Application security requirements
Plain English Translation
Organizations must explicitly identify, document, and approve security requirements before developing new applications or purchasing third-party software. This ensures that security is built into the application from the start, whether it is custom-built internally or procured as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution. By integrating security specifications into the initial design and acquisition phases, organizations can prevent costly retrofits and reduce the likelihood of deploying vulnerable systems.
Technical Implementation
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Required Actions (startup)
- Define a basic software security requirements checklist for new tools and internal apps.
- Require management approval before purchasing new SaaS applications or starting new development projects.
Required Actions (scaleup)
- Integrate threat modeling into the design phase to identify specific application security requirements.
- Incorporate an application security requirements document template into the formal procurement process for third-party software.
Required Actions (enterprise)
- Adopt comprehensive frameworks like OWASP ASVS to define highly granular, testable security requirements.
- Automate the tracking of security requirements in agile planning tools, linking them directly to SAST and DAST testing acceptance criteria.
ISO 27001:2022 control A.8.26 is a technological control that mandates organizations to identify, specify, and approve information security requirements when developing or acquiring applications. It ensures that security is an initial consideration in the software lifecycle rather than an afterthought.
Organizations identify requirements by conducting threat modeling and risk assessments during the application's design phase. These are then documented using an application security requirements document template or integrated directly into user stories within agile development tracking tools.
When buying SaaS, organizations must establish how to define security requirements for SaaS procurement, which typically include mandatory multi-factor authentication (MFA), role-based access control (RBAC), data encryption at rest and in transit, and vendor compliance with frameworks like SOC 2 or ISO 27001.
A security requirements specification template for software is a formal document detailing the exact security mechanisms an application must possess. It should include minimum security requirements for web applications, such as session management rules, input validation standards, logging capabilities, and data protection measures.
The security requirements approval process for new applications dictates that requirements should be reviewed and approved by designated security personnel, such as a CISO, Information Security Manager, or the assigned risk owner, before development or procurement begins.
Evidence for ISO 27001 A.8.26 audit typically includes an approved Secure Development Policy, completed software security requirements checklists for recent projects, threat modeling documentation, and signed Third-Party Management Policy assessments for newly acquired SaaS applications. Tools like WatchDog Security's Compliance Center can help centralize these artifacts, maintain an audit trail of approvals, and flag gaps when evidence is missing or outdated.
In a secure SDLC, ISO 27001 secure software development requirements act as the foundational gates that guide the entire process. They inform secure coding practices during development, dictate the scenarios used in quality assurance testing, and establish the final acceptance criteria required for deployment.
Security requirements are made testable by translating them into explicit acceptance criteria or definition of done statements. For example, rather than stating the app must be secure, a measurable secure SDLC security requirements statement would be the application must reject passwords shorter than 12 characters and lock accounts after 5 failed attempts.
Organizations can leverage the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) to establish a comprehensive baseline of technical security controls. Using an OWASP ASVS security requirements mapping allows organizations to adopt industry-vetted standards for authentication, access control, and data protection rather than inventing rules from scratch.
In the ISO 27001:2022 update, A.8.26 consolidates and modernizes several development-related controls from the 2013 version. It places a stronger, unified emphasis on integrating an ISO 27001 application security requirements example into both custom software engineering and the acquisition of modern cloud-hosted applications.
A common challenge is keeping security requirements consistent across teams and making approvals auditable. Tools like WatchDog Security's Policy Management can version-control requirement templates and capture stakeholder sign-off, while WatchDog Security's Compliance Center can map requirements to ISO 27001 A.8.26 and track evidence for audits.
Requirements often get lost between design, tickets, and testing results, which makes audits and risk decisions harder. Tools like WatchDog Security's Risk Register can link requirements to risks and treatment plans, and WatchDog Security's Vulnerability Management can help correlate findings (e.g., SAST/DAST issues) to the underlying requirements and track remediation progress.
| Version | Date | Author | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0.0 | 2026-02-17 | WatchDog Security GRC Team | Initial publication |
