DevOps is a widely successful approach to IT management. It aims to combine Development (Dev) and Operations (Ops) as part of a single pipeline while also emphasizing automation, collaboration, and shared responsibility. It does away with the outdated siloed approach and encourages the sharing of skills and ideas to enable optimized quality, speed, and reliability: all essential elements for competing in the modern digital landscape!
‘DevSecOps’ is very much an evolution of DevOps. It puts Security (Sec) on the same level of importance as Development and Operations, integrating it into the DevOps pipeline and making the wider DevOps culture responsible for meeting security targets.
This reflects the growing importance of security in the world of business. Customers are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of lax security when it comes to their personal and financial information. And with compliance regulations like the GDPR threatening stiff penalties, companies have a great deal to lose by failing to meet targets. All of this has also turned security into a significant value generator; not merely an afterthought but a key selling point for virtually all client types.
Of course, elevating security within DevOps environments is hardly a new idea, with concepts like ‘Rugged DevOps’ having been around for a decent amount of time. Regardless, DevSecOps has gained a great deal of popularity with both newcomers and established DevOps practitioners.
But what is it that makes DevSecOps successful? In this article, we take a look at the most significant DevSecOps benefits.
Speedier security without the risks
One of the reasons DevOps was created was because operations tasks were creating bottlenecks prior to the point of release. Developers wanted to create code as quickly as possible, despite the number of checks required before the results could go live. This caused a bottleneck effect that became an increasingly dire problem as release speeds became more of a factor in meeting or surpassing competitors. Because checks were left until the last minute, many issues would also go unnoticed, lowering the quality of finished products and potentially putting customers at risk.
Security checks can cause bottlenecks in much the same way. Just like Operations work, compromising on security risks is not an option, especially with developments like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) demanding constant attention and threatening stiff penalties.
As part of DevSecOps, security is assessed on an ongoing basis. Security specialists have a presence throughout the DevSecOps pipeline, working to bridge gaps in understanding and automate security checks wherever possible. By addressing security in this way, a great deal of time is saved, enabling faster code delivery.
Reliable security practices
Hearing about how DevSecOps makes security faster may raise some red flags when it comes to reliability. However, the speed offered by DevSecOps does not require cutting corners. In fact, by investing in automation and cutting down on the possibility of human error, DevSecOps engineers can increase the reliability of essential security processes.
Automation is applied to processes designed to find and highlight security vulnerabilities in code. The clarity offered by DevOps and DevSecOps pipelines also makes it clear who is best suited to solve specific issues. With this setup, issues are more likely to be found and repaired earlier on, so much so that more problems can be solved within the timeframe before release, resulting in higher-quality end products. DevSecOps engineers are also equipped with knowledge of the best security tools and practices to keep everything running as smoothly as possible.
Free time for continuous improvement
With the speed and reliability offered by DevSecOps, practitioners can often find themselves with more free time for other tasks. This can be applied to solving problems that the organization may not previously have had the time and resources to deal with. However, it can also be applied elsewhere.
One of the best ways to capitalize on this is by having security specialists work on new features. They can also train colleagues or update existing practices based on new developments in areas like cyber resilience. In other words, DevSecOps helps to enable continuous improvements in security.
Guaranteed compliance
DevSecOps is, ultimately, about enhancing and normalizing security considerations. Needless to say, one of the most important considerations within this sphere is compliance. Not only do compliance targets help protect client data, but they also help companies avoid significant fines and public scrutiny.
By integrating security and compliance checks into a DevOps pipeline, DevSecOps engineers make compliance a matter of utmost importance. Checks are added throughout the pipeline, with automated traceability ensuring that both problems and their causes can be found and fixed as soon as possible.
Lowering costs
Automation is hardly a new concept, and anyone familiar with it knows that it offers three primary benefits: speed, reliability, and cost reduction. DevSecOps automation enables organizations to satisfy security targets with less of a human factor (that is to say, less manpower). At the same time, with security checks causing fewer delays, code can hit the market much faster. This allows companies to outpace competitors and meet evolving client expectations at a superior rate.
DevSecOps reduces the cost of security operations while also reducing the likelihood of financial penalties coming from inadequate security. The speed it offers also helps improve the effectiveness of security as a value generator.
Collaboration and communication
One of the most defining features of DevOps is that it breaks down silos between different teams. It is more than just a clever name, with development and operational teams joining forces to share insight, skills, and expertise while also improving each other’s practices and processes.
DevSecOps works in much the same way. Security specialists communicate with colleagues and upskill them in security considerations and vice versa. They will also clarify elements such as who is best suited to fixing certain issues and how everyone can help meet security targets.
In essence, DevSecOps helps all non-security staff understand how their own goals and practices align with and are impacted by security. The approach improves their awareness and contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall pipeline.
Getting certified in DevSecOps
Before getting started with your DevSecOps training, it is worth keeping in mind that DevSecOps is not strictly owned by anyone. In fact, it is an organic practice that has evolved over several years, just like DevOps itself.
Like DevOps, it can also be considered an umbrella term to an extent. While a DevSecOps engineer will specialize in security, there can be a number of different roles involved. As such, getting a job as a DevSecOps engineer will primarily be a matter of having the necessary skills for the role at hand; that and an understanding of DevSecOps itself.
This is where DevSecOps certification training comes in. Good e-Learning is an award-winning online training provider with a diverse portfolio of courses on DevSecOps, DevOps, Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), and more.
Our DevSecOps Engineering (DSOE) certification course was created with help from highly experienced DevSecOps practitioners. It offers instructor-led videos, interactive quizzes, exam simulators, and other resources that can be accessed even on mobile and tablet devices.
Our courses are designed to help students pass their exams on the first attempt. More than that, however, we also focus on giving students a practical understanding of the subject matter so that they can begin applying it as soon as possible. Students can even enjoy FREE exam vouchers, as well as free resits via Exam Pledge.
Want to find out more? Visit the Good e-Learning website or contact a member of our team today!
