DevOps is short for Development and Operations, and it was created to help these teams collaborate to improve the speed of development and distribution of software, while maintaining quality. As technology has developed and cybercriminals are finding new ways to paunch cyberattacks, the need for security during software development has increased. This has led to the creation of DevSecOps, in which the security team closely collaborates with Development and Operations throughout every stage of software development and distribution.
This is a key change, and one that organizations must adopt to stay on top of their overall security. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at the similarities and differences between DevOps and DevSecOps and how to promote a DevSecOps culture within your company.
DevOps vs. DevSecOps
Traditionally, security checks have been an afterthought of the DevOps process, coming in near the end of the process or being conducted separately. However, as the speed of development increased, the need to make security an intrinsic part of the software development lifecycle was evident. Thus, DevSecOps was born.
With DevSecOps, security is integrated into every phase of the development and distribution process. This makes it possible to identify and mitigate security issues and vulnerabilities as they come up, allowing the production of a product that is more secure and reliable.
Benefits of DevSecOps
When DevSecOps is in place and running smoothly, it comes with a whole host of benefits. These include:
- Improved security – With security controls, including the detection and remediation of vulnerabilities, are implemented throughout the development process, software ends up being more secure.
- Quicker-to-market – Security checks that are seamlessly integrated into all phases of development helps streamline the process. The result is products and updates that reach the market more quickly.
- Better collaboration – When teams begin to communicate with each other, they are more apt to cooperate and share knowledge. This leads to better problem-solving, allowing them to come up with creative solutions that will help improve products.
- Lower costs – Fixing security issues during the development process costs less than fixing them near the end of the development lifecycle, or worse, after deployment.
- Improved compliance – DevSecOps governance requires that both security and compliance standards are implemented throughout development, which ensures alignment with regulatory requirements.
The DevSecOps Culture
In order for DevSecOps to be successfully implemented, there must be a culture that supports the proper mindset. This culture relies on the following:
Collaboration
In order for DevSecOps to be successful, there must be full cooperation between the development, security, and operations teams. This high level of collaboration will allow the teams to identify and address security concerns and ensure a quick response to threats as they arise. Fostering a collaborative environment can be achieve by:
- Establishing clear objectives and goals that are understood by everyone and ensuring that each member of the development, security, and operations teams understands the importance of security and its effect on the organization as a whole.
- Building a culture of learning in which each member of each team works to learn and improve their skills. This includes encouraging cross-functional learning through training sessions and workshops.
- Creating cross-functional teams that include members from the development, security, and operations teams. This will help hold everyone accountable and foster an environment of teamwork.
- Ensuring security precautions are used at every stage of development through automation, the analysis of code, and scanning for vulnerabilities.
- Encouraging strong communication between teams in real time through the use of platforms that allow for chats, meetings, and the exchange of documents.
- Conducting security reviews on a regular basis that provide teams with a chance to discuss all aspects of security, from potential threats and vulnerabilities to advancements in the field.
- Rewarding the collaboration efforts of your team members who are active in creating and supporting the DevSecOps culture.
Automation
Automation is a cornerstone of DevSecOps, ensuring that security measures are consistently implemented. This automation can be applied to vulnerability detection, code analysis, and security testing, reducing the risk of human error and strengthening the overall security of software from the earliest stages of development all the way to distribution.
Shared responsibility
With a fully collaborative DevSecOps setup in place, security becomes the responsibility of all teams, not just security. Security is responsible for establishing security guidelines and best practices, while developers are tasked with writing code that is secure and operations make sure deployments are secure.
Ongoing monitoring
The DevSecOps team approach to security supports continuous monitoring of software security and performance. This monitoring is done continuously and in real time, making it possible to detect and address security issues as they arise.
A security partner can help you increase security at the DevSecOps level, as well as throughout your organization. At Platinum Technologies, we offer a full security assessment and security consulting services that will help ensure your security is in line with your business and operational goals.
