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Introduction

At ItSocieti, we understand the crucial importance of security in modern software development. With the quick evolution of technologies and cyber threats, integrating security in the early stages of development has become essential. This is where the DevSecOps practice comes in. This article aims to explain what DevSecOps is, what it isn’t, and give you an idea how to choose the right technologies to support your processes, reduce errors, accelerate delivery, and facilitate collaboration between your development, operations, and security teams.

What is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps is an approach that integrates security practices into the software development lifecycle from the start, rather than adding them as an extra layer at the end of the process. This term is an extension of DevOps, which combines development (Dev) and operations (Ops), to also include security (Sec).

The main goal of DevSecOps is to ensure that every team member sees security as a shared responsibility throughout the software development lifecycle. By adopting this approach, companies can:

  • Identify and fix vulnerabilities earlier in the development cycle
  • Reduce security risks and costs associated with patching vulnerabilities discovered late
  • Accelerate the release of secure applications

For example, according to a study by Puppet and CircleCI, the most successful DevOps teams spend 50% less time fixing security issues compared to traditional teams.

What DevSecOps is not

It’s crucial to dispel some misconceptions around DevSecOps to fully understand what it really stands for. DevSecOps is not:

  • A simple reorganization: DevSecOps is more than just reorganizing teams or adding a few security tools. This is a profound cultural transformation that requires the commitment of the entire organization.
  • A substitute for DevOps or SecOps: DevSecOps does not replace DevOps or SecOps. Rather, it complements them by embedding security into every phase of development and operations.
  • A fixed set of rules: DevSecOps is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Each organization must adapt DevSecOps principles to its specific context, according to its needs and resources.

Choosing the Right Technologies for DevSecOps

To implement DevSecOps effectively, choosing the right technologies is essential. Tools must not only support continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD), but also strengthen security throughout the development lifecycle. Here are some selection criteria and examples of popular technologies:

  • Easy integration: Tools should integrate easily with existing systems and processes. For example, Jenkins is a popular tool for continuous integration that can be coupled with security plugins like OWASP ZAP.
  • Automation: Automation is key to reducing human error and speeding up processes. Tools like Terraform for infrastructure as code (IaC) and Ansible for configuration automation are very effective.
  • Security Scanning: Solutions like Snyk and SonarQube can scan source code for vulnerabilities and poor security practices.

Reduce errors and speed up delivery

To minimize errors and speed up delivery, businesses should adopt automation processes and tools that make it easy to detect and correct issues early. Security test automation, for example, helps identify vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle, reducing the risks and costs associated with late fixes.

A good example is the use of secure CI/CD pipelines, which incorporate automated security testing at every stage. This ensures that the code is thoroughly tested before being deployed, reducing time to market and improving overall product quality.

Also making sure the Ops and Security teams are both aware of the changes between versions, functionalities and any infrastructure (as code) is essential.

Facilitate cross-team collaboration

Collaboration between development, operations, and security teams is a central pillar of DevSecOps. To foster this collaboration, it is essential to:

  • Establish clear communication processes: Regular meetings and project management tools like Jira or Trello can help align teams on common goals.
  • Use collaboration tools: Platforms like Slack or Microsoft Teams make it easy to communicate in real time and share information.
  • Promote a culture of shared responsibility: Each team member must understand that safety is a collective responsibility and not the preserve of a single team.

Conclusion

In conclusion, DevSecOps is a must-have approach for modern enterprises that want to integrate security early in the development lifecycle. By choosing the right technologies and fostering effective collaboration between teams, companies can not only reduce errors and speed up delivery, but also ensure the safety and quality of their products. At ItSocieti, we are ready to support you in this transformation to strengthen your security posture while improving operational efficiency.

References

  • Puppet, CircleCI. “2021 State of DevOps Report.” Puppet, 2021. Puppet
  • Shannon Lietz. “What DevSecOps is not.” DevSecOps Days, 2019. DevSecOps Days
  • OWASP. “OWASP ZAP.” OWASP Foundation, 2021. OWASP ZAP
  • SonarSource. “SonarQube.” SonarSource, 2021. SonarQube
  • John Willis. “The DevSecOps Handbook.” IT Revolution Press, 2016. IT Revolution
  • Caroline Wong. DevSecOps: Types Of Testing