What is the Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF)?

SSDF is outlined in NIST SP 800-218. It provides a flexible, goal-based approach to integrating security into the SDLC. Instead of prescribing specific tools, it lets teams choose methods that fit their workflows—helping them build in security, reduce vulnerabilities, and address supply chain risks.

SSDF & GRC: Meeting the Demands of Industry Regulations

SSDF provides a proven framework to build a robust Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) program around, especially for organizations doing business with the US government and other regulated industries. Whether it’s a direct requirement or not, following SSDF practices is a great way for businesses to align with regulations such as DFARS, FISMA, and FedRAMP.

Historical Context and Development

NIST introduced the SSDF in response to rising software supply chain threats, such as the SolarWinds breach. Released as SP 800-218, it consolidates proven security practices from frameworks like BSIMM and OWASP SAMM into a flexible, tool-agnostic guide for embedding security into software development.

Importance of SSDF in Modern Software Development

Modern software relies on fast-paced development, automation, and third-party components—factors that expand the attack surface. The SSDF helps teams build secure software by design, reducing vulnerabilities, meeting compliance needs, and managing supply chain risks without slowing delivery.

What are the Core Principles of SSDF?

The SSDF outlines four core objectives—prepare the organization, protect the software, produce well-secured software, and respond to vulnerabilities. Aligned with standards like ISO/IEC 27001, OWASP SAMM, and BSIMM, these principles guide teams in building secure, resilient software.

Prepare the Organization

Lay the groundwork for secure development by defining security roles, governance policies, and consistent processes. This ensures security is embedded from the start, not added later.

Protect the Software

Safeguard all components, tools, and environments from unauthorized access or tampering. Use access controls, encryption, and secure pipelines to maintain software integrity.

Produce Well-Secured Software

Integrate security into every development stage with secure coding, code reviews, and automated analysis to catch issues early and reduce production risk.

Respond to Vulnerabilities

Detect and fix post-release threats quickly through defined response plans, regular assessments, and timely patching to protect users and maintain trust.

What are the Major Components of SSDF?

SSDF is composed of 42 specific practices, grouped under the four main objectives. Each practice includes implementation examples and references to industry standards.

Security Requirements Definition

Establishing clear security criteria during the planning phase ensures that all development efforts align with an organization’s risk posture and compliance obligations. By defining security requirements early, teams can integrate protection measures into the software from the ground up rather than retrofitting them later.

Threat Modeling

Threat modeling is a proactive exercise used to identify potential attack vectors before a single line of code is written. It allows developers and security teams to visualize how a system might be compromised and to prioritize defensive strategies accordingly.

Secure Coding Standards

Secure coding standards help developers write code that avoids common vulnerabilities like injection attacks and buffer overflows. They’re reinforced through peer reviews, linters, and ongoing training to support a security-conscious culture.

Automated Static and Dynamic Analysis

Static and dynamic analysis tools continuously scan source code and running applications for vulnerabilities. These automated tests help teams catch issues early in the SDLC and ensure software behaves securely under various conditions.

Code Signing

Code signing uses digital certificates to verify that an artifact comes from a trusted source and has not been tampered with. This helps prevent the distribution of malicious or altered software and builds user confidence in the product.

Vulnerability Disclosure Programs

Well-defined disclosure programs provide researchers and users with secure, structured channels to report security flaws. These programs demonstrate a company’s commitment to transparency and rapid remediation.

SBOM Management

Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) management allows organizations to track all components—open-source and proprietary—within a software product. This visibility helps teams detect outdated or vulnerable dependencies and take swift action to mitigate third-party risks.

How Does SSDF Apply Across the Software Development Lifecycle?

The SSDF spans the entire SDLC, ensuring that security is a shared responsibility from planning to deployment.

Planning
Define security policies, roles, and design principles early to embed protection into team workflows and system architecture from the start.

Development
Use secure coding practices, vetted libraries, and automated scans to catch vulnerabilities early and reduce risk during coding.

Testing
Run static and dynamic analysis, check dependencies, and verify build integrity to uncover and fix security issues before release.

Deployment
Deliver only verified, signed artifacts through secure channels to prevent tampering and ensure authenticity in production.

Maintenance
Continuously monitor for threats, apply patches, and manage SBOMs to maintain long-term software security and supply chain integrity.

Use Cases Demonstrating Successful SSDF Implementation

Several organizations have strengthened their software supply chain by adopting SSDF practices. For example, a global financial services company saw a 20% drop in critical incidents after implementing secure coding and automated scanning, while a SaaS provider improved compliance and patch response by integrating SBOMs and access controls. Even partial adoption can yield significant security and efficiency gains.

What are the Tools and Technologies Used for SSDF?

While the SSDF is tool-agnostic, effective implementation depends on selecting technologies that embed security throughout your SDLC. The right tools streamline workflows, automate checks, and support compliance at scale.

Categories of Tools That Support SSDF

The following categories of tools help organizations implement SSDF practices by automating security checks, improving visibility, and enforcing compliance throughout the development lifecycle.

• SBOM Generation Tools: These tools offer visibility into third-party components, enabling faster vulnerability response. SBOMs are a vital component to demonstrate compliance.
• Vulnerability Scanners: Integrating scanners into build pipelines allows teams to catch issues before deployment.
• Policy Enforcement Platforms: Policy tools help prevent unauthorized actions and enforce compliance without manual oversight.
• Secure CI/CD Orchestration: These platforms help enforce build-time checks like signing, static analysis, and deployment restrictions.
• Code Signing Tools: Signing tools protect the integrity and authenticity of artifacts in the supply chain.

Best Practices for Implementing SSDF

Adopting the Secure Software Development Framework is a long-term investment in your organization’s security posture. These best practices can help ensure a smoother, more effective rollout:

Start with a Security Maturity Assessment

Understand where your organization currently stands. Evaluate your SDLC processes, toolchain, and team awareness against SSDF objectives. This baseline will guide your priorities.

Prioritize High-Risk Areas First

Focus on components with the greatest exposure—third-party dependencies, CI/CD pipelines, and build artifacts. Implement SBOMs and vulnerability scanning early to mitigate supply chain risk.

Automate Where Possible

Manual processes don’t scale. Use automation for code scanning, policy enforcement, artifact signing, and access reviews. Automation reduces human error and ensures consistency.

Establish a Cross-Functional Security Team

Security is not just an IT issue. Build a cross-functional working group that includes developers, DevOps, compliance, and product managers to align SSDF practices with business goals.

Document and Enforce Secure Coding Standards

Standardized guidelines reduce ambiguity and help developers write secure code consistently. Include these standards in onboarding and development workflows.

Integrate Security Into Developer Workflows

Bring security tooling into the IDEs, CI tools, and code review processes that developers already use. Minimize context switching and friction.

Continuously Monitor and Improve

Treat SSDF implementation as an evolving process. Review audit logs, respond to incidents, and iterate on your controls and tooling based on findings and emerging threats.

How the JFrog Platform Supports SSDF

The JFrog Platform supports SSDF goals with integrated tools that secure the software supply chain without slowing development.  JFrog’s Evidence Collection automates the collection of signed evidence throughout the SDLC, providing the foundational metadata that proves out alignment to SSDF. JFrog Artifactory manages artifacts, while JFrog Xray scans for vulnerabilities within CI/CD workflows, and automates the generation of SBOMs to ensure artifact integrity and compliance. Also, JFrog Projects and Access Federation helps enforce roles and sync permissions.

Whether starting or scaling, JFrog brings visibility and security to every stage of the SDLC. For more information, please visit our website, take a virtual tour, or set up a one-on-one demo at your convenience.