Key Takeaways
- Shift left—find issues early when they're cheaper to fix.
- Automate security testing in CI/CD pipelines.
- Balance speed with security—don't be a bottleneck.
- Secure the pipeline itself—it's a high-value target.
- Use secrets management—no hardcoded credentials.
- Scan dependencies for known vulnerabilities.
Table of Contents
1. What is DevSecOps?
DevSecOps integrates security practices into the DevOps workflow, making security a shared responsibility throughout the software development lifecycle. Instead of security being a gate at the end, it's embedded at every stage.
The goal is to deliver secure software at DevOps speed—automation is key to achieving this without slowing down development.
2. Shift Left Security
Earlier = Cheaper
Vulnerabilities found in production cost ~100x more to fix than those found during development. Shift left by testing early and often: IDE plugins, pre-commit hooks, PR checks, CI pipeline tests.
# Security touchpoints in SDLC:
1. Design: Threat modeling
2. Code: IDE security plugins, SAST
3. Commit: Pre-commit hooks (secrets, linting)
4. PR/MR: Automated security scans
5. Build: Container scanning, SCA
6. Deploy: DAST, configuration checks
7. Production: Runtime protection, monitoring3. SAST (Static Analysis)
SAST analyzes source code for vulnerabilities without executing it. Catches issues early but may produce false positives.
| Tool | Type | Languages |
|---|---|---|
| Semgrep | Open Source | Multi-language |
| SonarQube | Free/Commercial | Multi-language |
| CodeQL | Free (GitHub) | Multi-language |
| Checkmarx | Commercial | Enterprise |
# Example: Semgrep in GitHub Actions
- name: Run Semgrep
uses: returntocorp/semgrep-action@v1
with:
config: "p/security-audit"4. DAST (Dynamic Analysis)
DAST tests running applications for vulnerabilities. Finds issues SAST misses but requires a running environment.
- OWASP ZAP: Free, integrates with CI/CD
- Burp Suite Enterprise: Commercial automation
- Nuclei: Open source vulnerability scanner
5. Dependency Scanning (SCA)
SCA identifies vulnerabilities in third-party dependencies—crucial since most applications rely heavily on open source.
# SCA tools:
- Snyk: Real-time vulnerability alerts
- Dependabot: GitHub native, automatic PRs
- OWASP Dependency-Check: Free, CI/CD integration
- WhiteSource/Mend: Commercial, license compliance
# Example: npm audit in pipeline
npm audit --audit-level=highSupply Chain Attacks
Attackers increasingly target dependencies (SolarWinds, Log4j). Vet dependencies, pin versions, monitor for compromises. Consider software bill of materials (SBOM) to track what's in your applications.
6. Container Security
- Scan images for vulnerabilities (Trivy, Clair, Snyk)
- Use minimal base images (Alpine, distroless)
- Don't run as root
- Sign and verify images
- Scan at build time AND in registry
# Trivy in CI/CD
- name: Scan container image
run: trivy image --exit-code 1 --severity HIGH,CRITICAL myimage:latest7. Secrets Management
- Never commit secrets to code
- Use secrets managers (Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)
- Inject secrets at runtime, not build time
- Scan for secrets in commits (git-secrets, truffleHog)
- Rotate secrets regularly
Be a Partner, Not a Blocker
DevSecOps succeeds when security enables rather than blocks. Provide fast, actionable feedback. Automate what you can. Focus on real risks, not theoretical ones. Work with developers, not against them.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
DevSecOps embeds security throughout the development lifecycle through automation and shared responsibility. Shift left to find issues early, use SAST/DAST/SCA in pipelines, secure containers and secrets, and protect the pipeline itself. The goal is secure software at DevOps speed—achievable through smart automation and developer partnership.
Continue Learning:
Docker Security
Git Security