Secure by Design: A Commitment to Robust Cybersecurity

In an age where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated and prevalent, organizations must prioritize integrating security into the very core of their technology. Security can no longer be an afterthought or a box to check; it needs to be part of the design and development process from the start. 

This is the core principle behind “Secure by Design,” a framework developed by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that ensures security is embedded at every stage of the product lifecycle. At Netskope, we are fully committed to this philosophy, taking proactive steps to ensure our products and services are as secure as possible.

What Is “Secure by Design”?

Secure by Design is based on the principle that security should be a built-in feature of every product and service from the very beginning. Rather than applying patches after vulnerabilities are discovered, a Secure by Design approach advocates for developing systems that are secure from the ground up. This involves identifying and addressing security risks throughout the product development lifecycle—from initial design, through development, and into deployment.

By following rigorous software development life cycle practices, Netskope integrates security into each phase of the development pipeline. Additionally, we employ a strict security review process to ensure vulnerabilities are caught early. We are also building new standards to align code generation with cutting-edge security technologies like copilots, which can further enhance how we approach secure software development.

The Rise of the Secure by Design Pledge

In May 2024, Jen Easterly, Director of CISA, introduced the Secure by Design pledge. While it was initially signed by just 68 companies, the Secure by Design pledge has gained significant traction and now boasts more than 200 participating organizations–including Netskope–each committed to incorporating security from the start.

Being part of the Secure by Design initiative is an important signal of a company’s dedication to cybersecurity and can help build trust with customers. However, it is essential to recognize that merely being a signatory is not a silver bullet. 

What matters is taking consistent, accountable actions to demonstrate how technology aligns with Secure by Design principles. Companies must move beyond the pledge and prove through their actions that security is ingrained in their culture and product offerings.

At Netskope, we recognize that security and compliance are essential components of our customer relationships, which is why we signed the Secure by Design pledge, but it’s just one piece of a much larger puzzle. We go above and beyond the pledge by implementing additional mechanisms to meet compliance requirements and ensure security standards are upheld.

Addressing Vulnerabilities and Maintaining Trust

As Netskopers. we don’t just wait for external audits or reports to tell us when something’s wrong—we take responsibility for vulnerabilities ourselves. One example of this is our proactive approach to addressing vulnerabilities. 

As an authorized member of the Common Vulnerability and Exposure (CVE) program,  if someone from one of our teams discovers a vulnerability in the wild, we don’t hesitate to self-report, assign it a CVE number, assess its criticality, and take immediate action to remediate the issue. 

This proactive, transparent approach to addressing vulnerabilities is key to maintaining trust with our customers and partners. Even if vulnerabilities are discovered, we stand behind our product, ensuring that issues are quickly addressed and fixed to protect customer data and integrity.

This is just one aspect of how the broader Netskope Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) team plays a crucial role in navigating complex compliance and regulatory frameworks, like Secure by Design, ensuring that we remain on top of the evolving security landscape.

Conclusion: Building a Secure Future Together

The Secure by Design initiative represents a significant shift in how organizations think about cybersecurity. By making security a foundational element of product development, organizations can reduce vulnerabilities and mitigate risks before they can become significant problems. At Netskope, we are committed to the principles of Secure by Design, ensuring that our products and services are built with security in mind from the very beginning.

However, the Secure by Design pledge is just one part of our broader security framework. Our commitment goes beyond signing a document—we actively work to identify vulnerabilities, remediate them, and meet the evolving compliance needs of our customers. Our GRC team ensures we remain at the forefront of security and compliance, delivering products that meet the highest standards.

The digital landscape may be complex, but with a commitment to security and a proactive approach to risk management, we can help build a more secure future for our customers and partners. Security isn’t a one-time effort—it’s a continuous journey, and at Netskope, we’re here to walk that path with you and help you be ready for any challenge that may come up.

Learn more about Netskope’s commitment to Public Sector security here, and if you’d like to see Netskope technology in action, come to our Washington DC SASE Summit on Wednesday January 15.