What Is DevSecOps? Shift Security Left in Your DevOps Lifecycle

Security is a critical component of modern software development, and development teams are well aware of this. According to our 2024 State of Software Quality report, 84% of development teams conduct regular security audits, and 89% have a dedicated security team or person. 

With continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) practices in software development, addressing security concerns has become both more complex and more crucial.

Enter development security operations (DevSecOps)–a method that integrates security practices from the beginning of the DevOps lifecycle. This article delves into the principles of DevSecOps, emphasizing the importance of shifting security left and making it an integral part of the entire development process.

What Is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps is a software development approach that integrates security from the onset and throughout the entire DevOps lifecycle. It operates on the principle of making security a shared responsibility across all teams involved in software development and deployment.

Historically, security was treated as a latter phase in software development, often addressed post-deployment. As software infrastructures became intricate and the landscape of cyber threats expanded, this delayed approach became less effective.

With the rise of agile development and DevOps, collaboration between development and operations teams soared, leading to quicker software delivery. However, this expedited process could overlook comprehensive security checks.

The consequences of security breaches–monetary loss, damage to reputation, and regulatory implications–emphasized a proactive and integrated approach to security. Thus, DevSecOps emerged.

Central to this paradigm is the concept of "shifting security left," which stresses the importance of introducing security considerations, such as testing, early in the development cycle. Integrating security from the outset ensures that security doesn't become a bottleneck in the later stages, preventing last-minute scrambles and vulnerabilities.

For DevSecOps to function effectively, continuous collaboration is essential among development, operations, and security teams. Achieving secure and fast software deliveries necessitates changes in organizational culture, fostering an environment where security is prioritized right from the ideation phase.

DevOps vs. DevSecOps: Distinguishing the Approaches

DevOps, at its heart, is a blend of the culture and technicality of development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The focus is on bridging the gap from code development to production deployment, leading to quicker software release cycles. While this fosters agility, it also raises unique challenges, especially regarding security.

DevSecOps was introduced as the natural progression of DevOps. With DevSecOps, the responsibility for security gets dispersed across the software development framework. The onus no longer rests solely with dedicated security teams.

Developers, operations staff, and security experts collaborate extensively, guaranteeing that every development facet is scrutinized for security compliance. In summary, while DevOps was a breakthrough in expediting software delivery, DevSecOps ensures that this pace doesn't overshadow security, presenting a harmonious approach that emphasizes both speed and safety.

What are the benefits of adopting DevSecOps?

• Develop secure software from the start. Early security integration ensures that security considerations are an integral part of the design and architecture.
  
  
• Enforce security throughout the lifecycle. Instead of addressing security at the end of the development cycle, continuous enforcement ensures that security concerns are addressed at every stage, from development to deployment and maintenance.
  
  
• Detect and respond to vulnerabilities faster. With continuous scanning and monitoring, vulnerabilities are identified earlier in the lifecycle, leading to quicker remediation and reducing the window of exposure.
  
  
• Promote collaboration across teams. DevSecOps fosters a culture of communication and collaboration between development, operations, and security teams, leading to a more holistic approach to software delivery.
  
  
• Enhance security awareness. When security becomes a shared responsibility, all team members become more aware of security best practices and the latest threats, reinforcing a security-first mindset.
  
  
• Optimized resource allocation. By identifying and prioritizing critical vulnerabilities early, teams can allocate resources more effectively, focusing on high-impact threats first.
  
  
• Maintain compliance more easily. Continuous security checks and documentation make it easier to adhere to regulatory requirements and standards, streamlining audits and reducing compliance risks.
  
  
• Boost customer trust. Delivering secure products consistently not only protects the end-users but also strengthens the trust customers place in your organization and its offerings.
  
  
• Reduce long-term costs. Addressing security issues early in the development process is typically less expensive than fixing vulnerabilities post-deployment. This proactive approach can lead to significant cost savings over time.
  
  
• Improve incident response. A DevSecOps approach allows for more efficient and coordinated incident response, with integrated teams ready to tackle security issues in real-time.
  
  
• Continuous feedback and improvement. The feedback loop in DevSecOps means that lessons learned from security incidents or vulnerabilities feedback into the development process, leading to continuous improvement.
  
  
• Achieve competitive advantage. Companies that adopt DevSecOps not only deliver secure software faster but also position themselves as industry leaders, setting a benchmark for security and quality.

How to Implement DevSecOps in Your Organization

Adopting DevSecOps demands transforming how organizations think about and integrate security within their software processes. It's not just about tools or practices but a shift in mindset.

Begin by involving your security teams at the inception of a DevOps project. This ensures that security measures are embedded throughout the development lifecycle and not just appended at the end.

In the world of DevSecOps, security isn’t a siloed function. Everyone involved in the project, from developers to operations personnel, should embrace security as a collective responsibility. This shared ownership ensures proactive identification and mitigation of threats.

To empower all teams with security proficiency, regular training, and workshops are crucial. Equip developers with insights into emerging threat landscapes. Encourage them to code with security front and center. Sharing real-world vulnerabilities and threat scenarios can enhance their understanding.

Security teams, while being a part of the CI/CD process, should actively evaluate the associated risks with each deployment. Every decision must weigh the risk-reward ratio, determining which risks are acceptable and which necessitate immediate action.

In a fast DevOps environment, manual security checks can impede development velocity. To prevent security from becoming a stumbling block, automation is indispensable.

Automated security checks help with swift and robust development iterations. By programmatically enforcing security best practices, you can ensure code quality without hampering delivery timelines. When automating security, it's essential to think comprehensively. This includes:

• Code repositories. Implement automated code quality tools to detect vulnerabilities as code is checked in.
  
  
• Container registries. Ensure that container images are free from known vulnerabilities.
  
  
• CI/CD process. Infuse security checks within the integration and deployment pipelines, ensuring code that reaches production is secure.
  
  
• API management. Guard against insecure API endpoints or data leaks.
  
  
• Deployments: Utilize tools that ensure deployed infrastructure, whether in the cloud or on-premises, is configured securely.
  
  
• Operational monitoring. Incorporate security incident and event monitoring tools to detect and respond to threats in real time.
  
  
• Feedback loops. Automation should also facilitate feedback. If vulnerabilities are detected, developers should be promptly notified, allowing for swift remediation.

By embracing these strategies, organizations can infuse security into their DevOps processes, achieving the balance and robustness that DevSecOps promises.

DevSecOps Best Practices

1. Integrate security early. Optimize security and development processes to ensure security is a foundational aspect, not an afterthought.
   
   
2. Embrace automation. Prioritize the automation of repetitive processes, from code testing to security checks, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
3. Leverage specialized tools. Utilize cutting-edge security tools to identify and rectify vulnerabilities, benefiting from the latest advancements in the field.
   
   
4. Prioritize critical vulnerabilities. While perfection is a lofty goal, it's practical to focus on eliminating the most critical vulnerabilities first, especially during tight development cycles.
   
   
5. Target open-source vulnerabilities. Given the proliferation of open-source components in modern software, prioritize identifying and rectifying known vulnerabilities within these components.
   
   
6. Maintain proactive monitoring. Instead of reacting, proactively monitor for threats and vulnerabilities during code review, ensuring quicker detection and response.
   
   
7. Promote security education. Foster a security culture by offering regular training and workshops, ensuring all teams understand and adhere to best practices.
   
   
8. Developer-centric tooling. Tools should augment a developer's workflow, not hinder it. Ensure that security tools and processes are intuitive and seamlessly integrate with existing developer tools.
   
   
9. Modernize testing protocols. Continuously adapt static and dynamic test analysis methods to cater to evolving development practices and threat landscapes.
10. Uphold stringent standards. Implement robust quality standards for all code and components, ensuring traceability and accountability.
    
    
11. Advocate for immutable infrastructure. Promote the principle that infrastructure components, once deployed, should not be altered but replaced, guaranteeing consistent and predictable environments.
    
    
12. Refine incident management. Reevaluate and enhance how security incidents and service delivery issues are addressed, emphasizing rapid response and minimizing disruption.
    
    
13. Strengthen access controls. Regularly review and fortify access controls, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to critical systems and data.
    
    
14. Conduct regular security audits. Establish a routine of periodic security audits to ensure compliance and identify areas of improvement.

By implementing these best practices, organizations can more effectively navigate the challenges of DevSecOps, ensuring that security remains at the forefront of their development endeavors.

Build Security Throughout Your Lifecycle With DevSecOps

Addressing security from the get-go has become an imperative rather than an option. The DevSecOps approach offers an effective strategy to ensure that security considerations are woven into every stage of the DevOps lifecycle.

By prioritizing and integrating security from the onset, organizations can proactively mitigate risks, enhance product resilience, and uphold the trust of their user base. As cyber threats evolve and grow more sophisticated, adopting DevSecOps is no longer just a best practice–it's a necessity for robust and secure software delivery in the modern age.

A tool like Codacy can help shift security left in your organization by finding and helping you mitigate code errors that could lead to security issues. We also have built-in tools that can catch security issues early in the development process, like secret and insecure dependencies detection. 

To give Codacy a spin, sign up for a free 14-day trial today.