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BackWhat is OWASP SAMM?
OWASP SAMM, or the OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model, is an open framework that helps organizations evaluate and improve their software security practices. It gives teams a structured way to measure how mature their software security program is and define practical steps for improvement.
Instead of only testing applications before release, teams use OWASP SAMM to build security into strategy, design, development, testing, deployment, and operations.
It works for organizations of different sizes, industries, and technology stacks. It does not prescribe one fixed security program. Instead, it helps each organization create a risk-based roadmap that matches its business goals, software delivery model, and security maturity.
Why OWASP SAMM matters
Software security fails when teams treat it as a final-stage activity. Security issues become harder and more expensive to fix when teams discover them late. OWASP SAMM helps organizations assess current practices, identify gaps, prioritize improvements, and track progress over time.
IT helps organizations:
- Measure the maturity of software security practices.
- Build a structured roadmap for security improvement.
- Align security goals with business risk.
- Improve secure design, development, testing, and operations.
- Standardize software security expectations across teams.
- Show measurable progress to leadership, auditors, and customers.
OWASP SAMM business functions
It organizes software assurance into five business functions. Each function contains security practices that teams can assess and improve.
| Business function | What it focuses on |
|---|---|
| Governance | Strategy, metrics, policies, compliance, and security education |
| Design | Threat assessment, security requirements, and secure architecture |
| Implementation | Secure build, secure deployment, and defect management |
| Verification | Architecture assessment, requirements-driven testing, and security testing |
| Operations | Incident management, environment management, and operational management |
How teams use OWASP SAMM
Teams usually begin with an assessment. They review current practices, score maturity levels, and compare results against business risk. After that, they define a target state and create a phased improvement plan.
A practical program should include:
- A baseline assessment of current software security practices.
- Clear ownership across development, security, product, and operations teams.
- Risk-based priorities instead of generic security checklists.
- Measurable goals for each improvement cycle.
- Regular reassessments to track maturity over time.
How Hexnode helps
Hexnode XDR helps organizations secure Windows endpoints used by developers, administrators, testers, and security teams. It collects endpoint telemetry, shows active detections and incidents in a centralized dashboard, and supports response actions such as endpoint isolation where applicable. This strengthens the endpoint security layer around software development and operations.
Hexnode UEM helps organizations manage applications and devices that support software delivery. Administrators can deploy approved apps, maintain app inventory, update enterprise apps, and apply app blocklist or allowlist policies across supported platforms. Hexnode does not perform OWASP SAMM assessments or replace secure SDLC governance, code review, SAST, DAST, penetration testing, or application security program management. It supports SAMM-aligned programs by improving endpoint control, application governance, and operational security around the teams that build and manage software.
FAQs
No. Small teams can use OWASP SAMM to create a practical security roadmap. They can start with high-risk areas and mature the program gradually.
Yes. Organizations can use OWASP SAMM to ask vendors structured questions about secure development, testing, deployment, and operational security practices.