Source code management is the set of tools and processes used to store code, track changes over time, review contributions, and control who can read or modify repositories. In practice, it includes version control, access controls, branch protection, pull or merge requests, tagging, and audit logging. These systems are the shared workspace for developers, so they often hold the most sensitive intellectual property and the commands that shape a product’s build and release process.
In cyber security, source code management matters because a compromise can affect more than a single repository. Attackers may steal source code, alter commits, insert malicious dependencies, or abuse tokens and automation hooks to reach CI/CD systems. Defenders rely on strong authentication, least-privilege permissions, reviews, signed commits, backups, and monitoring for unusual repository activity. Because these platforms sit at the center of software delivery, securing them is a core part of protecting the supply chain.