Why is DevSecOps important?

Many project teams choose DevSecOps because it ensures the security of the project from the start of development and allows for timely discovery and fixing of vulnerabilities. What is DevSecOps, and how does it benefit development?

What is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps is an advanced version of DevOps.

DevOps combines software development with IT operations, aiming to improve collaboration, automate processes, and enhance software delivery's speed, quality, and reliability. Best practices include automation, continuous integration and delivery, infrastructure as code, monitoring, microservices architecture, collaborative culture, feedback loops, security, and scalability/resilience.

DevSecOps integrates security practices into every stage of software development, from planning and design to testing and deployment. This approach requires a collaborative effort between the Development, Security, and Operations teams, with a focus on automation, continuous monitoring, and rapid feedback loops.

Traditionally, security testing happened at the very end of development, when the project was almost ready. Fixing security problems at this stage was more expensive and could slow things down. Instead, DevSecOps integrates security practices from the beginning, ensuring that new attack surfaces, such as containers and orchestrators, are monitored and protected alongside the application itself.

DevSecOps tools automate security workflows to create an adaptable process for the development and security teams, improving their collaboration. With this approach, security is part of development rather than an afterthought.

Best DevSecOps practices

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

SAST is a testing methodology that analyzes source code to find security vulnerabilities. It's also known as white box testing.

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

DAST is a security testing methodology used to identify web applications' vulnerabilities and weaknesses while they are running.

Unlike SAST, which analyzes the application's source code, DAST interacts with the application dynamically, sending requests and analyzing responses to uncover potential security flaws such as injection attacks, cross-site scripting (XSS), and authentication issues. DAST tools simulate real-world attacks to assess the security posture of web applications and identify vulnerabilities.

Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST)

IAST is a modern approach to application security testing that combines elements of Static and Dynamic analysis. Unlike DAST and SAST, which are typically performed as separate activities, IAST works within the application runtime environment.

Software Composition Analysis (SCA)

SCA addresses security risks by scanning software dependencies to identify and manage open-source and third-party components, detecting vulnerabilities, and ensuring license compliance.

For our clients, we integrate all these practices in Continuous Delivery for every task, using a wide range of tools and testing methods. If you want to ensure the security of your project from day one without bearing extra costs, contact our team!