Cybersecurity isn’t optional.
For government agencies responsible for protecting citizen data, secure applications are essential to maintaining public trust and national resilience. Yet despite growing threats, many organizations still release software with exploitable vulnerabilities. These issues—ranging from insecure design to weak supply chain controls—create a widening cyber gap.
The challenge:
Hidden risks in modern software development
Vulnerabilities don’t just come from bad code—they stem from siloed risk management, the use of unsecured third-party components, and a lack of integration between development and security teams.
Recent federal mandates aim to close this cyber gap by requiring higher standards for software safety. These include secure design practices, mandated code testing, and Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) disclosures. State and local governments are following suit.
“Agencies can reduce risk by making security a design requirement and using multiple testing types to quickly identify and prioritize remediation.” — Rob Cuddy, HCLSoftware
The solution:
Security embedded across the lifecycle
Agencies leading with security are weaving it into their DevSecOps strategies. This includes:
- Shifting security left: Adding testing to continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines to catch issues early
- Enforcing compliance: Keeping accurate software inventories and requiring SBOMs to strengthen supply chain security
- Standardizing guidance: Giving developers secure coding templates so they can move fast without needing to be security experts
This proactive approach is essential to meeting cybersecurity mandates—and to building long-term public trust.
How HCL AppScan supports secure government development
Our solution helps agencies meet today’s evolving security requirements. AppScan offers:
- Comprehensive testing capabilities across dynamic, static, interactive, and open-source analysis
- Actionable insights for both developers and security teams
- Executive-ready reporting to help leaders track progress and compliance
- Ongoing updates to address new threats, languages, and AI-driven security techniques
“AppScan raises visibility to actionable information, enabling teams to quickly respond, fix, and remediate. It will continue to leverage new technologies and practices, like AI, where they can be most effective.” — Rob Cuddy, HCLSoftware
From compliance to confidence
Application security can’t be treated as a checkbox. It needs to be a core part of how agencies build, test, and release software. With the right tools and policies, teams can proactively reduce cyber risk, protect sensitive information, and earn citizen trust.
The app security imperative: Closing the cyber gap
Learn more about HCL AppScan.
