The recent publication Back to the Building Blocks: A Path Toward Secure and Measurable Software by the White House Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) provides additional detail and strategic direction supporting the National Cybersecurity Strategy released in March 2023. The strategy states an intention to shift a much greater share of responsibility for cybersecurity to software vendors, service providers, and other entities that develop software applications. This latest publication provides a more specific direction by emphasizing shifting development practices more aggressively to memory-safe programming languages.

The federal government’s strategic pivot urging broader adoption of modern, or “cloud-native,” programming languages signals a new direction in software development that moves away from traditional reliance on high-level programming languages such as C and C++. This transition is not a technical adjustment but a fundamental shift towards a more secure and efficient development practice. However, this transformation introduces a complex array of challenges, especially concerning legacy systems deeply rooted in older languages.

The imperative for memory safety

Memory safety issues have long been the bane of cybersecurity, with vulnerabilities stemming from the improper management of memory access, allocation, and deallocation. These issues are not trivial; they are often at the heart of severe security breaches, affecting systems at a foundational level. The push towards memory safety through adopting modern programming languages is driven by the need to mitigate these risks, aiming to eliminate the vulnerabilities that have plagued critical systems for decades.

The recommendation to transition away from languages like C and C++, known for lacking memory safety, holds significant merit. It aligns with a broader industry trend towards adopting secure-by-design principles in software development. Yet, it’s essential to note that while the push for memory safety is critical, the presence of memory safety issues in the OWASP Top 10 is relatively low. This discrepancy highlights a shift in the application security domain, where modern languages inherently mitigating such risks are increasingly adopted.

Challenges of transitioning legacy systems

One of the most daunting challenges in this strategic shift is addressing the legacy systems developed in C and C++. Rewriting these systems in modern, memory-safe languages can be expensive and complex. These legacy systems are not just numerous but often critical to the operations of many organizations. Transitioning them to a new programming paradigm involves technical, financial, and operational hurdles.

Moreover, memory safety vulnerabilities are primarily observed at the operating system level, affecting significant platforms like Microsoft and Linux. This categorization of issues at the runtime level, rather than the application level, underscores the broader challenge in cybersecurity: the pursuit of advanced security measures must be balanced against the practicalities and costs of implementing these changes, especially for established systems.

The economic and technical realities of modernizing digital infrastructure

The emphasis on memory safety and the transition to modern programming languages is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for future software development. However, navigating this transition requires careful consideration of the costs, benefits, and potential security trade-offs. The economic impact of overhauling established systems, critical to the functioning of various sectors, must be considered.

The shift also presents a significant technical challenge. While modern, memory-safe languages offer numerous advantages in terms of security and efficiency, they also come with limitations, particularly in terms of performance and compatibility with low-level system requirements. Balancing these considerations is crucial for ensuring that the transition does not adversely affect the functionality or performance of critical systems.

A collaborative effort towards a secure future

The strategic pivot to memory safety and modern programming languages is not something that individual organizations can undertake in isolation. It requires a collaborative effort across the entire tech ecosystem, involving software and hardware developers, researchers, policymakers, and cybersecurity professionals. Industry-wide adoption of secure programming practices and standards is essential for this transition to be successful.

Furthermore, the role of government and regulatory bodies in facilitating this shift must be considered. Incentives for adopting secure development practices, guidelines, and support for transitioning legacy systems can significantly ease the burden on organizations. Developing tools and methodologies for assessing and mitigating the risks associated with legacy systems is also crucial.

The path forward

The shift toward modern programming paradigms and memory safety is a critical step in addressing the cybersecurity challenges of our time. By embracing this change, we can move towards a future where digital infrastructure is more efficient, reliable, and secure. The journey will require patience, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to innovation and security. But the destination—a safer, more resilient digital world—is worth the effort.

The post ONCDs’ call for memory safety brings considerable challenges, changes, and costs appeared first on OX Security.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from OX Security authored by Neatsun Ziv. Read the original post at: https://www.ox.security/oncd-call-for-memory-safety-brings-considerable-challenges-changes-and-costs/