Internet of Things (IoT) technology brings to fruition the futuristic image of smart homes, offices, and buildings that cater to your every need, with you barely having to lift a finger. It’s almost like having a personal butler for 24 hours a day! However, software developers have had to streamline their processes increasingly to simplify our lives with such advanced technology.

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That’s where DevSecOps comes in. The DevSecOps approach to software development combines development, security, and operations, replacing the linear, waterfall model. Looking towards the future of IT, STRUCTURA.IO uses the DevSecOps approach to provide cloud-based Infrastructure as Code services.

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Read ahead to learn more about DevSecOps, how it works, and the use of DevSecOps by STRUCTURA.IO.

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What is DevSecOps?

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DevSecOps is an approach to software development – encompassing culture, practices, and tools – that integrates the development, security, and operations procedures in the software delivery lifecycle. Instead of using a siloed approach in which different teams perform development, security, and operations procedures with little collaboration, the DevSecOps approach directs those engineers and personnel specialized in each of the three areas to work together simultaneously.

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In the DevSecOps pipeline, all parties are responsible for security, and security provisions are made simultaneously and speed as development and operations work. In addition, because security is present at each stage of the software application lifecycle, security liabilities are reduced later on.

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Considering the immense usefulness of DevSecOps, Gartner predicted in December 2020 that the approach would be mainstreamed within the next 2 to 5 years.

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From DevOps to DevSecOps

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With the advancement of Information Technology, the software development process has become increasingly fast, streamlined, and efficient. The traditional waterfall method, in which the team moves from one phase of development to the next, really started to slow things down as software development teams had more and more projects on their plate.

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Thence emerged the DevOps approach. DevOps combines development and operations procedures so that both development and operations engineers work collaboratively across the application lifecycle. This ensures that the development team incorporates feedback from the operations engineers and vice versa so that the software development cycle is faster and more efficient.

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While DevOps is a significant improvement over the waterfall software development model, security issues hinder even the most efficient DevOps initiatives. Therefore, the DevSecOps approach, which integrates security into the software development lifecycle, further enhances the DevOps approach.  

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‍How DevSecOps Works: the DevSecOps Pipeline

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There are five primary activities in the DevSecOps pipeline to create a secure DevSecOps architecture. These are:

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1. Pre-commit checks:

Pre-commit checks are the steps that must be taken before the developer checks code into source code repositories. At this stage, the team can automate its manual tasks, saving time and increasing productivity.

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2. Commit-time checks:

Commit-time checks are brought on by a source code being checked into the source code repository. These checks ascertain whether a code is compilable and buildable and direct attention to significant security issues.

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3. Build-time checks:

Successful commit-time checks set off build-time checks encompassing advanced automated application testing. Build-time checks identify failures such as code not compiling, SAST failures, and other vulnerabilities like SQL Injection.

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4. Test-time checks:

Test-time checks are the last testing phase before the release of a product into production and are triggered by successful build-time checks. In this stage, the latest ‘good’ build is picked from the artifact repository and deployed for testing or staging.

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5. Deploy-time checks:

Once the application is ready to be deployed, deploy-time checks ensure that no security issues have been introduced due to changes in the production. At the last stage of the DevSecOps pipeline, any bugs that may have slipped through undetected during pre-production testing activities are found, and development teams provide feedback.

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Why Is DevSecOps Useful?

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DevSecOps is quickly being adopted by organizations, most notably the US Department of Defense. The DoD DevSecOps use has decreased its time for a software application to release from three to eight months to only a week. The adoption of DevSecOps by the US Department of Defense lends credibility to the value of DevSecOps.

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STRUCTURA.IO and DevSecOps

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STRUCTURA.IO offers cloud-based Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions to help companies save valuable time and money. Structura.IO utilizes the DevSecOps approach to software development, incorporating IaC, making the solutions efficient and secure.

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DevSecOps initiatives are usually done through Infrastructure as Code tools, which automate the software development process and speed up the software delivery. DevSecOps can also use Infrastructure as Code tools to secure the organization’s structure quickly.

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Conclusion

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Integrating development, security, and operations procedures and personnel, the DevSecOps approach streamlines software development and delivery. As opposed to the DevOps method, which combined just development and operations, the DevSecOps pipeline integrates security into every step along the process.

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Therefore, the DevSecOps approach increases the speed and efficiency of the process, improves the quality of the final product, and ensures that security liabilities are significantly reduced.

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STRUCTURA.IO understands the importance of adopting new technology and methodology in creating cloud-based solutions for the future.

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Therefore, it uses the DevSecOps approach in its Infrastructure as Code solutions for organizations. Through this revolutionary methodology, STRUCTURA.IO is leaping into the future of Information Technology.