OWASP SAMM — Software Assurance Maturity Model
SmartSuite provides the system for managing controls, evidence, mappings, assessments, and reporting. Framework text may require a separate license unless explicitly provided.
Overview
OWASP SAMM (Software Assurance Maturity Model) is an open-source cybersecurity framework that helps organizations evaluate and improve their secure software development practices through structured maturity assessments.
Why it Matters
OWASP SAMM empowers organizations to systematically assess and improve the maturity of their secure software development processes. Key benefits include:
- Strengthen software security governance
Foster clear policies and accountability, enabling leadership to oversee and guide secure development practices across projects.
- Enhance regulatory compliance support
Align software assurance processes with industry and legal requirements, helping meet obligations and reducing risk of non-compliance.
- Promote continuous process improvement
Establish structured maturity assessments and roadmaps to systematically identify gaps and drive ongoing security enhancement.
- Improve incident detection and response
Enable organizations to recognize and address software-related vulnerabilities more rapidly throughout the software lifecycle.
- Support integration with broader frameworks
Facilitate alignment and interoperability with standards such as ISO 27001 and NIST, streamlining security and risk management efforts.
How it Works
OWASP SAMM structures software security around five business functions: Governance, Design, Implementation, Verification, and Operations. Each function is divided into security practices with detailed activities and maturity levels that define progressive security capabilities.
Key Elements
- Governance Practice Area
Outlines policies, organizational management, and strategy for secure software development.
- Design Practice Area
Describes architectural and threat modeling processes to integrate security early in the development lifecycle.
- Implementation Practice Area
Specifies secure coding practices and management of software dependencies during system creation.
- Verification Practice Area
Organizes review and testing activities to ensure software meets security requirements throughout development.
- Operations Practice Area
Structures deployment, configuration, and maintenance processes to sustain operational security post-release.
- Maturity Levels
Defines progressive stages of process advancement to measure software assurance capability and improvement.
Framework Scope
OWASP SAMM is adopted by development teams, security leaders, and compliance professionals overseeing secure software development and application environments.
Framework Objectives
OWASP SAMM provides organizations with a comprehensive model for advancing software security and managing application security risks.
- Strengthen governance and oversight of software development cybersecurity practices
- Establish consistent security controls and risk management processes throughout the SDLC
- Enhance data protection and privacy in software applications and systems
- Support regulatory compliance and alignment with industry security standards
- Enable operational resilience by identifying and mitigating software-related vulnerabilities
- ClassicifationCategorySoftware SecurityDomainSoftware SecurityFramework FamilyOWASP
- Regulatory ContextTypeAssessment / Maturity ModelLegal InstrumentFrameworkSectorCross-SectorIndustryCross-Industry
- Region / PublisherRegionGlobalRegion DetailUnited StatesPublisherOpen Web Application Security Project (OWASP)
- VersioningVersionOWASP SAMM v2Effective Date2012Issue Date2012
- AdoptionAdoption ModelOperational SecurityImplementation ComplexityModerate
- Official ReferenceOpen Link in New TabSource
License included / downloadable: Yes
OWASP SAMM is published by the OWASP Foundation and is publicly available as an open security framework.
How SmartSuite Supports OWASP SAMM
Centralize controls, evidence, and audit workflows to stay continuously SOC 2–ready.
Maturity Assessments by Practice
Run SAMM assessments with scoring and evidence for each practice area.
Improvement Roadmap and Ownership
Turn gaps into a prioritized roadmap with owners, milestones, and due dates.
Evidence for Secure SDLC Practices
Centralize proof for governance, design, implementation, verification, and operations.
Metrics and Program Reporting
Track maturity trends and KPIs to show measurable improvement.
Cross-Team Standardization
Standardize practices and templates across product teams for consistency.
Executive Reporting Dashboards
Report maturity, gaps, and progress at the program and product level.
Related frameworks
CIS Controls v8.1 provides prioritized, practical security actions to help organizations mitigate common cyber threats and strengthen defenses.
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 is an international ISMS standard that helps organizations manage information security risks and protect data.
MITRE ATT&CK is a knowledge framework documenting adversary tactics and techniques to help organizations detect, analyze, and respond to attacks.
NIST SSDF provides practices to integrate security across the software development lifecycle and reduce software vulnerabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions For OWASP SAMM (Software Assurance Maturity Model)
OWASP SAMM is used to assess, improve, and manage secure software development practices across the software development lifecycle (SDLC). It provides organizations with a structured maturity model to measure, benchmark, and enhance software security processes within development teams and the broader organization.
OWASP SAMM is not a certifiable or mandatory framework. It is a self-assessment model designed to guide organizations in maturing their software assurance practices and aligning with regulatory or industry best practices rather than providing formal certification.
OWASP SAMM is applicable to organizations of any size that develop, deploy, or manage software applications. It is commonly used by security professionals, development teams, and compliance leaders to evaluate and improve software security throughout governance, design, implementation, verification, and operations functions.
Key concepts in OWASP SAMM include business functions, security practices, maturity levels, and related activities. Artifacts such as maturity assessment results, gap analyses, improvement roadmaps, and evidence of implemented controls are central to tracking progress and supporting compliance initiatives.
Organizations implement OWASP SAMM by conducting a baseline maturity assessment, identifying gaps in current software security controls, and prioritizing areas for improvement. Implementation typically involves aligning SAMM practices with internal governance structures and integrating improvements into existing development workflows.
OWASP SAMM complements established frameworks like ISO 27001, NIST, and PCI DSS by providing a focused approach to software security maturity. It can be integrated into broader security, risk, and compliance programs to enhance application security controls and meet overlapping regulatory requirements.
Ongoing compliance with OWASP SAMM involves regular reassessment of software security maturity, continuous monitoring of implemented controls, and iterative improvements based on assessed risks. Documentation, evidence collection, and reporting support audit readiness and ensure that security improvements are sustained over time.
SmartSuite supports OWASP SAMM by offering pre-built control libraries mapped to SAMM practices, risk tracking, and automated evidence collection. The platform enables organizations to manage assessments, remediation activities, and compliance documentation while maintaining audit readiness and providing comprehensive reporting on software assurance maturity.
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