DevOps to DevSecOps: How to Build Security into the Development Lifecycle

Originally published by New Context.

DevSecOps is a new way of making security a focal point in any DevOps practice. Building security into the foundation of an application or program allows enterprises to protect their product and users without issuing hundreds of patches and updates. The funny thing is, if people were doing it right from the beginning, there would be no need to change DevOps to DevSecOps. Security should have been part of the approach from the start. 

Security should always be fundamental, but in a rush to develop new ideas or to deliver applications faster, it may get overlooked—which, ironically, is precisely what happened with DevOps.  Establishing a security ecosystem during the development stage and maintaining it throughout the lifecycle is the only way to overcome this issue. A proactive approach is the best method for building in the essentials of DevSecOps. 

The Limitations of DevOps

DevOps is an oft-touted method of development, but it’s not perfect. One big area of opportunity lies in security. The adoption of DevOps practices may create oversights that lead to more vulnerable products. There are a few reasons for this: 

1. Poorly defined transition plans and goals: If everyone in an organization has a different definition of what DevOps is, the strategy is sure to fail. Combining software development with operations is a massive undertaking, so it’s easy for individuals to have different impressions of what it means. In this conflict lies the risk of security breaches, as neither developers nor operations know who is responsible for managing it.
2. Lack of worker buy-in: Technology is often seen as the driver of DevOps when really, it’s a process that’s all about people. A culture that’s tied to a traditional structure is not one that will readily accept a collaborative DevOps approach. When the culture isn’t ready, people won’t take ownership of certain tasks outside their perceived silo and may overlook security.
3. Speed without structure: DevOps is a free-flowing system that encourages innovation, velocity, and agility at every level of the organization. However, this may lead to a lack of governance that causes individuals to sidestep security policies and compliance requirements. With limited oversight comes the risk of security vulnerabilities.
4. Ineffective metrics: The ability to balance results against risk is only possible with clearly defined key performance indicators that show what is succeeding—and at what cost. There’s always give and take between access and protection. Metrics help verify the right level of balance.

While these limitations are certainly concerning, that doesn’t make DevOps ineffective. Organizations just need to take a few more measures to grow their DevOps program into a DevSecOps system that fully embraces security. 

Steps Needed When Going from DevOps to DevSecOps

Companies that embed security into their DevOps approach report they’re able to solve almost half of their critical problems in under a day. However, embedding security can mean a lot of different things. Typically, as long as it comprises recognition, simplification, automation, and measurement, an organization can enjoy the benefits of DevOps without security risks. 

Recognize

Organizations must recognize the data they have, the risk it presents, and current threats to their industry. A clear understanding of regulations, compliance requirements, and laws is necessary to build governance into the ecosystem. Cyber threat intelligence provides awareness of risks as they emerge. Precise data tagging establishes proper confidentiality levels based on need. 

Program transparency makes abnormalities visible within the system and speeds response. Immutable logs and consistent monitoring aid in discovering and troubleshooting security and operational issues. All these components come together to create the knowledge necessary to recognize indicators of risk. 

Simplify

Simple tasks are often the best ones as they lead to repeatable and manageable processes. A good example is in Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Repeatable, simplified code permits organizations to scale their infrastructure while protecting the data within. As the complexity is low, so is the risk of human error.  

Security orchestration could fall under the “simplify” umbrella because it’s about turning a hundred different processes into a single centralized one. Disparate security operations center tools are combined and tasks completed in a consolidated console.

Automate

Continuous delivery and deployment is a method of enforced automation in all parts of the development lifecycle. Tests occur systematically and allow developers to identify and remediate issues such as vulnerabilities and weaknesses earlier in the software development life cycle. Automation captures problems when they’re still small and easy to correct before filtering through the entire application.  

This area is also one that eliminates the risk of human error—one of the biggest threats to the development process. Tools like Static Application Security Testing and Dynamic Application Security Testing occur during builds, staging, and release to guarantee delivery of the best possible code. 

Measure

Measurement isn’t something that should happen at the end-stage. It must occur consistently throughout the program lifecycle, assessing items like deployment frequency, lead time for changes, change failure rate, and time to restore service. This way, administrators can take advantage of opportunities to streamline tasks, improve efficiency, and minimize threats. No security program is ever perfect, but consistent measurement gets it as close as possible.

Finding the Best Security Partner for Your Enterprise

Of course, the single best way to turn DevOps to DevSecOps is to have a complete third party audit. With an unbiased expert’s critical eye, enhancements and opportunities for improvement are possible. The audit works in conjunction with the existing DevOps program for a holistic approach to end-to-end security.