Putting Security First with Secure Development

Carmen Girardin

At Okta, prioritizing security at the earliest stages of technology development and throughout the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) is of utmost importance. This blog article introduces our new Secure Development Lifecycle (SDL) whitepaper and highlights the importance of secure development practices throughout the technology lifecycle. As our core values indicate, we’re committed to the highest standards of security with the goal of being Always Secure. Always On.

Security from the start

Developing and enhancing our products and services with security at the outset helps produce outcomes more resistant to emerging cyber threats. We strategize from the outset to develop and release products that are secure by design. By incorporating a security-centric approach to development, technology risks are reduced and limited in impact. We incorporate security from the start through secure coding practices, routine security testing, threat modeling, and other methodologies to proactively address potential security gaps.

Today’s tech landscape comes with stringent regulations and compliance requirements, so it’s important for organizations to leverage technologies that employ secure development practices. Customer trust is not only an objective we strive for, and it’s at the very core of our customer relationships. We are dedicated to safeguarding customer interests and maintaining the highest standards of security, quality and integrity. By leveraging securely developed technology, organizations gain added assurance against various Identity threats.

Introducing a new whitepaper

We’re committed to taking action against Identity attacks, as outlined in our long-term initiative, the Okta Secure Identity Commitment. This commitment includes hardening our corporate infrastructure and product suite by accelerating our investment to further protect against Identity-based threats.

Our new resource, the Secure Development Lifecycle (SDL) whitepaper, encompasses Okta’s security practices, methodologies, and requirements. In this whitepaper, we provide insight into our multi-layered secure practices that are incorporated in both the Product Development Lifecycle (PDLC) and Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).

The Secure Development Lifecycle (SDL) whitepaper provides an overview of security-centric considerations, including our comprehensive security practices. Okta’s teams leverage industry best practices within each stage of development, as detailed in the whitepaper.

Continuous improvement

Last year, Okta was recognized by Gartner as a Leader in the December 2024 “Magic Quadrant for Access Management.” This marks the eighth year in a row that Okta has been recognized in this capacity. Okta was also recognized in April 2024 as a Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for Access Management. To maintain this status, we’re always looking to improve our secure practices and, in turn, our products and services. Our practices are subject to routine review in order to further improve our high security standards.

We continue to prioritize customer trust by spotlighting customer needs in our product innovation. Our vision of building a world where anyone can safely use any technology powered by their Identity continues to guide us. To learn more about Okta’s Bug Bounty program and how you can contribute to a safer technology landscape, visit Okta platform BugCrowd and Auth0 platform BugCrowd.

Carmen Girardin
Security Communications Analyst

Carmen Girardin is a Security Communications Analyst at Okta. With over a decade of experience in the fintech sector and expertise in Identity and Access Management (IAM), she endeavors to deliver relevant, insightful communications on Okta’s security ecosystem and today’s ever-evolving threat landscape. When not writing, Carmen spends her downtime traveling, thrifting for treasures and reading.