Software Security Best Practice

HMRC is becoming more and more concerned about commercial software security, following fraudulent financial activity some months ago by an agent, and subsequent questioning by the tax agent bodies.  HMRC is trying to mitigate any potential exposure, and to try to reassure themselves about software vendors' focus on security issues, HMRC scanned 30 software vendors' websites and could only find specific statements on security on seven of them.

BASDA is now seeking to help support members in this matter and provide reassurance to HMRC and other government bodies that our industry is taking software security seriously.  We are drafting a "BASDA Business Software Security Best Practice Statement".  Once issued, members will be able to post this statement on their websites and refer to it in ITTs.  This will help raise the profile of the work that members are already doing to deliver secure software to business customers.