Building Shopify’s Application Security Program

How Shopify built an application security program that encourages safety at high speed, removes complexities, and fosters an environment for creative problem solving so that everyone can focus on delivering amazing products to our merchants.

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Shopify
•
Andrew Dunbar
•7 min read•intermediate•
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•View Original
HTMLRailsRubyXSS

Overview

The article discusses the development of Shopify's Application Security Program, emphasizing the importance of trust and security in their platform. It outlines strategies for scaling secure applications, security teams, and interactions to foster a culture of security while maintaining rapid development.

What You'll Learn

1

How to establish a homogeneous technical baseline for security across applications

2

Why embedding security practices into product development is essential for rapid growth

3

How to implement automated security tripwires in code repositories

Prerequisites & Requirements

  • Understanding of application security principles
  • Experience in software development and team collaboration(optional)

Key Questions Answered

How does Shopify scale its application security program?
Shopify scales its application security program by focusing on three key areas: scaling secure applications, scaling security teams, and scaling security interactions. This involves creating a homogeneous technical baseline, specializing team roles, and automating security checks to ensure that security is integrated into the development process without slowing down innovation.
What strategies does Shopify use to maintain security at high speed?
Shopify maintains security at high speed by standardizing their technology stack, ensuring visibility into vulnerabilities, and automating security processes. This allows the security team to respond quickly to new threats while enabling developers to focus on delivering features without compromising security.
Why is it important to embed security within product development?
Embedding security within product development is crucial because it ensures that security considerations are integrated from the start, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities. This proactive approach allows teams to respond to security threats more effectively and fosters a culture of security awareness across the organization.
What role do automated security tripwires play in Shopify's security strategy?
Automated security tripwires are implemented at the testing and code repository levels to detect dangerous methods and unwanted patterns as code is committed. This allows developers to correct security risks in real-time, enhancing the overall security posture of applications being developed.

Technologies & Tools

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Backend
Ruby On Rails
Used as the primary framework for building Shopify's products, allowing for focused security tooling.

Key Actionable Insights

1
Establish a homogeneous technical baseline for your applications to enhance security.
By standardizing the technology stack, teams can focus their security efforts on specific frameworks, simplifying the security process and improving overall efficiency.
2
Automate security checks to catch vulnerabilities early in the development cycle.
Implementing automated security tripwires can help developers identify and address security issues as they write code, reducing the likelihood of vulnerabilities making it into production.
3
Foster a culture of security awareness across all teams.
Encouraging all team members to prioritize security in their work helps create a shared responsibility for security, leading to better outcomes and a more secure product.

Common Pitfalls

1
Failing to integrate security into the development process can lead to vulnerabilities.
When security is treated as an afterthought, it often results in costly fixes and increased risk. By embedding security practices early, teams can mitigate risks more effectively.

Related Concepts

Application Security
Security Automation
Devsecops
Vulnerability Management