A vulnerability manager is onboarding developers to the vulnerability management program and wants to focus on integrating security from the very beginning. What is the first step of the software development lifecycle the manager should integrate?

Integrating security into the software development lifecycle starts with requirements gathering because this phase lays the foundation for the entire project. During requirements gathering, the development team identifies not only the functional requirements of the software but also the security requirements that must be met to protect the system and its data. By addressing security at this stage, the team can ensure that security considerations are embedded into every aspect of the project, thereby reducing vulnerabilities that may arise later in the lifecycle.

Incorporating security in the requirements gathering phase allows teams to define security objectives, compliance needs, and potential threats beforehand. This proactive approach ensures that security features are planned and developed alongside the core functionality, leading to more secure code and fewer issues during later phases like solution design and testing.