What does CIS Control 16 focus on safeguarding?

CIS Control 16 specifically addresses the application software lifecycle and aims to safeguard applications throughout their development and operational phases. This control emphasizes the importance of implementing security measures during the entire software development life cycle (SDLC), which includes planning, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.

By focusing on the application software lifecycle, the control highlights the need for secure coding practices, regular updates and patches, vulnerability management, and testing for security weaknesses. The intent is to ensure that security is integrated into the software from the very beginning rather than being an afterthought. This approach helps in minimizing security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers once the application is deployed.

Safeguarding applications throughout their lifecycle is critical because applications are common targets for threats, and insecure code can lead to data breaches and other security incidents. By following the principles laid out in this control, organizations can improve their security posture and protect sensitive information processed by their applications.