Security is a fundamental principle across all our projects, regardless of technology stack, deployment target, or project purpose. This document outlines our comprehensive security approach covering development practices, infrastructure management, and incident response procedures.

We maintain security support for project versions according to the following general guidelines:

Note: Specific version support may vary by project. Check individual project documentation for detailed version support policies.

We implement multiple layers of security controls:

• Application Layer: Input validation, output encoding, authentication, authorization
• Infrastructure Layer: Network segmentation, access controls, encryption
• Operational Layer: Monitoring, logging, incident response, regular security assessments
• Process Layer: Secure development lifecycle, code review, security training

• Grant minimum necessary permissions for users, services, and systems
• Implement role-based access control (RBAC) where applicable
• Regularly review and audit access permissions
• Use temporary credentials and just-in-time access when possible

• Consider security implications during architecture and design phases
• Implement security controls early in the development lifecycle
• Use secure defaults in all configurations
• Design systems to fail securely

For critical security vulnerabilities that pose immediate risk:

1. Email: security@conversadocs.com
2. Subject: [CRITICAL] Security Vulnerability - [Project Name]
3. Response Time: Within 2 hours during business hours

For other security issues:

1. GitHub Security Advisory: Create a private security advisory in the repository
2. Email: security@conversadocs.com
3. Bug Report: Use our Bug Report template with security label
4. Response Time: Within 24 hours

When reporting security vulnerabilities, please provide:

• Description: Clear description of the vulnerability
• Impact: Potential impact and affected systems/users
• Reproduction: Step-by-step instructions to reproduce the issue
• Environment: Platform, version, configuration details
• Evidence: Screenshots, logs, or proof-of-concept (if safe to share)
• Suggested Fix: Any potential solutions or mitigations you've identified

• Do not include actual exploits or malicious payloads
• Do not test vulnerabilities against production systems
• Do not access or modify data you don't own
• Do not disclose vulnerabilities publicly until we've had time to respond

// Example: Input validation
function validateUserInput(input) {
  // Validate format, length, and content
  if (!input || typeof input !== 'string') {
    throw new ValidationError('Invalid input format')
  }

  // Sanitize input to prevent injection attacks
  return sanitizeHtml(input.trim())
}

• Implement strong authentication mechanisms (MFA where possible)
• Use established authentication libraries and frameworks
• Never store passwords in plain text
• Implement proper session management
• Use JWT tokens with appropriate expiration times
• Validate all user permissions for each operation

• Encryption at Rest: Encrypt all sensitive data in storage
• Encryption in Transit: Use TLS 1.2+ for all data transmission
• Key Management: Use dedicated key management services
• Data Classification: Classify data based on sensitivity levels
• Data Retention: Implement appropriate data retention and deletion policies

• API keys and tokens
• Database credentials
• Encryption keys
• Private certificates
• OAuth client secrets
• Service account credentials

# ❌ Never do this - secrets in code
database:
  password: "hardcoded-password-123"

# ✅ Use environment variables or secret management
database:
  password: ${DATABASE_PASSWORD}

• Cloud Native: AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, Google Secret Manager
• Multi-Cloud: HashiCorp Vault, Kubernetes Secrets
• Development: Docker secrets, encrypted environment files
• CI/CD: GitHub Secrets, GitLab CI/CD Variables, Azure DevOps Variable Groups

All code changes must undergo security review focusing on:

• Input Validation: Proper sanitization and validation
• Authentication/Authorization: Correct implementation of access controls
• Data Handling: Proper encryption and data protection
• Dependency Security: No known vulnerable dependencies
• Error Handling: No information leakage in error messages
• Logging: Appropriate security event logging without exposing sensitive data

• Implement proper network isolation between environments
• Use firewalls and security groups with least-privilege rules
• Separate public and private network segments
• Implement VPN access for administrative operations

• Enable DDoS protection for public-facing services
• Use Web Application Firewalls (WAF) for web applications
• Implement rate limiting and throttling
• Monitor and log all network traffic

• Implement centralized identity management
• Use single sign-on (SSO) where possible
• Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Regular access reviews and deprovisioning
• Implement privileged access management (PAM)

• Use service mesh or API gateways for service communication
• Implement mutual TLS (mTLS) for service authentication
• Use short-lived tokens and certificates
• Rotate credentials regularly

All infrastructure code must pass security scanning:

# Example security scanning pipeline
- name: "Infrastructure Security Scan"
  run: |
    # Static analysis
    checkov -d . --framework terraform
    tfsec .

    # Policy as code
    conftest verify --policy security-policies/ .

    # Dependency scanning
    safety check -r requirements.txt

• Implement policy-as-code for compliance requirements
• Regular compliance audits and reporting
• Automated compliance monitoring
• Maintain audit trails for all changes

• Use minimal, distroless base images when possible
• Regularly update base images with security patches
• Scan all container images for vulnerabilities
• Use official images from trusted registries

# Example secure Dockerfile practices
FROM node:18-alpine AS builder
# Use non-root user
RUN addgroup -g 1001 -S nodejs
RUN adduser -S nextjs -u 1001

# Set security-focused build arguments
ARG NODE_ENV=production
ENV NODE_ENV=${NODE_ENV}

# Copy and install dependencies
COPY package*.json ./
RUN npm ci --only=production && npm cache clean --force

# Copy application code
COPY --chown=nextjs:nodejs . .
USER nextjs

# Health check
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=3s --start-period=5s --retries=3 \
  CMD curl -f http://localhost:3000/health || exit 1

• Implement Pod Security Standards
• Use security contexts to run containers as non-root
• Implement resource limits and quotas
• Use network policies for pod-to-pod communication

• Use Kubernetes secrets with encryption at rest
• Implement secret rotation strategies
• Use service accounts with minimal permissions
• Consider external secret management integration

• AWS: Use IAM roles and policies with least privilege
• Azure: Implement Azure AD and RBAC
• Google Cloud: Use IAM with principle of least privilege
• Multi-Cloud: Consider cloud access security brokers (CASB)

• Enable encryption at rest for all storage services
• Use cloud-native key management services
• Implement data loss prevention (DLP) policies
• Regular data classification and access reviews

# Example monitoring configuration
security_monitoring:
  cloudtrail: enabled # AWS API logging
  guard_duty: enabled # AWS threat detection
  security_center: enabled # Azure security monitoring
  cloud_security: enabled # Google Cloud security monitoring

  log_retention: 365_days
  real_time_alerts: true
  siem_integration: splunk

• Separate build and deployment environments
• Use dedicated service accounts for pipelines
• Implement approval workflows for production deployments
• Scan code and dependencies in pipeline

# Example GitHub Actions security workflow
security_checks:
  runs-on: ubuntu-latest
  steps:
    - name: Code Security Scan
      run: |
        # SAST scanning
        semgrep --config=auto .

        # Dependency scanning
        npm audit --audit-level high

        # Container scanning
        trivy image myapp:latest

        # Infrastructure scanning
        checkov -d terraform/ --framework terraform

• Sign all build artifacts and container images
• Use private registries for internal artifacts
• Implement vulnerability scanning for all artifacts
• Maintain software bill of materials (SBOM)

• At Rest: Enable database encryption with customer-managed keys
• In Transit: Use TLS/SSL for all database connections
• Backup Encryption: Encrypt all database backups
• Application Level: Encrypt sensitive fields at application level

-- Example database security practices
-- Create role-based access
CREATE ROLE app_readonly;
GRANT SELECT ON schema.public TO app_readonly;

-- Create application user with limited permissions
CREATE USER app_user WITH PASSWORD 'secure_generated_password';
GRANT app_readonly TO app_user;

-- Implement row-level security
ALTER TABLE sensitive_data ENABLE ROW LEVEL SECURITY;
CREATE POLICY user_data_policy ON sensitive_data
  FOR ALL TO app_user
  USING (user_id = current_user_id());

• Log all database access and modifications
• Monitor for unusual access patterns
• Implement database activity monitoring (DAM)
• Regular database security assessments

• Authentication failures and anomalies
• Privilege escalation attempts
• Unusual data access patterns
• Infrastructure configuration changes
• Network traffic anomalies
• Application security events

# Example security monitoring configuration
security_events:
  authentication:
    - failed_logins
    - privilege_escalation
    - account_lockouts

  infrastructure:
    - configuration_changes
    - access_violations
    - resource_anomalies

  application:
    - input_validation_failures
    - authorization_failures
    - data_access_anomalies

  network:
    - unusual_traffic_patterns
    - port_scanning_attempts
    - dns_anomalies

1. Immediate Response (0-30 minutes)

   • Assess and classify the incident
   • Contain the threat if possible
   • Notify appropriate stakeholders
   • Begin evidence collection

2. Investigation (30 minutes - 2 hours)

   • Detailed impact assessment
   • Root cause analysis
   • Evidence preservation
   • Communication to affected parties

3. Recovery (2+ hours)

   • System restoration
   • Validation of fixes
   • Monitoring for recurrence
   • Post-incident review

• Data Protection: GDPR, CCPA, SOX
• Security Standards: ISO 27001, SOC 2, NIST
• Industry Specific: HIPAA, PCI DSS, FedRAMP
• Cloud Compliance: CSA CCM, Cloud Security Framework

# Example compliance configuration
compliance_frameworks:
  gdpr:
    enabled: true
    data_retention_days: 365
    consent_management: true
    right_to_erasure: true

  sox:
    enabled: true
    change_management: true
    access_controls: true
    audit_logging: true

  iso27001:
    enabled: true
    risk_assessment: quarterly
    security_policies: enforced
    incident_management: true

• Quarterly: Vulnerability assessments
• Semi-Annual: Penetration testing
• Annual: Comprehensive security audits
• Continuous: Automated security scanning

• Maintain security policies and procedures
• Document security architecture and designs
• Keep incident response documentation current
• Regular training and awareness programs

• Security awareness fundamentals
• Password and credential management
• Phishing and social engineering awareness
• Incident reporting procedures
• Data handling and privacy requirements

• Secure coding practices
• Common vulnerability patterns (OWASP Top 10)
• Security testing methodologies
• Threat modeling basics
• Security review processes

• Infrastructure security best practices
• Cloud security configurations
• Container and Kubernetes security
• Infrastructure as Code security
• Incident response procedures

• Regular security newsletters and updates
• Security conference attendance and training
• Internal security knowledge sharing sessions
• Hands-on security workshops and exercises
• Industry certification support

• Primary Contact: security@conversadocs.com
• Emergency Phone: [Emergency contact number]
• Incident Response Lead: [Name and contact]
• CISO/Security Officer: [Name and contact]

• Cloud Provider Security: [Provider-specific emergency contacts]
• Security Vendor Support: [Vendor emergency contacts]
• Legal/Compliance: [Legal team contact information]
• Law Enforcement: [Appropriate law enforcement contacts]

• Multi-Language: SonarQube, Semgrep, CodeQL
• Language-Specific: ESLint security plugins, Bandit (Python), RuboCop (Ruby)

• Web Applications: OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, Nessus
• API Testing: Postman security tests, REST Assured

• IaC Scanning: Checkov, tfsec, Terrascan
• Container Scanning: Trivy, Clair, Anchore
• Cloud Security: Cloud Custodian, ScoutSuite, Prowler

• Multi-Language: Snyk, WhiteSource, Black Duck
• Language-Specific: npm audit, safety (Python), bundle-audit (Ruby)

• OWASP Security Guidelines
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• Cloud Security Alliance
• SANS Security Policies

• CVE Database
• NVD - National Vulnerability Database
• GitHub Security Advisories

For security-related questions, concerns, or incident reporting:

• Email: security@conversadocs.com
• Emergency: [Emergency contact information]
• Documentation: [Link to internal security documentation]
• Training: [Link to security training resources]

Remember: Security is everyone's responsibility. When in doubt, err on the side of caution and reach out to the security team for guidance.

Last Updated: 2025-06-28 Next Review: 2025-12-01 Document Owner: ConversaDocs, LLC