DevOps has positively changed how modern software development works. DevOps unifies development (Dev) and operations (Ops) workflows and tools into a single pipeline. Automation is heavily emphasized, and the development cycle is shortened. Software is released faster and with more regular updates, features, and fixes.
While DevOps has been an undoubtedly successful innovation, one stumbling block is that it doesn’t prioritize application security. Some concerning research in 2018 found that 60 percent of organizations haven’t integrated security into DevOps workflows.
With cybersecurity incidents on the rise, many of which occur through exploiting vulnerable software, there is a pressing need to reframe the DevOps idea as DevSecOps. Some organizations take the emphasis on security even further, opting to take advantage of the SecOps model.
Security must be embedded in the DevOps mindset. Find out in this article about the main challenges of integrating security into DevOps and how you can overcome such challenges.
Examining the Security Challenges for DevOps
The following are five common challenges that impact the successful implementation of secure DevOps, attached with some advice for overcoming them.
1. Conflicting Aims
The aim of developers and operations, which is facilitated by DevOps practices and tools, is to release software as quickly as possible, with frequent updates, features, and fixes. However, the mindset of application security teams is less focused on speed and efficiency and much more focused on thorough testing.
It’s easy to see that these conflicting aims of DevOps and application security testers can cause conflict. The only real way to address this conflict is to shift security left and prioritize it early on in the development cycle. This way, security concerns are still addressed, but they are addressed at an early stage that enables greater collaboration rather than conflict.
For maximum security, organizations should inculcate a security-oriented culture across all teams, as well as take advantage of third-party security platforms like McAfee and Cynet.
2. Slow Security Testing
The need for an updated, shift-left approach to security doesn’t necessarily translate to proper integration between DevOps and security. If security is ever to be properly embedded in DevOps, a new, faster approach to security testing is required.
Older methods of development, such as the waterfall model, typically involved longer development cycles that took months to complete. These longer cycles gave more time for security teams to extensively test and verify software, and send it back to developers if code changes were necessary.
The modern DevOps environment gives no leeway for laborious, traditional security tests. Security teams need to draw inspiration from the DevOps emphasis on speed. A possible solution is to dramatically increase automation in security tests so that they run with greater speed and efficiency.
3. Lack of Security Knowledge
There are knowledge gaps on both the DevOps and security side of things that can act as barriers to achieving a functional and efficient DevSecOps approach. The most glaring shortfall is in developer security knowledge. Most undergraduate computer science programs don’t even require students to complete a security module.
Organizations need to recognize that their developers are unlikely to fully understand the best practices for coding and building an app in a secure way. To fully embed security into DevOps, there should be training programs that equip developers with application security knowledge. Overcoming this challenge will increase the efficiency of security checks as developers begin to recognize vulnerabilities and fix them on the fly.
4. Cloud Security Complications
Cloud computing provides a way for DevOps teams to use low-cost, scalable computing environments for developing, testing, and even running their apps. However, the cloud comes with its own set of security considerations and potential vulnerabilities.
It is more difficult to establish a proper security perimeter in the cloud compared to on-premise computing environments. Furthermore, minor misconfigurations or vulnerabilities in the cloud can quickly lead to huge compromises in application security.
Security teams should be using tools that monitor cloud usage for vulnerabilities. There also needs to be proper policies and procedures drawn up that give guidelines on network policies, encryption, and privileged access controls.
Security within the cloud, however, is not always enough. A related concern is that the users who access the network remotely may do so from devices that are not secure. These devices, known as endpoints, should be protected using technologies such as EDR tools.
5. Software Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
The use of open-source libraries and frameworks within proprietary applications has exploded in line with the growth of the DevOps movement. Open source projects provide DevOps teams with ready-made code snippets that can enhance the functionality of the apps they build.
However, the statistics about open source vulnerabilities are worrying. According to recent research, 41% of apps contained high-risk open source vulnerabilities. Open source code is not inherently insecure. Problems arise due to not updating software on time and not properly sourcing this code.
A solution to this challenge is for security teams to educate DevOps on securing the software supply chain. Some best practices can include applying updates or patches that fix open source vulnerabilities as soon as they become available. Developers should also be advised to only source libraries and frameworks from trusted repositories.
Conclusion
There are several clear challenges to transitioning from DevOps to DevSecOps. By understanding these challenges and their proposed solutions, you’re now in a better place to achieve a smoother transition that prioritizes application security from the outset.