Time is of great importance in software development and speed is of the essence. However, in the race against time and the impending drill to meet deadlines and deliverables, some aspects such as security can at times be ignored. Here is where DevSecOps makes its way into the fold. DevSecOps ensures that security is embedded in the Continuous Integration/Delivery (CI/CD) pipeline as a stage and not as a post-production add on.
By the end of this blog, you will understand how DevSecOps can increase delivery speed whilst enhancing collaboration, and deeper security of the software from its conception stage.
What is DevSecOps?
DevSecOps is a way of practising DevOps that incorporates security features at all stages of the process. Traditional DevOps is mainly concerned with the integration of development and operations personnel so as to enhance the speed of making software available. Security was often treated as an afterthought, or the last barrier preventing any incursions after the entire structure was built. This is where DevSecOps comes into the picture and integrates security in all engineering processes from the beginning.
These are some reasons one would consider DevSecOps:
- It reduces the occurrence of hazards that may be critical
- It saves the effort that would be directed towards sealing the security holes after deployment.
Knowing CI/CD Pipeline
The DevSecOps model improves security, but before getting into that, it is necessary to understand the CI/CD pipeline. Continuous integration involves the process of combining the work done by software developers working separately on distinct portions of the same application into one combined project. Continuous Delivery takes that integrated code and carries out certain measures that make it possible to deploy that code to the production environment.
A CI/CD pipeline includes the following activities:
- Code Commit: Computer code is written by developers and then committed.
- Build: The code is translated into a software product through a software compilation or building process.
- Test: The written code is functioning as anticipated during testing processes through automated tests.
- Deploy: The code that has been verified is uploaded to a production environment.
It soon becomes challenging since security measures are carried out only after the requirement has been met through deployment.
At this stage, if any security flaws exist, then it might cause a bottleneck in the release or even make the application susceptible to any threats.
What does Shifting Left Mean?
In the context of DevSecOps, shifting left refers to the action of carrying out security checks earlier in the software development process, right from the very earliest activities, for example, during writing and testing the code. Shifting left means that the security is included in the picture from the onset instead of considering it as the last step of the process where it is usually added more or less as an afterthought.
Some of the key advantages of shifting left include:
- Vulnerability issue resolution at the earliest stage – Security aspects can be addressed before they get out of control.
- Lower cost in the fixing of the bugs – Security improvements will be cheaper if done at the development stage rather than after going live.
- Less conflict among specialised parties – Software developers, operations personnel and security experts can work together.
How Security is Integrated into the CI/CD Pipeline?
- Code Analysis in Real-Time
DevSecOps brings in additional features that allow coders to make use of appropriate tools and techniques to scan the code while at the same time they are working on it. Factors such as weak encryption, unvalidated input and unsafe coding practices are some of the security risks that are highlighted. Everything is done in an alert state and therefore it is possible to resolve such security risks before reaching the build stage. - Threats and Risks in Automated Testing and Security
Automated testing is a crucial process in the CI/CD pipeline. This is where security tests are administered together with functionality tests to guarantee lack of bugs and security vulnerabilities in the code. DevSecOps adopts methods that incorporate static application security testing (SAST) and dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools to identify security issues within the working code before it gets merged. - IAC Security
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is a modern practice that allows developers to use code to provision the needed cloud infrastructure. DevSecOps improves it further by ensuring that security checks are built as part of ‘IaC processes.’ - Security Automation in Deployment Phase
Security automation in the deployment phase ensures that your code is secure and ready for production. Deployment is the last barrel of the CQ method where the code is placed to work. Use DevSecOps tools to look for the misconfigurations and any security loopholes.
Advantages of ‘Shifting Left’ in DevSecOps
- Quick Turnaround – Shifting left eliminates delays caused by last-minute security issues. Such issues can be dealt with well in advance of the release and the product can be introduced to the market faster than the competitors.
- Efficient Security – Vulnerability due to operational error can be very costly as opposed to developing precautions during construction. Shifting left also helps reduce these costs by preventing situations where expensive patches or last minute fixes will be needed.
- Stronger Team Building Activities & Collaboration – DevSecOps as a functioning model eliminates the blame game and treats security as a collective task. Development, operations and security teams plan things together from the very beginning which improves the communication, reduces the bottlenecks and decreases the time for every problem to be solved.
- Security as a Continuous Coordinate – Security naturally becomes a part of the DevOps process as security tools and automations are well integrated within the process. Changes in sources such as security inspections, code reviews and automated tests make sure that every subsequent release is a lot more secure.
Common Hurdles and How to Deal with Them
The introduction of DevSecOps poses several challenges:
- Cultural Resistance
With integrating any security measures there will be additional tasks given to developers and operations which they might not be willing to accept. Education is to address this issue, as people make use of educational tools in this particular case. Educate them with instructional sessions, and render tools that make security part of their workflow.
- Tool Overload
Teams experience the stress that most teams experience due to the number of available security tools. The solution is picking the appropriate tool for your organisation. Focus on security tools that automate key security tasks and integrate well with your existing CI/CD pipeline.
- Time Constraints
Such security requirements are most likely to be perceived as one more layer that has to be added to the already thin time budgets. In contrast, it minimises the time taken to address out of the many major bugs that one would expect to encounter and actually introduces savings.
Getting Started Big Time with DevSecOps - Best Practices
If you are keen on adopting DevSecOps, there are a few best practices that will assist you in implementing it:
- Scale up gradually: Focus on the elimination and automation of a few basic actions that allow securing the code, e.g. its scanning and infrastructure assessment.
- Emphasise communication: Developers, operations, security teams must communicate effectively. Feedback and collaboration is very important in the accomplishment of the goals.
- Automate wherever possible: Any human-related task is always prone to errors, so measures have to be taken to make sure that there is little room for human intervention in any security processes.
Conclusion
The movement of shifting left in DevSecOps has marked the significant advancement in handling of security during software development processes. Organisations that rise to the occasion of implementing security in every process within the CI/CD pipeline will be able to eliminate vulnerabilities at an early stage and resolve issues faster hence making it possible to ensure secure software delivery in less time. The benefits of this practice in future outweigh the challenges. If you need help, Gobanus provides reliable DevSecOps services at fair prices.
You’re not merely enhancing your security stance when adopting the DevSecOps way of thinking among your employees. Employees are building a mentality that accepts security, speed, and teamwork simultaneously.
