How to Build Secure Software Without Sacrificing Speed

In today’s fast-paced world of software development, engineering teams focus on rapid feature delivery, while security teams prioritize risk reduction. These conflicting priorities often lead to friction that not only slows down development but also compromises the final product’s security.

 

 Development vs. Security: A Common Conflict

More than 60% of developers believe that security should not become a bottleneck for development speed or business success. However, in practice, a lack of coordination and mutual understanding between teams often results in tension and lower overall software quality.

In Q1 of 2025, Sonatype identified over 17,954 malicious open-source packages, showing that software supply chains are a key target for attackers. Security can no longer be treated as a secondary concern.

 Common Organizational Challenges

• Security is often treated as a final step rather than integrated throughout the development lifecycle.
• Late discovery of vulnerabilities leads to delays, rework, and team frustration.
• Security tools are often ignored or underutilized when they don’t align with developers’ workflows.

Josh Lemos, CISO at GitLab, states:
“It’s common for security teams to rely on tools outside the developer’s workflow, resulting in long feedback cycles.”

 

 Bridging the Gap Between Dev and Security

 Shift-Left Approach

Move security to the early stages of development—when code is written or tested. This allows for early vulnerability detection, reducing the cost and effort of remediation.

 Security Tools That Fit Developer Workflows

Use tools that integrate directly into the environments where developers work—IDEs, pull requests, CI/CD pipelines. Tools that are slow or confusing are likely to be bypassed.

 Cross-Team Collaboration

Involving security teams during the planning phase helps identify risks earlier. Meanwhile, developers gain a clearer understanding of security requirements and can make smarter decisions about architecture and dependencies.

Metrics and Monitoring

Track key metrics such as vulnerability resolution time, number of early-stage security findings, and tool adoption rates. Dashboards can improve visibility and accountability across teams.

 

 Conclusion: Security and Speed Can Coexist

Building trust and alignment between development and security requires the right tools, effective communication, and a shared organizational culture.

As Karl Mattson, CISO at Endor Labs, points out:
“Modern security strategies remove traditional barriers, enabling developers to ensure code security without slowing down.”

 

 Source: MedadPress
 www.medadpress.ir