Profile Applicability:
Level 1
Description:
Designate specific individuals or teams as code owners for critical, sensitive, or high-impact code sections and configuration files. Code owners have the authority and responsibility to review and approve changes to these areas, ensuring that modifications undergo proper scrutiny before integration.
Rationale:
Setting code owners for sensitive components enforces accountability and specialized review, reducing the risk of unauthorized or erroneous changes. This practice helps maintain the security and stability of critical parts of the codebase and supports compliance with internal policies and regulatory requirements.
Impact:
Pros:
Enhances accountability for sensitive code areas.
Ensures expert review of critical changes.
Reduces risk of security vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.
Supports compliance and audit requirements.
Cons:
May slow down the review process if owners are unavailable.
Requires ongoing maintenance of code ownership assignments.
Default value:
By default, no specific code owners may be assigned, leading to less controlled review of sensitive code changes.
Audit:
Verify that code ownership rules are defined and enforced in the version control system for sensitive files and directories. Review change logs to confirm approvals from designated owners.
Remediation:
Implement code owner configurations using platform-specific mechanisms (e.g., CODEOWNERS file in GitHub). Communicate ownership policies to development teams and maintain the list of code owners regularly.
References:
GitHub CODEOWNERS Documentation: https://docs.github.com/en/repositories/managing-your-repositorys-settings-and-features/customizing-your-repository/about-code-owners
GitLab Code Owners: https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/project/code_owners.html
CIS Controls v8, Control 6 - Maintenance, Monitoring, and Analysis of Audit Logs: https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/maintenance-monitoring-and-analysis-of-audit-logs/