Application Security is a constantly evolving industry, with new threats and methods to combat them appearing regularly. One of the more recent methodologies to combat these threats is Application Security Orchestration and Correlation (ASOC), which centralises these different technologies and integrates them at all development points.
This article will cover the benefits of ASOC and how it works, and what you should look for in good ASOC tools.
What Is Application Security Orchestration & Correlation?
In 2019, Gartner (a technology research and consulting firm) released a report about upcoming trends in application security, mentioning a new category known as ASOC. This change combined two separate categories that were often intertwined: Application Security Testing Orchestration and Application Vulnerability Correlation.
Instead of “shifting left” with application security, this new ASOC methodology would bake security into development at the start of development by including automated tests at every step of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and organising the data into a database to analyse and track issues.
The Benefits of Application Security Orchestration & Correlation
With this new methodology in place, ASOC brings several benefits to teams while already incorporating standard security tools such as SAST, DAST, and SCA. Some of the more prominent advantages include:
Continuous and Automated Scanning
With ASOC tools performing security scans in a CI/CD pipeline and at scheduled intervals, it gives them access to control each security tool. This typically supports any SAST/DAST tools an organisation already uses, making integration easier when adopting ASOC practices. With this, developers can have all the information they need from these scans in one central location.
Automatic Application Security Processes
While ASOC measures are in place, these tools can notify teams about any security issues when they’re discovered. These measures allow the flow of development to continue without being halted for security measures. With this, all teams can be made aware of potential vulnerabilities and promote a security-first mentality.
Centralised Vulnerability Management
ASOC consolidates all security vulnerabilities discovered through testing into a database for review. With this, any team member has access to view and follow up on potential threats. Additionally, this database allows teams to analyse the performance of their security practices and remove any false positives or duplicated information from multiple security tools, which may flag the same issue numerous times.
Sustainable Corporate Application Security Memory
Most ASOC tools will create a database that logs all vulnerabilities so they can be reviewed and analysed. With this vulnerability database, an organisation can prevent data loss when moving to new application security platforms and provide metrics on how well teams are keeping up with good security practices. This also helps if essential employees leave the company, where in most cases, a lot of security knowledge goes with them.
How ASOC Improves Efficiency Across the SDLC
Now that we know the benefits of ASOC, there are some critical features that you should look for when picking an ASOC platform:
Execute Tests
A good ASOC tool should be able to run application security tests regardless of the tools your organisation uses. Because ASOC tools should be platform-agnostic, all they need to do is run the correct test when they’re needed.
Correlate Results
Because each testing tool can output results in different formats or nomenclature, ASOC tools should correlate and normalise them into one coherent set. This makes it easier to analyse and process these results without worrying about redundant entries or miscategorised information.
Prioritisation
Not all vulnerabilities are equal, with some being more impactful than others, and development teams don’t have the resources to fix every vulnerability. Good ASOC tools should be able to assign different priority levels to each discovered vulnerability to help teams form a plan of attack.
Track Remediation
Regardless of whether or not a vulnerability gets resolved, it should be documented whenever a vulnerability is found. With proper ASOC tools, any prioritised vulnerabilities can be automatically recorded in a ticket tracking software like JIRA or Trello to keep developers informed.
Centralised Platform
Because testing tools output large amounts of data, teams tend to spend time and resources to aggregate this information into something actionable. ASOC tools should centralise this information into one location for teams to view and analyse, allowing them to craft better plans for future development. This information can be used for security teams and executives, SCA tracking, and more.
How Can Uleska Help?
Instead of struggling to maintain disjointed security solutions, you can save time by using tools that seamlessly integrate with your existing workflows. Uleska provides orchestration security tools that you can rely on and easily integrate with your CI platforms and DevOps workflows. Discover more now.
