diff --git a/src/lava/utils/serialization.py b/src/lava/utils/serialization.py
index 246e64550..9ac6dc871 100644
--- a/src/lava/utils/serialization.py
+++ b/src/lava/utils/serialization.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # See: https://spdx.org/licenses/
 
-import pickle
+import pickle  # noqa: S403
 import typing as ty
 import os
 
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 class SerializationObject:
     """This class is used to serialize a process or a list of processes
     together with a corresponding executable.
-    
+
     Parameters
     ----------
     processes: AbstractProcess, ty.List[AbstractProcess]
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def save(processes: ty.Union[AbstractProcess, ty.List[AbstractProcess]],
          executable: ty.Optional[Executable] = None) -> None:
     """Saves a given process or list of processes with an (optional)
     corresponding executable to file <filename>.
-    
+
     Parameters
     ----------
     processes: AbstractProcess, ty.List[AbstractProcess]
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ def save(processes: ty.Union[AbstractProcess, ty.List[AbstractProcess]],
     executable: Executable, optional
         The corresponding executable of the compiled processes which should be
         stored in a file.
-
     """
     # Check parameter types
     if not isinstance(processes, list) and not isinstance(processes,
@@ -58,15 +57,15 @@ def save(processes: ty.Union[AbstractProcess, ty.List[AbstractProcess]],
     if not isinstance(filename, str):
         raise AssertionError(f"Parameter <filename> must be string"
                              f" but got {filename}.")
-    if not executable is None and not isinstance(executable, Executable):
+    if executable is not None and not isinstance(executable, Executable):
         raise AssertionError(f"Parameter <executable> must be Executable"
                              f" but got {executable}.")
 
     # Create object which is stored
     obj = SerializationObject(processes, executable)
 
-    # Add default file extension if no extension is present 
-    if not "." in filename:
+    # Add default file extension if no extension is present
+    if "." not in filename:
         filename = filename + ".pickle"
 
     # Store object at <filename>
@@ -79,30 +78,32 @@ def load(filename: str) -> ty.Tuple[ty.Union[AbstractProcess,
                                     ty.Union[None, Executable]]:
     """Loads a process or list of processes with an (optional)
     corresponding executable from file <filename>.
-    
+
     Parameters
     ----------
     filename: str
         The path + name of the file. If no file extension is given,
         '.pickle' will be added automatically.
-    
+
     Returns
     -------
     tuple
-        Returns a tuple of a process or list of processes and a executable or None.
+        Returns a tuple of a process or list of processes and a executable or
+        None.
     """
 
     # Check parameter types
     if not isinstance(filename, str):
         raise AssertionError(f"Parameter <filename> must be string"
                              f" but got {filename}.")
+
     # Check if filename exists
     if not os.path.isfile(filename):
         raise AssertionError(f"File {filename} could not be found.")
 
     # Load serialized object from <filename>
     with open(filename, 'rb') as f:
-        obj = pickle.load(f)
+        obj = pickle.load(f)  # noqa: S301
 
     # Check loaded object
     if not isinstance(obj, SerializationObject):
diff --git a/tests/lava/utils/test_serialization.py b/tests/lava/utils/test_serialization.py
index 7e9398460..8f6f2c848 100644
--- a/tests/lava/utils/test_serialization.py
+++ b/tests/lava/utils/test_serialization.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 from lava.magma.core.process.variable import Var
 
 
-# A minimal hierarchical process 
+# A minimal hierarchical process
 class HP(AbstractProcess):
     def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         super().__init__(**kwargs)
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class PyProcModelHP(AbstractSubProcessModel):
 
     def __init__(self, proc):
         """Builds sub Process structure of the Process."""
-        
+
         pre_size = 2
         post_size = 3
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ def __init__(self, proc):
 
         self.lif_in = LIF(shape=(pre_size,), bias_mant=100, vth=120,
                           name="LIF_neuron input")
-        self.dense = Dense(weights = weights * 10, name="Dense")
+        self.dense = Dense(weights=weights * 10, name="Dense")
         self.lif_out = LIF(shape=(post_size,), bias_mant=0, vth=50000,
                            name="LIF_neuron output")
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def test_save_load_processes(self):
         lif_procs = []
         for i in range(5):
             lif_procs.append(LIF(shape=(1,), name="LIF" + str(i)))
-        
+
         # Store the processes in file test.pickle
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdirname:
             save(lif_procs + [dense], tmpdirname + "test")
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def test_save_load_processes(self):
         for i in range(5):
             self.assertTrue(isinstance(procs[i], LIF))
             self.assertTrue(procs[i].name == "LIF" + str(i))
-    
+
     def test_save_load_executable(self):
         """Checks storing and loading of executable."""
 
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ def test_save_load_executable(self):
         loaded_lif = exec.process_list[0]
         self.assertTrue(lif.name == loaded_lif.name)
 
-
     def test_save_load_hierarchical_proc(self):
         """Checks saving, loading and execution of a workload using a
         hierarchical process."""
@@ -161,11 +160,11 @@ def test_save_load_hierarchical_proc(self):
         # Run the loaded executable
         proc_loaded.create_runtime(executable=ex_loaded)
         try:
-                for i in range(num_steps):
-                    proc_loaded.run(condition=RunSteps(num_steps=1))
+            for i in range(num_steps):
+                proc_loaded.run(condition=RunSteps(num_steps=1))
 
-                    output_lif_in_v_loaded[:, i] = proc_loaded.lif_in_v.get()
-                    output_lif_out_u_loaded[:, i] = proc_loaded.lif_out_u.get()
+                output_lif_in_v_loaded[:, i] = proc_loaded.lif_in_v.get()
+                output_lif_out_u_loaded[:, i] = proc_loaded.lif_out_u.get()
         finally:
             proc_loaded.stop()