One line of code, $1 million
If I asked you how much it would cost to change just one line of computer code in a device that's already in service, what number would come to mind? A few hundred dollars? Maybe thousands?
According to Aviation Today, it costs $1 million for a commercial airline to update a line of code in its planes. For a cost so substantial, they would likely need a compelling reason to take the steps required to make any update to their airplane's systems, which really got me thinking about a number of factors.
Breaking down the cost
While the article doesn't outline what comprises the $1 million cost, I think it's a viable figure. I'm not an expert specifically in airline software updates, but I can assume a few of the steps the airline is forced to take in this situation.
First, the airline needs to discover a flaw or vulnerability that necessitates the update. The cited example consists of research performed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on a Boeing 757. The results - a remote hack after only two days of work - are more than compelling enough for any airline to take note.
From there, software developers need to analyze the findings, write new code, and test it in a safe environment to ensure the issue is fixed. Now comes the tricky part. The airline needs to ground each vulnerable or flawed aircraft, apply the new code, test it to ensure it works with that specific plane, and then recertify that plan for commercial flight.
According to airfleets.net, Southwest Airlines currently has 499 Boeing 737-700 planes in its fleet. Consider the time and money investment involved if a security flaw emerged in this particular plane model.
Not just an airline challenge
Clearly, airlines should have a vested interest in employing sound secure coding principles from the start. After giving it a few moments'thought, I could see numerous industries and situations where a similar cost might apply. Instead of worrying about airplanes falling out of the sky due to a hacked vulnerability, what about medical devices like pacemakers? How much does it cost to recall and update a half-million lifesaving pieces of electronics?
In the automotive industry, we continue to hear talk and security concerns about self-driving cars. Yet, even our "typical'vehicles rely more heavily than ever on connectivity to the internet, which leads directly to some troubling - if entertaining - safety concerns.
It's a simple fact that it costs much more money and takes more effort and time to update devices or systems after they've been released into a production environment, or before they've been mass produced, than it does to build security into your initial development process. Yet, we still continue to see new preventable software flaws and cybersecurity vulnerabilities every day, underscoring the need for companies to look for ways to build secure software development into their development culture.
The cost to change one line of code on a piece of avionics equipment is $1 million, and it takes a year to implement. For Southwest Airlines, whose fleet is based on Boeing's 737, it would "bankrupt" them if a cyber vulnerability was specific to systems on board 737s
The cost to change one line of code on a piece of avionics equipment is $1 million, and it takes a year to implement. For Southwest Airlines, whose fleet is based on Boeings 737, it would "bankrupt"
Matias Madou, Ph.D. is a security expert, researcher, and CTO and co-founder of Secure Code Warrior. Matias obtained his Ph.D. in Application Security from Ghent University, focusing on static analysis solutions. He later joined Fortify in the US, where he realized that it was insufficient to solely detect code problems without aiding developers in writing secure code. This inspired him to develop products that assist developers, alleviate the burden of security, and exceed customers' expectations. When he is not at his desk as part of Team Awesome, he enjoys being on stage presenting at conferences including RSA Conference, BlackHat and DefCon.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
Book a demo
Matias Madou, Ph.D. is a security expert, researcher, and CTO and co-founder of Secure Code Warrior. Matias obtained his Ph.D. in Application Security from Ghent University, focusing on static analysis solutions. He later joined Fortify in the US, where he realized that it was insufficient to solely detect code problems without aiding developers in writing secure code. This inspired him to develop products that assist developers, alleviate the burden of security, and exceed customers' expectations. When he is not at his desk as part of Team Awesome, he enjoys being on stage presenting at conferences including RSA Conference, BlackHat and DefCon.
Matias is a researcher and developer with more than 15 years of hands-on software security experience. He has developed solutions for companies such as Fortify Software and his own company Sensei Security. Over his career, Matias has led multiple application security research projects which have led to commercial products and boasts over 10 patents under his belt. When he is away from his desk, Matias has served as an instructor for advanced application security training courses and regularly speaks at global conferences including RSA Conference, Black Hat, DefCon, BSIMM, OWASP AppSec and BruCon.
Matias holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Ghent University, where he studied application security through program obfuscation to hide the inner workings of an application.
If I asked you how much it would cost to change just one line of computer code in a device that's already in service, what number would come to mind? A few hundred dollars? Maybe thousands?
According to Aviation Today, it costs $1 million for a commercial airline to update a line of code in its planes. For a cost so substantial, they would likely need a compelling reason to take the steps required to make any update to their airplane's systems, which really got me thinking about a number of factors.
Breaking down the cost
While the article doesn't outline what comprises the $1 million cost, I think it's a viable figure. I'm not an expert specifically in airline software updates, but I can assume a few of the steps the airline is forced to take in this situation.
First, the airline needs to discover a flaw or vulnerability that necessitates the update. The cited example consists of research performed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on a Boeing 757. The results - a remote hack after only two days of work - are more than compelling enough for any airline to take note.
From there, software developers need to analyze the findings, write new code, and test it in a safe environment to ensure the issue is fixed. Now comes the tricky part. The airline needs to ground each vulnerable or flawed aircraft, apply the new code, test it to ensure it works with that specific plane, and then recertify that plan for commercial flight.
According to airfleets.net, Southwest Airlines currently has 499 Boeing 737-700 planes in its fleet. Consider the time and money investment involved if a security flaw emerged in this particular plane model.
Not just an airline challenge
Clearly, airlines should have a vested interest in employing sound secure coding principles from the start. After giving it a few moments'thought, I could see numerous industries and situations where a similar cost might apply. Instead of worrying about airplanes falling out of the sky due to a hacked vulnerability, what about medical devices like pacemakers? How much does it cost to recall and update a half-million lifesaving pieces of electronics?
In the automotive industry, we continue to hear talk and security concerns about self-driving cars. Yet, even our "typical'vehicles rely more heavily than ever on connectivity to the internet, which leads directly to some troubling - if entertaining - safety concerns.
It's a simple fact that it costs much more money and takes more effort and time to update devices or systems after they've been released into a production environment, or before they've been mass produced, than it does to build security into your initial development process. Yet, we still continue to see new preventable software flaws and cybersecurity vulnerabilities every day, underscoring the need for companies to look for ways to build secure software development into their development culture.
The cost to change one line of code on a piece of avionics equipment is $1 million, and it takes a year to implement. For Southwest Airlines, whose fleet is based on Boeing's 737, it would "bankrupt" them if a cyber vulnerability was specific to systems on board 737s
If I asked you how much it would cost to change just one line of computer code in a device that's already in service, what number would come to mind? A few hundred dollars? Maybe thousands?
According to Aviation Today, it costs $1 million for a commercial airline to update a line of code in its planes. For a cost so substantial, they would likely need a compelling reason to take the steps required to make any update to their airplane's systems, which really got me thinking about a number of factors.
Breaking down the cost
While the article doesn't outline what comprises the $1 million cost, I think it's a viable figure. I'm not an expert specifically in airline software updates, but I can assume a few of the steps the airline is forced to take in this situation.
First, the airline needs to discover a flaw or vulnerability that necessitates the update. The cited example consists of research performed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on a Boeing 757. The results - a remote hack after only two days of work - are more than compelling enough for any airline to take note.
From there, software developers need to analyze the findings, write new code, and test it in a safe environment to ensure the issue is fixed. Now comes the tricky part. The airline needs to ground each vulnerable or flawed aircraft, apply the new code, test it to ensure it works with that specific plane, and then recertify that plan for commercial flight.
According to airfleets.net, Southwest Airlines currently has 499 Boeing 737-700 planes in its fleet. Consider the time and money investment involved if a security flaw emerged in this particular plane model.
Not just an airline challenge
Clearly, airlines should have a vested interest in employing sound secure coding principles from the start. After giving it a few moments'thought, I could see numerous industries and situations where a similar cost might apply. Instead of worrying about airplanes falling out of the sky due to a hacked vulnerability, what about medical devices like pacemakers? How much does it cost to recall and update a half-million lifesaving pieces of electronics?
In the automotive industry, we continue to hear talk and security concerns about self-driving cars. Yet, even our "typical'vehicles rely more heavily than ever on connectivity to the internet, which leads directly to some troubling - if entertaining - safety concerns.
It's a simple fact that it costs much more money and takes more effort and time to update devices or systems after they've been released into a production environment, or before they've been mass produced, than it does to build security into your initial development process. Yet, we still continue to see new preventable software flaws and cybersecurity vulnerabilities every day, underscoring the need for companies to look for ways to build secure software development into their development culture.
The cost to change one line of code on a piece of avionics equipment is $1 million, and it takes a year to implement. For Southwest Airlines, whose fleet is based on Boeing's 737, it would "bankrupt" them if a cyber vulnerability was specific to systems on board 737s
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Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
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Matias Madou, Ph.D. is a security expert, researcher, and CTO and co-founder of Secure Code Warrior. Matias obtained his Ph.D. in Application Security from Ghent University, focusing on static analysis solutions. He later joined Fortify in the US, where he realized that it was insufficient to solely detect code problems without aiding developers in writing secure code. This inspired him to develop products that assist developers, alleviate the burden of security, and exceed customers' expectations. When he is not at his desk as part of Team Awesome, he enjoys being on stage presenting at conferences including RSA Conference, BlackHat and DefCon.
Matias is a researcher and developer with more than 15 years of hands-on software security experience. He has developed solutions for companies such as Fortify Software and his own company Sensei Security. Over his career, Matias has led multiple application security research projects which have led to commercial products and boasts over 10 patents under his belt. When he is away from his desk, Matias has served as an instructor for advanced application security training courses and regularly speaks at global conferences including RSA Conference, Black Hat, DefCon, BSIMM, OWASP AppSec and BruCon.
Matias holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from Ghent University, where he studied application security through program obfuscation to hide the inner workings of an application.
If I asked you how much it would cost to change just one line of computer code in a device that's already in service, what number would come to mind? A few hundred dollars? Maybe thousands?
According to Aviation Today, it costs $1 million for a commercial airline to update a line of code in its planes. For a cost so substantial, they would likely need a compelling reason to take the steps required to make any update to their airplane's systems, which really got me thinking about a number of factors.
Breaking down the cost
While the article doesn't outline what comprises the $1 million cost, I think it's a viable figure. I'm not an expert specifically in airline software updates, but I can assume a few of the steps the airline is forced to take in this situation.
First, the airline needs to discover a flaw or vulnerability that necessitates the update. The cited example consists of research performed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on a Boeing 757. The results - a remote hack after only two days of work - are more than compelling enough for any airline to take note.
From there, software developers need to analyze the findings, write new code, and test it in a safe environment to ensure the issue is fixed. Now comes the tricky part. The airline needs to ground each vulnerable or flawed aircraft, apply the new code, test it to ensure it works with that specific plane, and then recertify that plan for commercial flight.
According to airfleets.net, Southwest Airlines currently has 499 Boeing 737-700 planes in its fleet. Consider the time and money investment involved if a security flaw emerged in this particular plane model.
Not just an airline challenge
Clearly, airlines should have a vested interest in employing sound secure coding principles from the start. After giving it a few moments'thought, I could see numerous industries and situations where a similar cost might apply. Instead of worrying about airplanes falling out of the sky due to a hacked vulnerability, what about medical devices like pacemakers? How much does it cost to recall and update a half-million lifesaving pieces of electronics?
In the automotive industry, we continue to hear talk and security concerns about self-driving cars. Yet, even our "typical'vehicles rely more heavily than ever on connectivity to the internet, which leads directly to some troubling - if entertaining - safety concerns.
It's a simple fact that it costs much more money and takes more effort and time to update devices or systems after they've been released into a production environment, or before they've been mass produced, than it does to build security into your initial development process. Yet, we still continue to see new preventable software flaws and cybersecurity vulnerabilities every day, underscoring the need for companies to look for ways to build secure software development into their development culture.
The cost to change one line of code on a piece of avionics equipment is $1 million, and it takes a year to implement. For Southwest Airlines, whose fleet is based on Boeing's 737, it would "bankrupt" them if a cyber vulnerability was specific to systems on board 737s
Table of contents
Matias Madou, Ph.D. is a security expert, researcher, and CTO and co-founder of Secure Code Warrior. Matias obtained his Ph.D. in Application Security from Ghent University, focusing on static analysis solutions. He later joined Fortify in the US, where he realized that it was insufficient to solely detect code problems without aiding developers in writing secure code. This inspired him to develop products that assist developers, alleviate the burden of security, and exceed customers' expectations. When he is not at his desk as part of Team Awesome, he enjoys being on stage presenting at conferences including RSA Conference, BlackHat and DefCon.
Secure Code Warrior is here for your organization to help you secure code across the entire software development lifecycle and create a culture in which cybersecurity is top of mind. Whether you’re an AppSec Manager, Developer, CISO, or anyone involved in security, we can help your organization reduce risks associated with insecure code.
Book a demoDownloadResources to get you started
Secure by Design: Defining Best Practices, Enabling Developers and Benchmarking Preventative Security Outcomes
In this research paper, Secure Code Warrior co-founders, Pieter Danhieux and Dr. Matias Madou, Ph.D., along with expert contributors, Chris Inglis, Former US National Cyber Director (now Strategic Advisor to Paladin Capital Group), and Devin Lynch, Senior Director, Paladin Global Institute, will reveal key findings from over twenty in-depth interviews with enterprise security leaders including CISOs, a VP of Application Security, and software security professionals.
Benchmarking Security Skills: Streamlining Secure-by-Design in the Enterprise
Finding meaningful data on the success of Secure-by-Design initiatives is notoriously difficult. CISOs are often challenged when attempting to prove the return on investment (ROI) and business value of security program activities at both the people and company levels. Not to mention, it’s particularly difficult for enterprises to gain insights into how their organizations are benchmarked against current industry standards. The President’s National Cybersecurity Strategy challenged stakeholders to “embrace security and resilience by design.” The key to making Secure-by-Design initiatives work is not only giving developers the skills to ensure secure code, but also assuring the regulators that those skills are in place. In this presentation, we share a myriad of qualitative and quantitative data, derived from multiple primary sources, including internal data points collected from over 250,000 developers, data-driven customer insights, and public studies. Leveraging this aggregation of data points, we aim to communicate a vision of the current state of Secure-by-Design initiatives across multiple verticals. The report details why this space is currently underutilized, the significant impact a successful upskilling program can have on cybersecurity risk mitigation, and the potential to eliminate categories of vulnerabilities from a codebase.
Secure code training topics & content
Our industry-leading content is always evolving to fit the ever changing software development landscape with your role in mind. Topics covering everything from AI to XQuery Injection, offered for a variety of roles from Architects and Engineers to Product Managers and QA. Get a sneak peak of what our content catalog has to offer by topic and role.
Resources to get you started
Revealed: How the Cyber Industry Defines Secure by Design
In our latest white paper, our Co-Founders, Pieter Danhieux and Dr. Matias Madou, Ph.D., sat down with over twenty enterprise security leaders, including CISOs, AppSec leaders and security professionals, to figure out the key pieces of this puzzle and uncover the reality behind the Secure by Design movement. It’s a shared ambition across the security teams, but no shared playbook.
Is Vibe Coding Going to Turn Your Codebase Into a Frat Party?
Vibe coding is like a college frat party, and AI is the centerpiece of all the festivities, the keg. It’s a lot of fun to let loose, get creative, and see where your imagination can take you, but after a few keg stands, drinking (or, using AI) in moderation is undoubtedly the safer long-term solution.
Developer-driven coding.
Securely.
Contact us today and make software security an intrinsic part of your development process.
