In the software development sector, DevOps has revolutionized the way things are done. As a result of the integration of Dev and Ops teams, software releases have become much more efficient.
DevOps enterprises must adapt to the ever-changing threat landscape by integrating security into the culture. The result is that DevSecOps has been created in order to enhance the capabilities of DevOps and enable organizations to produce secure software more quickly.
It may be difficult, however, to transition from DevOps to DevSecOps. To get the most out of DevSecOps, you need to adopt the proper attitude and approach.
To move from DevOps to DevSecOps, check out this post.
Comparison of DevSecOps and DevOps
Agile development approaches such as DevOps and DevSecOps are intertwined. Both methods rely on a collaborative culture to achieve development goals like rapid iteration and deployment, use of automation during the application development process, and actively monitoring and analysing data to drive changes.
However, DevSecOps and DevOps are distinct in that they focus on security. The goal of DevOps is to integrate the operations and development teams. Throughout the development and deployment process, the two teams work together to achieve the same goals, resulting in a significant increase in delivery speed. Security is often the first victim as DevOps teams seek to improve the frequency of deployments.
As corporations have come to realize that the DevOps strategy may make apps vulnerable to security flaws, DevOps has developed into DevSecOps. Security is integrated into the entire development pipeline from the start, rather than being considered as an afterthought at the end. This new approach to software development security is called DevSecOps (SDLC).
The Advantages of Transitioning to DevSecOps
DevSecOps is an approach to software delivery security that can be used to improve the security of your whole software delivery life cycle.
1. Early security precautions save money and time
DevSecOps emphasizes the necessity of integrating security into all phases of the DevOps process, starting with design and coding all the way through to deployment.
DevSecOps integrates security testing early in the development and operations process, rather than retrofitting security into the build. Taking care of security issues as soon as feasible might save a lot of money and time in the long run. To speed up delivery and reduce risk, anomalies can be solved by developers before they reach production.
2. Reduces Team Conflict by Sharing Security Responsibilities
DevSecOps makes security a part of everyone’s responsibilities. DevOps and security are often in conflict in many enterprises. Slow remediation and even insecure applications are often the results of this strained relationship.
With DevSecOps, an organization’s security silos are dismantled so that departments may communicate freely about their applications, data, and security policies.
Developers, security teams, and operations teams all benefit from increased transparency and collaboration. This improved level of communication aids in the release of products that are both secure and efficient.
3. Automated security testing accelerates remediation
Automated application security testing tools help to avoid security vulnerabilities from entering the code and to discover and fix problems as early as feasible using the development environment.
For developers to be able to resolve security issues without slowing or disrupting their work, companies should invest in security testing technologies that integrate smoothly into developer environments.
Successfully Transitioning: Tips
For most firms, implementing DevSecOps processes is a huge job. If your organization’s change is not seamless, it may not reap the benefits.
Here are some guidelines for transitioning successfully from DevOps to DevSecOps.
1. Build a Strong Environment
It’s critical to lay a solid foundation before implementing DevSecOps. Take a deep breath and ask yourself, “What are the goals of my organization, and what security measures are necessary?
DevSecOps strategy success may be achieved through thorough planning and laying out your goals in a clear and concise manner.
As your DevSecOps processes develop, you may build a solid foundation by starting small and gradually incorporating new ideas. Your staff won’t get overwhelmed or confused if you break down work into smaller, more manageable chunks.
2. Understand the big cultural change that’s going on
The DevSecOps method relies heavily on people.
Many members of the team may have a hard time adjusting to a major shift in the way things are done. The fact that security was an afterthought in the DevOps approach may exacerbate the opposition.
All teams must be included in the DevSecOps shift since it will affect everyone. Implementing a new strategy will be difficult if everyone is not on the same page.
Start by educating your staff about DevSecOps and its value to your company. Promoting a shift in perspective that places an emphasis on safety will go a long way toward aiding the process of transformation.
3. Utilize Encrypted Coding Techniques
It’s critical to educate developers on secure coding methods so that they may effortlessly transition from DevOps to DevSecOps. There will be fewer security flaws in the final program if each line of code is developed with security in mind.
Anomalies that developers don’t comprehend won’t be addressed. They should be able to spot any potential security flaws in their code. You can stay one step ahead of the hackers if you put time and money into training your developers.
4. Use The Right Tools
It’s unrealistic to expect programmers to become security specialists quickly. The integration of automated security technologies that assist developers is critical when it comes to white-hat security training. At every point of the delivery pipeline, from the first line of code to when it is pushed into production, developers need the necessary tools to discover vulnerabilities.
Vulnerability scanning technologies assist prioritize alarms and deliver notifications so that the most dangerous vulnerabilities are swiftly rectified. The free White Source Bolt scanner scans your code for open-source components and alerts you to any security issues. Bolt provides real-time security warnings, open-source vulnerability discovery and patching, and more.
5. Observe and Analyze Progress
Evaluating your progress can enable you to determine how your transition to DevSecOps is going. You can measure the metrics of the various SDLC phases—such as the amount of time taken to develop, test, or deploy the application—and compare them to the results after implementing the DevSecOps methodology. You can also utilize consumer metrics to assess the progress of the transformation.
Measuring success will also assist analyse the productivity of your DevSecOps team. You can even measure your team’s motivation toward the new shift in your organization. If your team freely discloses the deficiencies they’ve encountered, actively gives each other criticism, and publicly raises problems without any fear of punishments, this climate based on trust can help your organization thrive when adopting DevSecOps.
6. Keep Learning
The transition from DevOps to DevSecOps is a long-term endeavor. It necessitates a purposeful strategy in which everyone engaged is always learning. If you make a mistake, just move on, and learn from it.
It’s important to keep in mind that the state of cyber security is ever-changing. DevSecOps isn’t something you should study once and then put away for the rest of your life. Stay one step ahead of the bad guys by constantly searching for new and improved methods to avoid and fix vulnerabilities.
Conclusion
It’s not possible to go from DevOps to DevSecOps in a single day’s work. Before making a move, you must plan your actions and decisions. We really hope that this post has helped to clarify the best practices for a smooth and fruitful transfer.
The DevSecOps movement is quickly expanding. The earlier your troops board the train, the better because it has already left the station.
Read More:
How To Use Azure Devops Services
Benefits of Continuous Testing in DevOps