What is ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.28 Secure Coding in ISO 27001?
Secure coding requires a documented set of rules for software development. Organisations must integrate these rules into business-as-usual tools like Jira and SharePoint. This approach ensures developers follow security principles during daily coding tasks. Auditors check for evidence of these processes within your internal document repositories.
Auditor’s Eye: The Shortcut Trap
Relying on automated SaaS platforms for coding compliance is a common failure. These “Black Box” systems often decouple security from the actual developer environment. Auditors find that teams ignore these separate dashboards. We prefer seeing security standards defined in your organisational SharePoint. We check Jira history for actual security tasks. Authentic evidence exists in your native repositories. Disconnected software often leads to surface-level compliance and significant audit findings.
| ISO 27001:2013 Control | ISO 27001:2022 Control | Nature of Change |
|---|---|---|
| A.14.2.1, A.14.2.5 | A.8.28 | Combined and expanded. Now focuses on the entire coding lifecycle. Includes more detail on third-party libraries. |
How to Implement ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.28 Secure Coding (Step-by-Step)
Secure coding starts with a documented standard in your organisational SharePoint. This policy must define safe coding practices for all developers. Integration into daily work is the priority for successful implementation. Use existing tools to manage the development lifecycle.
- Develop an organisational secure coding baseline in SharePoint.
- Apply this baseline to all development sprints via Jira tasks.
- Conduct and document peer code reviews within Confluence wikis.
- Monitor third-party library vulnerabilities through internal registers.
- Assign responsibility for secure code sign-off to lead developers.
- Record developer training sessions in your internal management system.
ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.28 Secure Coding Audit Evidence Checklist
Auditors look for manual records and internal document versions. These prove human oversight and intent. Keep all evidence within your primary repositories.
- Documented secure coding standards in SharePoint.
- Jira tickets showing security requirements in development sprints.
- Confluence logs of manual peer code reviews.
- Meeting minutes from developer security briefings.
- Version history of internal coding libraries and frameworks.
Relational Mapping
Annex A 8.28 interacts with several core ISO 27001 requirements. Clause 8.1 requires operational planning and control. Annex A 8.25 manages the secure development lifecycle. Annex A 8.30 covers outsourced development. Clause 7.2 requires evidence of developer competence and training.
Auditor Interview
Auditor: How do you communicate secure coding rules to your team?
User: We host our standards in a version-controlled SharePoint folder.
Auditor: How do you verify that code meets these standards?
User: Every Jira ticket requires a manual peer review log in Confluence. The lead developer must sign off on security before deployment.
Common Non-Conformities
| Failure Mode | Description | Corrective Action |
|---|---|---|
| Automated Complacency | Relying on a SaaS platform’s green tick without having internal procedural evidence. | Move security documentation to SharePoint and Jira. |
| Inconsistent Review | Developers bypass peer reviews for urgent software fixes. | Enforce Jira workflow transitions that require review logs. |
| Static Policies | The coding baseline exists but staff never update it. | Schedule annual policy reviews in SharePoint. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is ISO 27001:2022 Annex A 8.28?
The Bottom Line: It is the requirement to document and apply secure coding principles. You must manage this within your existing development tools. Use SharePoint to store your rules. This ensures your software remains resilient against common security threats.
How do I implement secure coding rules?
The Bottom Line: Define your rules in SharePoint. Link these rules to Jira tickets for every project. Document all manual reviews in Confluence. This approach proves that security is integrated into your daily operations.
Why avoid SaaS compliance tools for coding controls?
The Bottom Line: SaaS platforms often lack the operational detail auditors require. They separate security from the developers’ daily workflow. Use your own repositories to prove the process works. This demonstrates true management ownership of the control.