This is pretty good, and needs not much introduction
The Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation:
Download at: http://csrc.nist.gov/cc/ccv20/ccv2list.htm
The CC is also an ISO standard 15408:1999.
This is what we attempt to follow as much as possible when evaluating
software.
There are also accredited agencies certified to do CC evals.

K. K. Mookhey
Chief Technology Officer
Network Intelligence India Pvt. Ltd.
Email: cto (at) nii.co (dot) in [email concealed]
Web: www.nii.co.in
Tel: 91-22-22001530/22006019
=============================
The Unix Auditor's Practical Handbook
http://www.nii.co.in/tuaph.html
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> So, how about directing our focus with a aim at reaching a
> methodology/conclusion as to what can be done (by us + others) to say
bring
> up some ideas of some kind of a standard/practice which aims at following
> certain guidelines to be taken at the design stage of any software
> development process that could help us prevent the code getting
> exploited.(If something like this already exists please do let me
know..this
> shall save a lot of time!).

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