What is the primary goal of secure coding?

The primary goal of secure coding is to guard against security vulnerabilities. Secure coding practices involve writing software in a way that minimizes the risk of introducing security flaws, which could be exploited by malicious actors. This includes using safe programming techniques, validating input, properly managing user authentication, and ensuring that sensitive information is protected.

By focusing on security from the outset of the software development process, developers can create applications that are resilient against attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and buffer overflows, among others. The aim is to build robust software that not only meets functional requirements but also safeguards against threats that could lead to data breaches or system compromises.

While concerns such as software performance, size, and user interface design are important in the software development lifecycle, they are secondary to the fundamental need for security in today’s threat landscape. Prioritizing secure coding helps protect both the software and its users.