Which organization’s guidance includes secure coding standards specifically for programming practices?

The correct choice is the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), known for its comprehensive guidance on improving the security of software. OWASP emphasizes the importance of secure coding practices to mitigate vulnerabilities and threats in web applications. Their Top Ten Project identifies common security risks, and they provide detailed resources and guidelines on secure coding techniques specific to programming languages and frameworks. This focus on practical strategies for developers helps ensure that security is integrated into the software development lifecycle, making OWASP an essential resource for organizations concerned with application security.

The other organizations also contribute significantly to security standards, but their scopes differ. For instance, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) provides a broad array of cybersecurity frameworks and guidelines that cover various aspects of information security, but they do not specialize solely in secure coding standards. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) focuses on general quality management and security frameworks, including the widely known ISO/IEC 27001 standard for information security management systems, which encompasses broader security management practices rather than detailed coding guidelines. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is more specific to the security of payment card transactions, outlining security requirements for processors but does not delve deeply into programming practices or secure coding standards.