DevSecOps + SSDLC + AppSec Cursor Rule

General Security Principles

• Never hardcode secrets, credentials, or API keys. Use environment variables or secure vaults for sensitive data.
• Prohibit the inclusion of .env, secret config files, or unknown tokens in source control.
• Never log sensitive data, secrets, or session tokens in application logs.
• Validate and sanitize all user input. Escape output in HTML, JS, and SQL contexts.
• Avoid unsafe functions such as exec, eval, or similar dynamic code execution.

Database Security

• Use parameterized queries or ORM for all database access. Do not use string concatenation for query building.
• Ensure database users have the least privilege required for their tasks.
• Regularly review and update database access policies.

Dependency Management

• Only use packages from verified sources.
• Do not add new dependencies without explicit approval and security review.
• Regularly update dependencies and scan for known vulnerabilities (SCA).

Authentication & Authorization

• Use secure authentication frameworks; never implement custom authentication.
• Store passwords using strong, salted hashes (e.g., Argon2, bcrypt).
• Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) for sensitive operations.
• Enforce the principle of least privilege for APIs and UI actions.

Secure SDLC Practices

• Integrate Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Software Composition Analysis (SCA) into the CI pipeline.
• Scan all code for secrets before merging (Secret Scanning).
• Use Infrastructure as Code (IaC) scanning for all infrastructure code.
• Integrate Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) in the CD pipeline for deployed applications.
• Enforce Policy as Code (PaC) for automated, version-controlled security policies.

Monitoring & Feedback

• Enable continuous vulnerability monitoring and alerting.
• Integrate Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP) and Web Application Firewall (WAF) as appropriate.
• Encourage regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing.
• Maintain a feedback loop to update rules and prompts based on recurring vulnerabilities.

Compliance & Documentation

• Align with industry standards (e.g., OWASP Top 10, NIST, ISO 27001).
• Document all security controls and decisions for auditability.