications.
Should software security or application security come first?
Software security should come first during development. Application security complements this by monitoring apps once deployed.
Does application security replace secure coding?
No, application security augments resilient software built via secure coding practices, threat modeling, and security testing.
How often should penetration testing be performed?
Major releases should be penetration tested. Attacks on production systems should also be continuously tested and rotated to identify evolving weaknesses.
Does application security or software security offer better ROI?
Software security built-in from the start lowers cost compared to retrofitting application security. Integrating both maximizes ROI.
How can we get developers more engaged in application security?
Drive culture change through training, incentives for secure coding, and empowering developers to use app sec tools as part of the CI/CD pipeline.
Will application security tools like WAFs make software vulnerabilities irrelevant?
No. Blocking attacks is useful, but resilient software is still critical as new threats emerge. Integrated app security and software security are ideal.
Priya Mervana
Verified Web Security Experts
Priya Mervana is working at SSLInsights.com as a web security expert with over 10 years of experience writing about encryption, SSL certificates, and online privacy. She aims to make complex security topics easily understandable for everyday internet users.
