Client
A global fintech company developing a next-generation mobile banking platform. The client needed to ensure secure coding practices, compliance with industry regulations, and resilience against cyber threats throughout the software development lifecycle.
Challenge
As the fintech industry faces increasing cyber risks, the client needed to address:
- Code Vulnerabilities
Existing development practices did not incorporate security-by-design, leading to potential risks such as injection attacks, broken authentication, and insecure API calls. - Compliance with Industry Standards
The software needed to meet security requirements under PCI DSS, GDPR, OWASP Top 10, and NIST guidelines. - Development and Security Misalignment
The client’s development teams lacked a standardized approach to integrating security controls within their DevOps workflow. - Third-Party and Open-Source Risks
The use of third-party libraries and APIs posed potential security risks, requiring thorough vetting and continuous monitoring. - Secure Deployment Challenges
Without a clear security strategy, the risk of exposing sensitive financial data in cloud and mobile environments increased.
Solution
COE Security provided Secure Software Development Consulting, embedding security best practices into every phase of the software development lifecycle (SDLC).
Phase 1: Secure Development Framework and Risk Assessment
- Conducted a secure code review to identify vulnerabilities in existing applications and development practices.
- Established a secure development framework, integrating security principles into Agile and DevOps methodologies.
- Evaluated third-party components and open-source dependencies to identify potential security risks.
Phase 2: Security Integration in the Software Development Lifecycle
- Implemented DevSecOps practices to shift security left, ensuring vulnerabilities were detected early in development.
- Introduced automated security testing tools, including static application security testing (SAST) and dynamic application security testing (DAST).
- Enforced secure coding guidelines aligned with OWASP, NIST, and ISO 27001 to reduce risks in software design and implementation.
Phase 3: Application and API Security Enhancement
- Hardened API security by enforcing authentication mechanisms such as OAuth 2.0, JWT, and mutual TLS.
- Developed secure encryption strategies for data at rest and in transit to meet compliance requirements.
- Implemented real-time threat monitoring and application logging for proactive threat detection.
Phase 4: Secure Deployment and Cloud Security Optimization
- Applied container security best practices, ensuring secure Kubernetes and Docker configurations.
- Strengthened identity and access management (IAM) to restrict unauthorized access to application environments.
- Integrated continuous monitoring and incident response protocols to detect and mitigate threats post-deployment.
Phase 5: Security Awareness and Developer Training
- Conducted hands-on secure coding workshops for development teams to recognize and remediate vulnerabilities.
- Provided role-based security training, equipping DevOps, QA, and product teams with security-first development practices.
- Developed a secure software governance model to maintain compliance and security best practices.
Results
With COE Security’s consulting services, the client achieved:
- Stronger Software Security
Embedded security within the SDLC, reducing software vulnerabilities by 80%. - Regulatory Compliance
Ensured full adherence to PCI DSS, GDPR, and industry security standards. - DevSecOps Maturity
Successfully integrated automated security testing within CI/CD pipelines. - Hardened APIs and Cloud Applications
Secured API endpoints and cloud workloads, reducing attack surfaces. - Security-First Development Culture
Trained developers on secure coding practices, fostering a security-aware engineering team.
Client Testimonial
COE Security helped us transform our development process by integrating security into every stage of our software lifecycle. Their expertise in secure coding, API protection, and DevSecOps enabled us to launch a highly secure mobile banking platform, ensuring compliance and customer trust. Their structured approach empowered our development teams with the tools and knowledge to build security-first applications.