A Guide to Code Audits

In 2012, Knight Capital Group released a code that had an overlooked bug. Within an hour, they lost $440 million. Their story shows that any company, large or small, is vulnerable to disasters like this. Luckily, successful code audits can prevent such events entirely.

Regular code audits can be the difference between a profitable success and an expensive failure. In this article, we’ll go over the fundamentals of code audits, from finding hidden vulnerabilities to establishing a clear software code auditing process to keep your code and business secure.

Code audits are comprehensive reviews of software code intended to find bugs, vulnerabilities and other common issues. They’re usually performed by developers or specialists not associated with the project’s development team. Code audits analyze code to ensure it does the following:

• Follows established convention
• Meets industry standards
• Is free of security weaknesses or potential problems

Unlike the internal code review process, code audits uncover problems and enhance the quality of the codebase. Code reviews examine pieces of code that are typically less formal and more frequent than code audits, which analyze entire code bases using an automated test or an external team. Automated tests can only detect apparent errors, but code audits done by software development teams verify the entire system. They look at the big picture and consider the following:

• Regulations compliances
• Security
• System performance
• Architecture
• Code quality

Depending on the function of the application being audited, code audits can look for different things. Some focus on security while others may consider overall quality, among others.

Audits stop expensive security breaches and reduce bugs, which saves time and resources in the long run.

Developers spend 20–40% of their time fixing bugs caused by inadequate code reviews and complex debugging processes, but tools like reversible debugging and remote development environments (RDEs) can significantly streamline these tasks and reduce inefficiencies.

• Security

  Cyber threats are continually evolving as technology advances and becomes more sophisticated. Code audits spot potential security vulnerabilities, ensuring the code is safe. They reveal hidden weaknesses that hackers can exploit. Finding those weaknesses before they become a problem is key.

• Quality

  Code audits improve the quality of the code and make it easier to maintain. Well-organized code is less prone to errors. An audit can highlight areas where the structure and readability can be improved, saving time and frustration in the long run.

• Compliance

  Many industries have strict regulations software needs to follow, like GDPR for data protection. A compliance-focused audit ensures the code meets these legal requirements, which keeps your business safe from fines and penalties.

• Performance

  Inefficient code slows software applications down and degrades user experience. A performance audit identifies slowdowns and offers ways to optimize, which makes software more responsive.

• Reduce Risks

  Regular audits reduce risks by catching problems early. Fixing potential issues before they escalate ensures the application stays strong as it grows.

• Step 1: Define the Scope

  Setting the goals for the audit is essential before starting. Decide on areas of focus. These can include security, performance or compliance, among others. Setting clear targets based on business requirements and objectives helps customize the audit to your unique needs.

• Step 2: Assemble the Team

  If you want your code audit to run smoothly, you need to put the right team in place. Internal developers, security experts and experienced external auditors may be included. Clearly identify each team member’s roles and duties to help create a seamless audit process.

• Step 3: Review the Code

  Effective code analysis and review are the primary steps in the audit process. This can be accomplished in two ways: automatically or manually. Code review tools automatically look for vulnerabilities, inefficiencies and other problems, or specialists can manually read the code line by line. The best results come from combining these strategies.

• Step 4: Document and Report

  The audit is followed by a thorough code audit report detailing results. Precise documentation is essential for the implementation phase. This comprehensive analysis has several objectives:

  • Identify the most critical problems
  • Provide actionable solutions
  • Provide insight into how these problems might be fixed

• Step 5: Implement Recommendations

  The last step implements the code auditor’s recommendations. Follow-up audits and regular monitoring are advised to ensure improvements are working and no new problems have emerged. Common recommendations include the following:

  • Code refactoring
  • Applying security updates
  • Speed optimization

You should identify the points in the software lifecycle when a comprehensive review is needed. Consider it your code’s health check-up. It’s routine, but certain occasions or modifications can make it necessary.

Here are some points in the software lifecycle that could indicate the need for a website code audit:

• Pre- and Post-Launch

  A code audit ensures that new software products are safe, effective and compliant before release into the market. They are crucial for web applications before significant changes or launches.
  Code audits after a launch can find missed problems during development. This ensures your website is secure and functions smoothly.

• Ongoing Projects

  Continuous development can introduce new vulnerabilities or inefficiencies to software. Conducting audits throughout ongoing projects keeps code efficient as it evolves. This proactive strategy also increases your users’ confidence in your digital product.

• After Security Breaches

  If software has been compromised, a code audit helps determine how the breach occurred and offers ways to prevent it from happening again.

• Before Integrating with Third-Party Software

  Third-party components can create vulnerabilities in software. Code audits evaluate these elements and how they interact with your codebase.

• Before Mergers and Acquisitions

  Code audits can verify that software satisfies requirements when acquiring a business or merging with another.
  The project’s nature, codebase size and available resources will affect how frequently you conduct code audits. Balancing attentiveness and efficiency will ensure optimal use of time and resources.

Software code audits come in various forms and target different areas of the codebase. Knowing the types of audits helps you select the best one for your scenario.

• Security Code Audit

  Security code audits find and reduce security vulnerabilities in the code. Typical weaknesses like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS) and poor data validation are examined in this type of audit.

• Performance Code Audit

  Performance code audits examine memory use, execution speed and general resource management to determine the efficiency of code. The goal is to optimize the lines of code for enhanced performance.

• Compliance Code Audit

  Compliance code audits help ensure the software meets industry standards and legal requirements. These include data protection legislation (i.e., GDPR, HIPAA, etc.) and industry-specific coding standards.

• Code Quality Audit

  Code quality audits review readability, maintainability and general structure of the code. This audit frequently overlaps with code review audits, which are necessary for the long-term viability of an application and the ease of future upgrades./li>

• Open-Source Code Audit

  Open-source code audits examine any open-source components included in the project to ensure safety and compliance with license terms. This audit is critical if the project uses third-party libraries.

To maximize the effectiveness of your code audit, it’s important to adopt several key practices. Regular audits should become a routine part of your development cycle, helping to catch key issues early before they grow into bigger problems. A balanced approach using both automated tools and manual reviews provides a comprehensive check. Automated tools can quickly spot common issues, while human reviewers offer deeper insights and catch nuances that automated tools might miss.

It’s beneficial to involve both internal team members and third-party code audit experts in the code audit process. Your own experienced developers bring valuable knowledge about the entire codebase and project history, while independent code audit companies contribute fresh perspectives and specialized expertise. This combination often leads to more thorough and insightful audits.

Keeping detailed records of the audit process and findings is crucial. Good documentation, combined with a comprehensive code audit checklist, does the following:

• Helps track progress
• Implements recommendations
• Prepares for future audits
• Creates a valuable knowledge base for your team

Code audits should be viewed as part of a continuous improvement process, not isolated events. Use the findings to refine your codebase, update your development practices, and address issues as they arise. This ongoing approach helps maintain high code quality and can lead to significant improvements over time.

By consistently applying these practices, you can transform code audits from a routine task into a powerful tool for the following:

• Enhancing software quality
• Fostering team learning
• Maintaining a competitive edge in the software development process

Various digital tools, each designed to target different aspects of the codebase, can significantly improve a code audit. Combining these tools results in a thorough audit plan that helps guarantee security, complies with industry standards and enhances code quality. These tools are typically divided into four categories:

• Static Code Analysis Tools

  Static code analysis tools look over code without running it. They detect security risks, coding standards violations and syntax problems.

  Tools worth considering:

  • SonarQube
  • Checkmarx
  • ESLint

• Dynamic Code Analysis Tools

  Dynamic code analysis tools examine code while it is being executed. They can find problems like runtime errors or performance issues that only appear during execution.

  For example,

  • Veracode
  • AppScan
  • OWASP ZAP

• Security-Focused Tools

  Security-focused tools look for security flaws an attacker could exploit. This targeted approach to security efficiently safeguards the codebase.

  For example,

  • Fortify
  • Snyk
  • Burp Suite

• Compliance Tools

  Compliance tools guarantee the program complies with open-source license requirements and industry laws. These instruments are necessary to uphold moral and legal obligations.

  For example,

  • Black Duck
  • WhiteSource

Feeling like you might need a code audit? DevCom’s software code audit services are designed to meet the needs of your application, whether you’re focused on security, performance, or compliance.

Ready to protect your software and business? Contact us today for a tailored code audit.