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SDLC 2.0 Revisited – How the approach to security has changed over the last decade

A summary of Michał Brandt’s talk at The Hack Summit. Software security is no longer just a separate project phase or a “checkpoint” before deployment. Today, it is an integral part of the entire application lifecycle — from the initial architectural decisions, through development, to production monitoring. At The Hack Summit 2025, Michał Brandt, Security Chapter Lead at Raiffeisen Tech Poland, presented a comprehensive analysis of how the approach to secure software development has evolved over the past 10 years.

  • By Michał Brandt
  • Case study

Software security is no longer a separate project phase or a “checkpoint” before deployment. It has become an integral part of the entire application lifecycle — from the initial architectural decisions, through development, to production monitoring. This transformation was the focus of Michał Brandt’s presentation at The Hack Summit 2025, one of the most important events dedicated to cybersecurity. 

The talk, titled “SDLC 2.0 Revisited – How the approach to security has changed over the last decade,” provided a comprehensive overview of how the approach to secure software development has evolved over the past 10 years — covering processes, tools, and the culture of technology teams.

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The talk demonstrated that security in the SDLC today is a comprehensive, continuous process requiring team collaboration, appropriate tools, and an organizational culture. Investing in early detection and remediation of errors translates into significant cost savings and risk reduction. SDLC 2.0 is not just technology — it is, above all, an approach that must be the foundation of every IT project.

Security in SDLC – From a Separate Phase to a Continuous Process

Michał began with statistics illustrating the scale of threats and financial losses caused by security incidents. Ten years ago, global losses were estimated at $375–575 billion, whereas today they reach as much as $6 trillion annually. The largest incidents, such as the CrowdStrike attack, generate losses measured in billions. This increase shows that security must be embedded in every stage of software development. 

SDLC 2.0 – Security as the Foundation of the Software Development Life Cycle

The traditional SDLC (Software Development Life Cycle) model has evolved into SDLC 2.0, where security is no longer an add-on but an integral part of the process. Michał emphasized that today it is impossible to create software without considering security aspects. This process is based on the Deming cycle (PDCA), with iterative improvement and built-in risk management mechanisms.

Key Elements of a Secure SDLC

  • Risk Analysis and Threat Modeling – identifying potential weaknesses already at the requirements and design stages, using both open source and commercial tools.
  • Security Requirements Management – formally incorporating security requirements into documentation and project processes.
  • Secure Design and Coding – applying coding standards and using tools for code quality and vulnerability analysis (e.g., GitHub Advanced Security, SonarQube).
  • Security Testing – including static and dynamic tests, penetration testing, and business logic testing.
  • Vulnerability and Patch Management – continuous monitoring and rapid response to new threats.
  • Data Anonymization in Test Environments – protecting sensitive data outside of production.
  • Documentation and Approval – complete, versioned documentation and formal sign-off confirming readiness for deployment (milestone sign-off).

Challenges and Trends for the Future

Michał highlighted the growing role of automation and AI in code generation and security testing. While AI tools can support SDLC processes, they will not completely replace security specialists who must verify and test the developed solutions.

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