Inadequate security in a development environment can allow for manipulation of the software being produced. Such manipulations can then be difficult to detect afterwards.

If it is not known which users can and could access the development environment at a given point in time, the software produced can be manipulated anonymously. If manipulations in software are discovered, it may then be impossible to trace the user responsible under some circumstances.

If the source code of a given project is not subject to adequate version management, it will not be possible to track changes reliably or restore previous software versions that worked properly.

If source code is insufficiently protected against accidental or intentional changes, it may be partially or completely damaged and the work that has gone into it may be lost.

Failing to adequately protect source code and version management against data loss can lead to various threats, regardless of whether the data loss is triggered by a technical defect or human error (for example). It may not be possible to develop the software further because data is missing entirely, or it may only be possible to use an outdated (and possibly faulty) interim version at great expense.