Secure software development as a social practice: investigating the dynamics of socio-technical factors in the security practices of developers in SMEs

Thesis

The software security industry primarily focuses on the technical aspect of the software development process, with limited studies examining the impact of human interactions, organisational contexts, and social factors on developer practices. The software application development industry is worth trillions of pounds, with a user base of billions per year. For decades, software engineering and security research disciplines have focused on end-users’ experiences with software applications an...

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Authors: Fiddi, P

• Alternative title: Cyber security as a social practice: investigating the dynamics of socio-technical factors in the security practices of developers in SMEs
• DOI: 10.5287/ora-n6xddyz7w
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: grounded theory; stakeholder interactions; cybersecurity; socio-technical factors; developer practices; software security; smes (small and medium-sized enterprises); security best practices; C.A.M.S. taxonomy; secure software development
• Subjects: Software Security Practices in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Socio-technical Aspects of Secure Software Engineering