Table of Contents

Secure Development Policy

Purpose

To ensure that information security and privacy protection are designed and implemented within the development lifecycle for all Qwestly applications and information systems. This policy establishes core standards for secure software development practices that protect candidate data, customer information, and business assets.

As a talent marketplace platform processing sensitive personal and employment data, Qwestly recognizes that secure development practices are fundamental to protecting stakeholder trust and maintaining regulatory compliance.

Objectives

This policy aims to:

Integrate essential security measures throughout the development lifecycle.
Establish core secure coding standards.
Implement fundamental automated security testing.
Ensure basic regulatory compliance (GDPR and CCPA).
Foster a security-aware development culture.

Scope

This policy applies to all Qwestly applications and information systems that are business-critical and process, store, or transmit confidential data. This policy governs all development activities by all team members.

Secure Development Lifecycle Framework

Security and Design Principles

Secure-by-Design Principles:

Minimize Attack Surface Area: Reduce the number of potential attack vectors through careful system design and feature implementation
Establish Secure Defaults: Configure systems with the most secure settings by default, requiring explicit action to reduce security
Principle of Least Privilege: Grant users and systems only the minimum access required for their intended function
Defense-in-Depth: Implement multiple layers of security controls to protect against various attack vectors
Fail Securely: Ensure that system failures default to a secure state rather than exposing data or functionality
Don't Trust External Services: Validate all external inputs and implement appropriate security controls for third-party integrations
Separation of Duties: Separate critical functions across different individuals and systems to prevent unauthorized actions
Avoid Security by Obscurity: Rely on proven security mechanisms rather than hiding system details
Keep Security Simple: Implement security controls that are understandable and maintainable
Fix Security Issues Correctly: Address root causes of security issues rather than implementing superficial fixes

Privacy-by-Design Principles:

Proactive not Reactive: Anticipate and prevent privacy invasions before they occur
Privacy as the Default Setting: Ensure maximum privacy protection without requiring action from the individual
Full Functionality: Accommodate all legitimate interests without unnecessary trade-offs
End-to-End Security: Secure data throughout its entire lifecycle from collection to deletion
Visibility and Transparency: Ensure all stakeholders can verify privacy practices and compliance
Respect for User Privacy: Keep the interests of candidates and customers as the primary consideration

Development Security Roles and Responsibilities

All team members are responsible for:

Implementing secure coding practices.
Participating in security code reviews.
Identifying and reporting security vulnerabilities.
Participating in security incident response.

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Security

Automated Security Pipeline Integration

Static Application Security Testing (SAST): Automated source code security scanning on every commit with vulnerability detection.
Dependency and Supply Chain Security: Automated dependency vulnerability scanning.

Security Gates and Quality Controls

Pre-Commit Security Controls: Local security scanning and validation.
Merge and Deployment Controls: Mandatory security review for changes affecting authentication, authorization, or data handling.

Cloud-Native Secure Development

Cloud Security Configuration Management: Basic AWS security service integration.
Container Security: Approved container base image usage.

AI/ML Development Security

Model Development Security: Training data security and model versioning.
Algorithm Security and Ethics: Bias detection and mitigation testing.

Development Environment Security

Environment Separation Requirements: Separation between development, staging, and production.
Development Environment Security: Developer workstation security basics (antivirus, patching).

Production Data Protection

Production Data Access Controls: Strict prohibition of production data in development.
Data Anonymization and Synthetic Data: Basic data anonymization for testing.

Security Testing and Validation Framework

Static Application Security Testing (SAST): Automated source code scanning.
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST): Automated scanning of running applications in staging (basic OWASP Top 10 testing).
Regular Security Assessment: Annual penetration testing and quarterly internal assessments.

Third-Party Component and Open Source Security

Automated Dependency Security: Dependency vulnerability scanning.

Development Data Security and Privacy

Privacy by Design Implementation: Data minimization principles.
Secure Credential Management: Secrets management system integration.

Security Code Review Process

Security-Critical Code Review: Review for changes affecting authentication, authorization, or data handling.

Development Security Incident Response

Incident Types and Severity: Basic classification (Critical, High, Medium, Low).
Incident Response Procedures: Immediate containment and basic response.

Compliance and Regulatory Requirements

Trust Service Criteria Implementation:

Security (CC6.1-CC6.8): Logical access controls, security monitoring, and vulnerability management
Availability (A1.1-A1.3): System availability, monitoring, and change management
Confidentiality (C1.1-C1.2): Data protection and access controls
Privacy (P1.1-P9.1): Privacy protection and consent management

Training and Awareness Program

Developer Security Training: Secure coding and basic compliance training.

Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

Development Security Metrics: Tracking of security vulnerabilities and basic test coverage.

Implementation Guidelines

Phased Implementation Approach

Phase 1: Foundation (Months 1-3) - Implement basic automated security scanning, environment separation, and security training.

Phase 2: Enhancement (Months 4-6) - Implement basic DAST and dependency security.

Ongoing Operations (Year 1+) - Continuous monitoring and improvement.

Exception Management and Emergency Procedures

Basic Exception Request Requirements: Justification and risk assessment.
Emergency Development Procedures: Basic emergency response.

Document Management and Governance

Policy Governance Structure

Document Ownership and Authority:

Policy Owner: Chief Technology Officer
Policy Approver: Chief Executive Officer
Technical Review Authority: Engineering Leadership Team
Business Review Authority: Executive Leadership Team
Distribution Management: All development personnel with acknowledgment tracking

Review and Update Schedule:

Monthly: Security metrics review and process effectiveness assessment
Quarterly: Policy relevance review and development practice alignment assessment
Annual: Comprehensive policy review with stakeholder feedback and industry best practice integration
Ad-Hoc: Immediate updates for regulatory changes, security incidents, or technology evolution

Change Management and Communication

Policy Change Process:

Change request documentation with business justification and impact assessment
Stakeholder review and feedback collection with technical and business input
Legal and compliance review with regulatory impact assessment
Executive approval with implementation planning and resource allocation
Communication and training with change management and adoption support

Training and Awareness Integration:

Policy update notifications with change highlights and implementation guidance
Training program updates with curriculum enhancement and effectiveness measurement
Development tool integration with policy enforcement and compliance assistance
Compliance monitoring integration with automated validation and reporting
Feedback and improvement integration with continuous enhancement and optimization

Document History

Version	Date	Description	Written by	Approved by
1.0.0	6/13/25		Dominick Pham	Adam Boender

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