Jitbit Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) Policy for SaaS Solutions

Document Version: 1.0
Published Date: April 1st, 2024

Why Jitbit Follows a Secure SDLC Policy

This Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) policy describes how Jitbit builds, tests, and deploys our SaaS Helpdesk software with security integrated into every stage. Rather than treating security as a final checkbox, we embed it from the earliest requirements gathering through production deployment and ongoing maintenance.

Our SDLC aligns with the OWASP Top Ten — the industry-standard list of the most critical web application security risks — to ensure that common vulnerabilities like injection attacks, broken authentication, and data exposure are addressed before code ever reaches production. This policy is one component of a broader security program that includes our Penetration Testing Policy, Backup Policy, and Business Continuity Plan.

Scope of This Policy

This SDLC policy applies to all software development projects at Jitbit, with particular emphasis on the development and deployment of our SaaS Helpdesk platform. Every engineer, code reviewer, and release manager involved in delivering the product follows the procedures outlined here.

SDLC Policy Objectives

Security from day one: Integrate security requirements into the earliest planning stages so vulnerabilities are prevented, not just detected.
OWASP Top Ten compliance: Systematically address each of the OWASP Top Ten risks through documented controls, code reviews, and targeted testing.
Consistent quality standards: Maintain high standards of code quality, reliability, and security across every release of the Jitbit Helpdesk.

Secure SDLC Phases

Jitbit's software development life cycle consists of six phases, each with specific security responsibilities:

Requirement Analysis: Gather functional and security requirements from stakeholders. Security needs — data protection constraints, compliance obligations, and threat scenarios — are identified and documented alongside business requirements, not added as an afterthought.
Design: Architect the solution with security as a foundational element. We follow secure design principles including least privilege, defense in depth, and fail-safe defaults. Threat modeling is conducted during design to identify potential attack surfaces before development begins.
Development: Implement the design using secure coding practices. All code undergoes peer review with a specific focus on identifying and mitigating security vulnerabilities such as injection flaws, cross-site scripting, and insecure data handling.
Testing: Perform comprehensive testing that goes beyond functional verification. This phase includes security-focused penetration testing and vulnerability assessments mapped directly to the OWASP Top Ten. Our penetration testing policy details the external testing engagements that complement internal QA.
Deployment: Securely deploy the application to production, verifying that server configurations, access controls, encryption settings, and environment variables meet required security standards before traffic is routed to the new release.
Maintenance: Continuously monitor the production environment, apply security patches promptly, and update dependencies to address newly discovered threats. Our backup policy ensures data is always recoverable if an issue arises.

How We Address the OWASP Top Ten

Each phase of the SDLC specifically targets risks identified in the OWASP Top Ten. During design, we model threats against the current OWASP list. During development, code reviews check for the specific vulnerability patterns OWASP describes. During testing, vulnerability assessments and penetration tests are scoped to cover every OWASP category.

When OWASP updates its list or publishes new guidance, our development and testing teams review the changes and update their processes accordingly. This ensures our SDLC stays current with the evolving threat landscape rather than relying on outdated assumptions.

Security Training and Awareness

All Jitbit development team members receive regular training on the OWASP Top Ten, secure coding practices, and emerging security threats. Training is updated annually and refreshed whenever significant changes occur in the security landscape — such as new vulnerability disclosures, updated OWASP guidance, or lessons learned from our own penetration testing results.

This ongoing investment in security education ensures that every engineer writing code for the Jitbit Helpdesk understands not just what to avoid, but why — making secure development a habit rather than a checklist.

Compliance Monitoring and Reporting

Compliance with this SDLC policy is monitored through internal audits, code review metrics, and security assessment results. Non-compliance issues are flagged promptly, and corrective actions are documented, assigned, and tracked to resolution. The CTO oversees compliance reporting and ensures that deviations are addressed before they affect production releases.

Policy Review and Continuous Improvement

This SDLC policy is reviewed annually or after major security incidents or significant technology changes. Feedback from internal audits, penetration test findings, incident reports, and technological advancements is incorporated into each revision. By treating this policy as a living document, Jitbit ensures that our development practices evolve alongside the threats they are designed to counter.

Our SDLC policy is one part of Jitbit's comprehensive approach to protecting your helpdesk data. For a complete picture, see:

Security and Privacy FAQ — Answers to the most common security questions from customers
Penetration Testing Policy — How independent security firms test our systems biannually
Backup Policy — How we protect your helpdesk data with multi-layered backups
Business Continuity Plan — How we maintain service during disruptions
SLA Policy — Our 99.98% uptime guarantee and credit terms