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SY0-501 · Question #71

A security analyst has been asked to perform a review of an organization's software development lifecycle. The analyst reports that the lifecycle does not contain a phase in which team members…

The correct answer is D. Peer review. The question describes a missing SDLC phase where developers critically evaluate each other's code, which is the definition of peer review. This is a fundamental secure coding practice used to identify defects and vulnerabilities before deployment.

Submitted by akirajp· Mar 4, 2026Security program management and oversight

Question

A security analyst has been asked to perform a review of an organization's software development lifecycle. The analyst reports that the lifecycle does not contain a phase in which team members evaluate and provide critical feedback of another developer's code. Which of the following assessment techniques is BEST described in the analyst's report?

Options

  • AArchitecture evaluation
  • BBaseline reporting
  • CWhitebox testing
  • DPeer review

How the community answered

(21 responses)
  • A
    10% (2)
  • B
    5% (1)
  • C
    14% (3)
  • D
    71% (15)

Why each option

The question describes a missing SDLC phase where developers critically evaluate each other's code, which is the definition of peer review. This is a fundamental secure coding practice used to identify defects and vulnerabilities before deployment.

AArchitecture evaluation

Architecture evaluation assesses the overall design and structure of a system for security and functionality, not the line-by-line review of a developer's written code.

BBaseline reporting

Baseline reporting involves comparing current system configurations or security postures against an established standard or benchmark, not reviewing source code for defects.

CWhitebox testing

Whitebox testing is a testing technique where testers have full knowledge of the internal code structure to design test cases, but it is a testing activity performed by testers - not a collaborative feedback process between developers.

DPeer reviewCorrect

Peer review is the formal process in which one or more developers examine another developer's source code to identify bugs, security flaws, and deviations from coding standards. It is a core SDLC practice that provides critical human feedback on code quality before it progresses to testing or production. The analyst's description - team members evaluating and providing critical feedback on another developer's code - is the textbook definition of this technique.

Concept tested: Peer code review in secure SDLC practices

Source: https://owasp.org/www-project-code-review-guide/

Topics

#SDLC#peer code review#software security#secure development

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