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Make crypto modernization a DevSecOps advantage—not a delivery drag

Blog: OpenText Blogs

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Quantum computing may seem distant, but security teams face a ticking clock now. RSA, ECC, and other standard algorithms are nearing obsolescence. Modernizing to post‑quantum cryptography (PQC) isn’t optional—it’s a long-term, multi-year necessity.

For application security leaders, the bigger question is: How can you fortify your cryptographic posture without compromising delivery speed?

The AppSec bottleneck: crypto risk hidden in the blind spots

Most AppSec programs today aren’t set up for crypto readiness:

  • Cryptography is scattered—embedded in legacy code, APIs, third-party libraries, and containers.
  • Static analysis tools often miss deep or dynamic crypto issues.
  • Build automation rarely includes crypto validation—issues pop up only late in the cycle.

These gaps lead to:

  1. Silent drift—deprecated crypto slips into production unnoticed.
  2. Compliance exposure—orderly PQC migration becomes hard to demonstrate.

OpenText™ Application Security closes this gap by embedding cryptographic automation across your SDLC.

Crypto agility: Core capabilities that deliver results

To achieve PQC readiness, two capabilities are essential:

  1. Hygiene enforcement — Identify and eliminate crypto issues before code merges.
  2. Inventory mapping — Understand where cryptography resides across all components.

SAST for crypto hygiene

OpenText SAST uses dedicated crypto rulepacks to detect:

  • Insecure or deprecated algorithms (e.g., MD5, SHA‑1)
  • Weak TLS configurations and expired ciphers
  • Hardcoded secrets and mismanaged keys
  • Missing or non‑compliant key rotation patterns

All issues are flagged pre‑merge, not after deployment.

SBOM + SCA for crypto inventory

OpenText SCA generates SBOMs that:

  • Map crypto usage across open-source, APIs, and containers
  • Identify dependencies needing PQC migration
  • Track exposure at the version level for outdated crypto

This inventory defines your phased PQC migration roadmap per evolving standards (e.g., NIST).

Real-world use cases: enforcing crypto readiness at scale

1. TLS Hardening in CI/CD

  • What happens: Builds fail on detecting deprecated cipher suites
  • Why it matters: Developers receive fix suggestions in IDEs or PRs—no back-and-forth tickets

2. Key Management Hygiene

  • What happens: Hardcoded keys/secrets are flagged early
  • Why it matters: Encourages KMS adoption and enforces rotation policy compliance

3. Migration Tracking via SSC

  • What happens: OpenText Software Security Center (SSC) tracks crypto remediation SLAs
  • Why it matters: Enables measurable, auditable posture improvement across teams

The workflow: Operationalizing crypto readiness

  1. Enable Crypto Rulepacks in SAST
    Identify weak crypto, exposed secrets, and TLS misconfigurations across major languages.
  2. Establish Baseline in SSC
    Assign findings, define SLAs, and build phased migration timelines—centralized in SSC.
  3. Generate SBOMs & Run SCA Scans
    Map all crypto dependencies in open source and third-party components. Ensure validation with each release.
  4. Integrate Crypto Checks into Pipelines
    Embed into Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, or Kubernetes-native builds to ensure ongoing enforcement.

Why it works

PQC preparation doesn’t require overhauling your AppSec program. It means elevating cryptography to a first-class policy within existing workflows. With OpenText Application Security, you can:

  • Enforce crypto hygiene during scans and builds
  • Track ownership and remediation via SSC
  • Cover the entire attack surface—from source code, open source, to container layers
  • Stay aligned with NIST PQC guidance as standards evolve

All while maintaining high delivery velocity and audit-readiness.

Stay ahead of the quantum curve

Post-quantum cryptography isn’t just a technical upgrade—it’s a DevSecOps evolution. Your AppSec maturity in the next decade depends on it.

Start now with OpenText Core Application Security—empower modernization through automation, visibility, and accountability.

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