DevOps and DevSecOps: what are they and why you should know about them.
“DevOps” and “DevSecOps” are two terms that can get often confused or used too broadly. Let’s find out what they really mean and why you should know about them.
Both terms define a software development methodology, meaning a structured approach to building software. During the so-called software development lifecycle (SDLC), the development team must follow a set of processes, practices and principles that helps to plan, design, develop, test and deploy software in a systematic and organized matter.
There are many different software development methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Lean and DevOps, each with its own set of processes and practices. The choice of methodology depends on the specific needs of the project, development team and organisation, but they all share the goal to improve the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of software development.
DevOps specifically, emphasizes collaboration, communication and integration between development and operations teams (hence the name), bridging the gap between these two teams by promoting cross-functional collaboration and automation. A shared responsibility culture is also promoted, where both teams are responsible for the success of the software. Developers are responsible for writing code that is easy to deploy and maintain, while operations teams are responsible for ensuring that the software is available, reliable and scalable.
This approach involves the need for continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD), which means that code changes are frequently tested, integrated, and deployed to production environments, often using automation tools. DevOps also involves continuous monitoring and feedback, which allows teams to detect and address issues quickly, improving the overall quality of the software.
DevSecOps introduced an additional aspect of the methodology: security.
With the increase in software development, comes an increase in cyberattacks. Security has never been more critical in the SDLC. Rather than treating security as a separate process or an afterthought, DevSecOps ensures that security is integrated into the process from the very beginning, with the goal of creating software that is resilient to cyberattacks.
The two methodologies share the very same shared responsibility culture, a collaboration between teams and the use of automation tools for continuous integration, delivery and monitoring. But DevSecOps focus on security from the outset of the SDLC, dramatically reducing the risk of security vulnerabilities and helping to ensure that the software is secure and compliant with regulatory requirements.
So, let’s see what are the overall benefits of introducing security early on in the development process:
- Improved security
As already mentioned, integrating security practices throughout the development process helps identify and mitigate security vulnerabilities early on, reducing the risk of security breaches and creating a more secure development environment, protecting both the organisation and the end-users.
2. Faster Time-to-Market
DevSecOps enables organisations to release software faster while ensuring that security is not compromised. A structured and efficient approach naturally leads to a faster time-to-market. However, by integrating security testing early in the process, any security vulnerabilities can be identified as they arise. This early identification streamlines the development process and minimises the risk of expensive security breaches and downtime.
3. Reduced costs
It should be clear by now that a “better safe than sorry” approach not only accelerates the process but also avoids having to deal with issues when the software is nearing the release stage. Fixing security issues during the final stages or after the software has been released can result in significantly higher costs for the organisation. By integrating security practices early on, these costs can be significantly reduced.
4. Compliance
Compliance regulations can be complex and vary depending on the industry and jurisdiction. Ensuring security is considered throughout the process rather than being addressed as a separate compliance requirement can help simplify the compliance process.
In conclusion, DevSecOps can be considered a better, more complete version of DevOps methodology. Each step in the design, testing, deployment, and maintenance of software has a direct impact on the success of the software and the overall performance of the company. Implementing an efficient development cycle approach not only improves the quality and reliability of the product but also optimizes costs and reduces time to market, which has a significant impact on the company’s profit.
By combining development, security, and operations practices, DevSecOps helps identify and mitigate security risks as early as possible in the development process, allowing organizations to deliver software that is secure by design.
I hope this article has provided you with a better understanding of the differences and similarities between these two methodologies. If you are interested in reading more content like this, please consider following me here on Medium and other platforms.
Thank you for reading.
