What is DevSecops?
What is DevSecOps?
We know the goal of DevOps: is to bridge Development and Operations for a faster time-to-market and rapid customer satisfaction and feedback. The goal of DevSecOps is to bridge the security gap between both Development and Operations for more secure and faster software delivery. In many DevOps implementations and practices, security often ends up being the late comer, delaying the process of release and thus impeding all the benefits of DevOps and Agile software development.
“Everyone is responsible for security” aims at bringing the idea that security is not only the responsibility of the security team. Security is the responsibility of everyone that is involved in building and managing software and IT systems. This includes: developers, line managers, business analysts, product owners, IT managers, portfolio managers, testers, quality assurance professionals, UX specialists and database administrators.
Podcast: Why do we need DevSecOps?
“The purpose and intent of DevSecOps is to build on the mindset that “everyone is responsible for security” with the goal of safely distributing security decisions at speed and scale to those who hold the highest level of context without sacrificing the safety required”
– devsecops.org –
The benefits of DevSecOps
#1 Improved quality and security
Improved collaboration between security and DevOps teams so that the quality and security of the software increases exponentially. With DevSecOps, vulnerabilities in code and design are identified very early in the software development lifecycle. Moreover, IT operations plan the infrastructure needs with security software development frameworks, hardened services, containers, and virtual machine images. All whilst keeping the desired state configuration and infrastructure as code in mind. New development methods like “Compliance as Code” express security and compliance requirements in the form of version controlled human readable code. This enhances audit trails, and aids in quick and repeatable security tests against the hardened infrastructure.
#2 Baked-in security
The most important win in a DevSecOps implementation is that security is baked into the entire software development and IT processes much earlier. Opposed to being bolted on after the software developed and deployed.
#3 Faster software delivery
Because vulnerabilities are identified at an earlier stage, DevSecOps can also help to speed up software deliveries. We have seen multiple organizations where DevSecOps initiatives resulted in faster time-to-market because security and compliance requirements were no longer slowing down the software delivery speeds (see case study).
#4 People are more involved
Because security is baked into the development process, ownership of security lies with everyone involved in DevOps so people feel more accountable.
Security becomes a continuous process and continuous thought and rarely gets off of peoples radar.
How to start with DevSecOps?
Now we know the answer to “What is DevSecOps” and “What are its benefits”, we can go to the next step: How do you start?
1) Identify your organizations’ security posture and assess what kind of tools, practices are in place to ensure security. Identify the areas where security does not adequately catch up with the speed of business delivery and does not cater to the needs of business (due to traditional security practices and tools).
2) Start with a small pilot DevSecOps initiative with one Business Unit or Software Delivery Team which has faced security challenges and that could take advantage of the DevSecOps benefits.
3) Train your workforce such that the Business Analysts and Product Owners know what security risks they are up against. But also that developers and operations know how to secure by design and how to respond in case of a security incident.
4) Leverage the state of the art security tooling to bring security closer to developers and into their well-known build systems. Always remember to stay focused and bring security in earlier into the software development lifecycle. But also to take advantage of techniques like Agile Threat Modelling. This helps you to focus on security testing efforts and to identify technical security requirements right before you start coding.
5) Bring in automated scanning techniques to reject build check-ins if the software contains vulnerable versions of open source software libraries and third-party components.
Our DevSecOps services
DevOn helps organizations to radically improve their software development. We help them to reap the benefits of DevSecOps through consultancy and training so they can stay ahead of their competitors.
Having trouble finding enough experienced developers who can help you with software development? DevOn can also help your organization with this by offering AI Powered High-Performance Teams. If you would like to know more, please contact us!
