Creating a DevSecOps Culture for Your Company
Traditionally, security has been considered a separate function from software development and is often added at the end of the development cycle as an afterthought. However, this approach can result in security vulnerabilities being discovered too late in the process, leading to delays, increased costs, and potential security breaches. DevSecOps seeks to shift security “left” in the development process, meaning that security is considered and integrated at every stage of development. This includes security requirements, testing, and validation, as well as ongoing monitoring and maintenance of security controls.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between DevSecOps and DevOps?
DevOps is a software development methodology that aims to integrate the development and operations teams to improve the software delivery process. DevOps emphasizes collaboration, automation, and continuous delivery to ensure faster and more reliable software delivery.
DevSecOps is an extension of DevOps that integrates security practices into the DevOps process. DevSecOps aims to make security an integral part of the software development process by promoting security as code, shifting security left, and building a culture of shared responsibility for security.
The main difference between DevOps and DevSecOps is the inclusion of security in the software development process. In DevOps, security is often an afterthought and addressed separately by a security team after the software is deployed. In DevSecOps, security is integrated into every stage of the software development process, from design to deployment and beyond.
What is an example of DevSecOps?
An example of DevSecOps in practice might be a development team that uses a continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline with security automation tools integrated at every stage:
- At the development stage, the developer team might use static application security testing (SAST) tools to scan code for vulnerabilities and check if they’re following security best practices.
- At the build stage, they might use dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools to scan the application for vulnerabilities before packaging it. They might also use container security tools to scan the container images and check for known vulnerabilities.
- Once the application is deployed, the team might use runtime application self-protection (RASP) tools to detect and block attacks in real-time. The team might also perform periodic vulnerability scans and penetration tests to identify and remediate any new vulnerabilities.
Is DevSecOps a SDLC?
DevSecOps is not a Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) in the traditional sense. Instead, DevSecOps is an extension of the SDLC that integrates security practices into every stage of the software development process.
The traditional SDLC typically consists of the following stages:
- Project Planning
- Requirements gathering
- Design
- Implementation (coding)
- Testing
- Deployment
- Maintenance
In contrast, DevSecOps expands upon the SDLC by adding security practices and automation tools throughout the entire process, from design to deployment and beyond. DevSecOps aims to make security an integral part of the software development process by promoting security as code, shifting security left, and building a culture of shared responsibility for security.