Version Control with GIT

Version control is the systematic tracking of all code changes in a shared repository. With a tool like Git, multiple team members can work on the same security codebase simultaneously while maintaining integrity and traceability. Secure version control also offers the ability to track security changes, conduct security audits of code history, and manage different versions of security-critical components. This keeps the security implementation manageable and provides accountability – essential in security projects where compliance and auditability are crucial.

Starting Points

• OWASP Source Code Management Security
• Git Security Best Practices
• Securing Your Version Control System

Key Points

• Use of a secure central Git repository with regular commits and proper access controls, ensuring that security-critical code is protected from unauthorized access or modifications.
• Clear commit messages for security changes that reference security requirements, vulnerability fixes, or compliance standards being addressed.
• Proper use of .gitignore to ensure that sensitive data (credentials, certificates, keys) never enters the repository, and implementation of pre-commit hooks to scan for secrets.
• Implementation of signed commits to verify the authenticity of code contributions, especially for security-critical components.
• Regular security audits of the repository history to identify any accidentally committed sensitive information and proper remediation when such incidents occur.