Prolifogy employs a team of dedicated source code audit specialists who are highly trained in the unique science, engineering, and art, of parsing through thousands upon thousands of lines of code in a way that shines a light on the best and worst aspects of any software product that comes to them for examination. They have at their disposal all of the required specialized code auditing tools, a full set of similarly trained but differently focused programming colleagues, with whom they can share and request support and a full understanding of exactly what is required for a successful source code audit deliverable to ensure the most well-informed overview prior to any merger or acquisition. Contact Prolifogy today to learn exactly how you can benefit from this powerful team of source code auditors.
Do You Need a Source Code Audit?
The purpose of a source code audit is to examine the software product being submitted to the audit and to determine the quality and integrity of the source code and its adherence to industry standards, best practices, and conventions. Source code audits are used by companies interested in acquiring ownership of existing software products, applications, and systems. Prior to buying the source code, the source code audit report can be used as a means for evaluation of the existing code. The source code audit report is the primary deliverable from a source code audit.
The deliverable of any source code audit is a report that addresses and analyzes the pros and cons of the coding practices discovered during the source code audit review. When considering a source code audit, make certain that it will include an assessment of coding best standards and practices, security strengths and weaknesses, software product acquisition risks, adequate use of coding comments, and a check for prudent elimination of unused code.
Source Code Audits for Buyer
From the point of view of the buyer, a source code audit represents the most viable means of doing due diligence prior to an acquisition. Was the code written to follow accepted best practices and standards? What coding languages were used and were those languages appropriate for the functionality, future maintenance, scalability, and manageability of the product? What vulnerabilities exist for hacking and malicious intrusion? A source code audit can expose a general pattern of flawed programming practices that may or may not cause excessive damage or concern on their own. The discovered flaws and patterns of flaws may point to an overall expectation that other areas of equally (or potentially greater) damaging issues exist throughout the code. Likewise, good coding practices, properly selected and implemented coding languages, close attention to security issues, and any other positive indication of due diligence having been done that are brought to light during a source code audit, will give the buyer added reassurance that the product might be worth an acquisition.
Source Code Audit for Seller
From the seller’s point of view, a source code audit is an opportunity to prove to the acquiring company that the code being submitted to the source code audit team is a quality product worthy of the price being asked. A source code audit can be used by the selling company as a pre-sale means for an outside evaluation of their product. In that way, a source code audit can be used to find areas within the code that might be wisely addressed prior to an anticipated source code audit later conducted by the buying company. And the source code audit is also a means by which favorable aspects of coding can be evaluated and wrapped into a sales presentation based on positive discoveries from a completed source code audit.
Keep in mind that due to a short timeline (usually within a week or two), a source code audit does not represent a complete line-by-line analysis of the software being scrutinized. Every source code audit is based on a sampling of code, and from this sampling, the source code audit report makes informed assumptions and conclusions based upon the pros and cons of what was determined during the source code audit. If a large percentage of the lines of code examined during the source code audit follow best practices and expected standards of coding, a higher expectation of uniformity and better programming can be expected within the lines of code not included for the source code audit.
Third Party Source Code Audit
Since the source code audit will be performed by a third party, an impartial analysis can be ensured. Was the code written using languages that can be adequately supported for the life of the software? Are the languages ones for which programmers can be readily hired when updates, changes, and maintenance are required? Did the programmers leave enough documentation to assist future programmers with trouble shooting and to help orient them and bring them quickly up to speed when first looking through the code?
Beware of thinking that the same team who wrote the source code, can audit the source code. Likewise, do not assume that any programmer with whom you’ve worked and found to be proficient at writing successful and robust software products, will therefore be well-suited to conduct a source code audit. Source code audit team members possess all the skills of the best source code programmers, plus a special set of skills specific to the source code auditor. Penetration testing, in-depth understanding and experience in a wide variety of languages, knowing exactly what to look for during a source code audit examination, and the ability to use code samples as a means for extrapolating data in a predictive manner, are just a few aspects of the specialized skillset that is specific to the task of conducting a through source code audit.
The findings of the source code audit can show areas of deficiency that might be improved after an acquisition, if factors surrounding the deficiency comply with sound coding practices and standards. When the source code audit finds a bug or area of potentially risky exposure, the question must be asked, “what needs to be done to fix the bug or to significantly limit exposure?”
Identifying Source Code Errors & Flaws
When a scattering of flaws in the software are found, it can be safely assumed that other flaws exist in the software that reside in lines of code excluded from the sample provided for the source code audit. Examining code during a source code audit is an exercise in forensic discovery. Do not underestimate the need for the source code audit team members to have specialized training in code evaluation. Each programmer on the Prolifogy team specializes in one or two languages, providing expertise in (but not limited to) C, C++, C#, Java, Javascript, Perl, SQL, NoSSQL, Objective C, Python, HTML, and CSS.
Whether you are on the buying or selling end of a merger or acquisition, a source code audit represents the best opportunity to evaluate the product being sold or purchased. Source code audit teams are assembled by finding, training, and perfecting the programmer’s set of skills that are unusual in their ability to examine thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of lines of code, in ways that are specific to the purpose of a source code audit and review.
Companies sometimes take the misguided approach of using their in-house programming staff to review the code. This can be a fatal mistake and one that can slant the outcome. The source code audit team must maintain a non-biased and non-differential approach to their assessment of the code under review.
Request a Prolifogy Source Code Audit
A properly trained team of source code audit specialists will know what vulnerabilities and weaknesses to look for, expose, and identify as they parse through the code; they will also be well trained in the extrapolation of those discoveries into an analysis of the likely existence and probable quantity of other related and hidden issues.
Adding the specialized expertise of Prolifogy to your source code audit strategy is just a phone call away. Call 855 776-5436 now, to add the powerful resources Prolifogy provides, and make those resources work for you.