DevOps has become increasingly popular in the technology industry over the past decade. DevOps is a methodology that combines development (Dev) and operations (Ops) teams for the purpose of streamlining the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This development and project management approach has led to great success for teams that have incorporated it, resulting in faster releases, improved collaboration, and higher quality software. With the increased consideration for security in the software development process, however, a new methodology has emerged: DevSecOps. In this software development tutorial, we discuss what DevSecOps is, why it is important to programmers and project managers, and how it differs from the traditional DevOps methodology.
- Overview of DevSecOps
- What are the differences between DevOps and DevSecOps?
- What are the benefits of DevSecOps?
- Challenges of DevSecOps
- Best practices for DevSecOps
Overview of DevSecOps
Successful DevSecOps implementation involves the integration of security practices into the development and operation processes of an organization. This involves incorporating security controls, best practices, and testing into the entire software development workflow, including the planning, coding, testing, and deployment phases. Ultimately, the goal of DevSecOps is to ensure security front of mind during the development process and not simply an afterthought. Indeed, a successful implementation of DevSecOps requires security measures to be a fundamental component of the entire SDLC.
Importance of DevSecOps
Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and, as such, development shops have placed a premium on security. In traditional software development approaches, the focus is on functionality and features first, with security coming into play later in the process. As you might imagine, this approach led to vulnerabilities being uncovered after software releases, which inevitably resulted in data breaches, lack of data integrity, and damage to businesses from a reputation, sales, and financial perspective.
DevSecOps’ goal is to address these issues by enforcing the use of security practices as a key component of the software development process. Developers can incorporate security controls and testing during the SDLC to better detect security vulnerabilities so that they can be identified and addressed early and prior to releases, reducing the risk of data breaches and malicious actors.
DevSecOps is also important because it can help organizations better comply with security regulations and standards – especially those that revolve around sensitive data. For instance, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires that businesses implement proper technical measures to ensure personal data is secure. Implementing security practices into the DevOps process, organizations are better able to comply with these (and other) regulations and standards.
SEE: Top Certifications for DevOps Engineers
What are the differences between DevSecOps and DevOps?
There are several key differences between the DevOps and DevSecOps methodologies. These include:
- Security as a vital part of the SDLC in DevSecOps.
- Security team members work alongside developers and operations in DevSecOps.
- Security team members are viewed separately in DevOps.
- DevSecOps implements more collaboration with security than DevOps teams.
- DevSecOps implements more security automation tools typically than DevOps teams.
Perhaps the main difference between the DevOps and DevSecOps methodologies, as you may have guessed, is the inclusion of security practices in the development process from the beginning phases, versus traditional DevOps,where security is often treated as a secondary concern and is saved for later on in the development phase. DevSecOps ensures security is integrated into every stage of the development process as part of best practices.
Another difference between DevOps and DevSecOps has to do with the general mindset of each team. DevOps focuses on development and operations teams working hand-in-hand to make certain software gets delivered efficiently, while security members are viewed as separate entities who get involved during the testing and pre-deployment phases.
DevSecOps organizations leverage the expertise of security teams from the start and is their knowledge is considered crucial when it comes to identifying and finding solutions to security vulnerabilities early on. This mindset requires a shift in culture for some organizations, who will need to focus on collaboration and communication within all departments throughout the entirety of the software development process.
Finally, DevSecOps typically requires the use of more security automation tools for security testing purposes than DevOps. Security automation tools are used to automate security testing, scan for vulnerabilities, and perform compliance checks. Automating security tasks allows teams to reduce the time required for security testing and lets them focus more on actual software development.
What are the benefits of DevSecOps
DevSecOps has several important benefits for organizations seeking to implement it into their software development approach, including:
- Increased application security.
- Better collaboration.
- Shorter time-to-market.
- Builds customer trust and reputation.
Through the integration of security practices into the software development process, potential security vulnerabilities are more readily identifiable and can be addressed in early stages, reducing the risk of data breaches and ransomware attacks.
Since DevSecOps requires collaboration between development, operations, and security teams, it can lead to better communication, trust, and more efficient teamwork.
DevSecOps also benefits organizations by helping them to deliver software faster. It achieves this by identifying and addressing security issues early in application creation, reducing the need for rework, updates, patches, and market delays.
Incorporating security controls, testing, and testing automation tools throughout the entirety of the development process, help companies better comply with security regulations and industry standards.
Finally, incorporating DevSecOps helps build trust with customers and your reputation in general. Due to increased security threats, customers are increasingly concerned about software security and the protection of their data. Implementing DevSecOps improves customer trust by showcasing a commitment to security and reducing the number of security incidents.
SEE: Top DevOps Online Courses from TechRepublic Academy
What are the challenges of DevSecOps?
While DevSecOps offers many benefits to software development teams and project managers of those teams, implementing DevSecOps is not without its challenges. This is especially true for development shops that are used to traditional development approaches. Some of the key challenges include:
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- Shift in culture: Implementing DevSecOps requires a shift in mindset. Teams will need to focus on collaboration and communication between development, operations, and security teams, which might be a challenge for teams currently using a siloed approach.
- Developer and project management tools: DevSecOps teams use security automation tools for security testing processes. That being said, implementing these security tools can be difficult, especially if your organization lacks the expertise.
- DevSecOps Skills: DevSecOps teams require a wide range of skills, which encompass development, operations, and security. Finding team members that possess these skills is not always easy, especially in a competitive job market.
- Integration: Integrating security practices into your software development process can be a challenge, particularly if legacy systems or processes are involved, which might lack security features modern systems feature.
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Best practices for DevSecOps
To help software development teams and project managers overcome the challenges of incorporating DevSecOps, we recommend following some of the following best practices for implementing DevSecOps:
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- Security assessments: Development teams should conduct a security assessment at the beginning of planning stages to identify potential vulnerabilities and security risks. You can then use the security assessment to create a security strategy that aligns with the project’s goals and objectives.
- Collaborate and communicate: DevSecOps relies heavily on collaboration and communication between development, operations, and security teams. Establish clear channels of communication, meeting times, and collaboration tools, and encourage an open dialogue policy for all team members.
- Security automation tools: As mentioned, use security automation tools to streamline security testing. Invest in these tools as part of your resource planning and allocation document and make certain that team members have the necessary expertise and training to use them.
- Integrate security practices: In DevSecOps, security needs to be integrated into every stage of the development process. This begins with project planning and continues on through the deployment phase, updates, and support as well. This integration is achieved by using security controls and testing.
- Continuous monitoring and improvement: DevSecOps is an iterative process; companies need to continuously monitor and improve their security practices by conducting regular security assessments, testing, and application reviews.
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Final thoughts on DevSecOps
Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and, as such, security is a top priority for organizations. DevSecOps is a project management and software development methodology that integrates security practices into DevOps processes. Incorporating security controls, practices, and testing throughout the software development lifecycle can help teams identify and address potential security vulnerabilities early, reducing the risk of data breaches and other security risks. Although implementing DevSecOps can be challenging, teams can concur these challenges by following DevSecOps best practices, which include conducting a security assessment, focusing on collaboration between teams, using security automation tools, integrating security into the development process, and employing continuous monitoring.
