Written by Nazy Fouladirad, President and COO of Tevora.
With the rapid evolution of technology, software development cycles are now speeding up. This acceleration, however, brings the potential for security risks that need to be addressed properly.
Weaving continuous security checks into a DevOps framework, often referred to as DevSecOps, has become essential for modern organisations. Continuous security refers to the constant, integrated monitoring, testing, and hardening of software systems throughout their entire lifecycle.
By implementing security assessments at every phase of the DevOps cycle – from design and development to testing and deployment – businesses can adopt a forward-thinking security strategy that keeps pace with their quick development timelines. But to effectively blend continuous security into DevOps, it’s important to consider several key factors.
The importance of infusing security audits into your business
Continuous security checks allow organisations to spot budding security problems early in the stage and remedy them when they are small and less expensive. As cyberattacks are made more sophisticated with time and technology, it is no longer enough to depend solely on end-of-cycle static audits.
Below are some of the benefits of integrating continuous security checks into your DevOps strategy:
- Early Detection of Security Weaknesses: Regular security assessments are crucial for quickly uncovering vulnerabilities within the development process. This prompt action prevents the escalation of these issues into major threats, safeguarding organisational integrity.
- Adherence to Legal Standards: Many businesses operate under strict regulatory requirements. Ongoing security checks help ensure compliance, steering clear of the financial repercussions tied to violations.
- Effective Threat Management: Security evaluations go beyond just spotting vulnerabilities when using pen testing services or third-party risk evaluations – they also gauge the potential impact on the business, guiding the strategic deployment of resources for risk management.
- Building Trust with Customers: At a time when security awareness is at its peak with consumers, frequent security audits underline an organisation’s dedication to data protection, greatly improving customer trust.
- Cost Efficiency: Early detection and resolution of security problems can lead to substantial cost savings by circumventing expensive remedies down the line.
- Dynamic Risk Response: Continuous security monitoring facilitates fast adjustments to new threats, keeping your organisation a step ahead of cyberattacks.
How to put regular security auditing into your DevOps process flow
Adopting DevSecOps principles might seem simple in theory, but embedding them within an existing DevOps workflow poses certain challenges. Consider the following key ways to effectively incorporate continuous security checks into your DevOps practices:
Position security prioritisation at the top
Leaders must spearhead the effort to integrate security within the DevOps framework, setting a top-down directive that emphasises its importance. Giving this type of directive ensures security is woven into the fabric of development processes from the outset, avoiding its relegation to a lesser priority.
Positioning security as a critical performance metric further incentivises teams. Evaluating team performance on their commitment to secure practices and the performance of their coding abilities instils a culture where security is considered a paramount focus, encouraging its natural inclusion in any of the daily tasks that are completed.
Incorporate regulatory compliance standards into your DevOps workflow
Complying with industry standards goes beyond meeting legal requirements – it is crucial for enhancing security measures as well. These guidelines are in place to offer a structured approach based on proven practices, enabling organisations to manage their security initiatives effectively.
By making sure compliance efforts are executed early in the development phase, organisations ensure smoother maintenance and reduce the likelihood of falling into costly non-compliance issues.
Adopting this proactive strategy significantly reduces the need for last-minute compliance activities at the project’s conclusion and minimises the need for downtime while adding an important element that should have been in place from the start.
Embrace the philosophy of “everything-as-code”
The “Everything-as-Code” strategy encompasses all aspects, from infrastructure configurations to security guidelines and response strategies for incidents, treating them as programmable code. This approach allows for version control, thorough scrutiny, rigorous testing, and automation across the board.
Adopting an everything-as-code mindset brings tangible benefits in terms of security. For instance, compliance can be seamlessly integrated through predefined security protocols. Automated scanning can quickly identify vulnerabilities in the code, while version control maintains a well-documented history of modifications, allowing quicker resolutions of security breaches and better overall ransomware preparedness.
Utilise real-time security data visualisation and exchange
Real-time visualisation and sharing of security information greatly improves organisational transparency and efficiency. This approach ensures that all parties involved receive consistent updates. Team members can quickly identify security patterns, trends, and anomalies by utilising user-friendly dashboards.
Instant availability of security information enables the early detection of threats, which makes it easy to put into action preventive action. Ensuring that security is seen as an organisation-wide responsibility revolves around spreading knowledge throughout the company, stressing that security is not “just an IT problem” but a shared accountability.
Create a culture centred on constant change and improvement
Creating an environment that values continuous learning and improvement is crucial for advancing security measures. This involves conducting regular training sessions, encouraging knowledge sharing among team members, and promoting open dialogue.
Regular educational initiatives ensure that the workforce stays updated with the latest security protocols and technologies, enabling them to tackle new challenges effectively. Pushing for more knowledge exchanges within teams greatly supports the company’s overall growth.
Initiatives aimed at promoting security awareness can cover various topics, such as phishing attacks – how to spot them and avoid them – or the significance of using strong passwords.
Build a comprehensive incident response plan
Given the perpetual threat of security incidents, possessing an in-depth incident response strategy is vital. This strategy should enumerate the procedures for dealing with a security breach, incorporating steps for communication, containment, and remediation.
It is vital for every team member to be knowledgeable about the strategy and their specific responsibilities. Engaging in regular scenario-based testing or tabletop exercises to test the strategy’s resilience and update it as needed is essential for ensuring its long-term effectiveness.
Achieving stronger security in your DevOps workflows
Incorporating security measures into your development and operational activities is essential, regardless of your organisation’s adherence to a DevOps framework. Prioritising security from the onset of development projects can mitigate the need for extensive, expensive corrections later and significantly lower the likelihood of future security incidents.
Nazy Fouladirad is President and COO of Tevora, a global cybersecurity consultancy. She has dedicated her career to creating a more secure business and online environment for organizations across the country and world. She is passionate about serving her community and acts as a board member for a local nonprofit organization.
