Code Review Security Checklist for Secure Development

Software vulnerabilities often stem from development-phase oversights. A robust secure code review checklist helps teams catch security issues early by systematically assessing code before deployment. In this guide, you'll learn why code review checklists are important to security, how to tailor a Java secure code review checklist, and apply an OWASP security code review checklist to any language. Let’s dive in.

Why Are Code Review Checklists Important to Security?

A well‑maintained code review security checklist ensures consistency and thoroughness across teams. Here's why they matter:

1. Reduce human error – Human reviewers can miss things, but a checklist covers all bases.
   
   
2. Maintain standards – Ensures every review assesses authentication, input validation, error handling, and more.
   
   
3. Enable training – Checklists help onboard new team members around security best practices.
   
   
4. Ensure compliance – Many regulations reference secure development standards—compliance starts here.
   
   
5. Demonstrate due diligence – Auditors and clients expect proof that code is consistently reviewed for security.
   
   

A Checklist Approach to Security Code Reviews

Using a checklist approach to security code reviews empowers development teams to catch vulnerabilities efficiently. Below is a structured approach:

1. Authentication and Authorization
   
   
   • Review auth logic.
     
     
   • Ensure least-privilege for users and services.
     
     
   • Verify session management and token scopes.
     
     
2. Input Validation & Encoding
   
   
   • Sanitize all external inputs.
     
     
   • Use secure libraries for HTML, SQL, and command context encoding.
     
     
3. Cryptography & Sensitive Data Handling
   
   
   • Avoid hard-coded secrets or keys.
     
     
   • Prefer established APIs over custom crypto.
     
     
   • Secure data at rest and in transit with strong TLS settings.
     
     
4. Error Handling & Logging
   
   
   • Avoid exposing stack traces or sensitive data.
     
     
   • Log necessary events without leaking credentials.
     
     
5. Secure Configuration Management
   
   
   • Eliminate default credentials.
     
     
   • Ensure secure flags on cookies and CSP headers.
     
     
6. Dependency Security
   
   
   • Validate open-source components for known vulnerabilities.
     
     
   • Review license compliance.
     
     
7. Concurrency & Resource Handling
   
   
   • Prevent race conditions and thread-safety issues.
     
     
8. Code Complexity & Maintainability
   
   
   • Flag deep nesting or complex logic for better testing.
     
     
9. Security Logging & Monitoring
   
   
   • Ensure sufficient logging for forensics.
     
     
   • Use alert thresholds on critical actions.
     
     
10. API & Endpoint Security
    
    
    • Harden REST/RPC endpoints.
      
      
    • Enforce proper auth checks on each request.

Java Secure Code Review Checklist

Java brings its own security nuances. A Java secure code review checklist includes:

• Use PreparedStatement or ORMs to prevent SQL injection.
  
  
• Avoid insecure deserialization of Java objects.
  
  
• Mitigate XXE by disabling DTDs in XML parsers.
  
  
• Prefer Java’s SecureRandom for entropy over Random.
  
  
• Validate user-controlled deserialization and dynamic class loading.

Integrating the OWASP Security Code Review Checklist

The OWASP security code review checklist is a widely accepted standard covering 10+ key areas:

• Injection (SQL, NoSQL, OS, LDAP)
  
  
• Broken auth/session management
  
  
• Cross-site scripting (XSS)
  
  
• Insecure direct object references (IDOR)
  
  
• CSRF
  
• Insufficient logging/monitoring
  
  
• Misconfiguration and insecure defaults
  
  
• Sensitive data exposure
  
  

Incorporating this into your review checklist aligns your process with security best practices.

How to Perform an Effective Secure Code Review

1. Before You Start
   
   
   • Set scope and objectives.
     
     
   • Gather relevant checklists: secure code review checklist for Java, OWASP, etc.
     
     
2. Static Analysis & Automation
   
   
   • Use SAST tools to find low-hanging vulnerabilities.
     
     
   • But don’t rely entirely on them—manual review is essential.
     
     
3. Manual Security Checks
   
   
   • Review code against your checklist.
     
     
   • Validate logic, input validation, auth, error handling.
     
     
4. Track Issues & Prioritize
   
   
   • Record severity and priority.
     
     
   • Apply CWE or CVSS scoring.
     
     
5. Mitigation & Re‑Review
   
   
   • Fix issues promptly—some may require code restructuring.
     
     
   • Perform lightweight re-review to verify fixes.
     
     
6. Continuous Learning
   
   
   • Update your checklist over time.
     
     
   • Run regular training sessions to reinforce key areas.

Tools and Resources to Support Code Review Security

• SAST Tools: OpenGrep, SonarQube, semgrep, FindSecBugs
  
  
• Security Linters: ESLint-plugin-security, Bandit
  
  
• CI Integration: Run scans during pull requests
  
  
• Checklists and Templates: Amplify Security Code Review Guide, OWASP Code Review Guide

Embedding Security Into Development Culture

Checklist adoption is sustainable when security becomes part of everyday development:

• Conduct peer reviews for every PR
  
  
• Define "Reviewer of the Day" with rotating security responsibility
  
  
• Host pre-commit workshops around checklist items like input handling and auth
  
  
• Tie checklist use to KPIs and team OKRs

FAQs

Q: What is a secure code review checklist?
A: A curated list of security controls to verify during code reviews—covering auth, validation, crypto, error handling, etc.

Q: Why are code review checklists important to security?
A: They reduce risk, ensure consistency, and serve as proof of security diligence.

Q: What is a Java secure code review checklist?
A: A language-specific guide focusing on Java risks (e.g., SQL injection, deserialization, TLS).

Q: How do I use an OWASP security code review checklist?
A: Map OWASP guidelines to your process, add them to PR templates, and automate what you can.

Final Thoughts

A strong code review security checklist is the foundation of secure development. By integrating structured checklists—like OWASP’s and language-specific guides—you significantly reduce risk and reinforce a proactive security mindset. Combine this approach with automation and developer education to maintain high standards of security and code quality.

Next steps: Turn your checklist into PR templates, integrate SAST tools into CI, and empower developers with Amplify Security for automated remediation in code reviews.