With data breaches and similar incidents on the rise, today’s chief information security officers often become interested in Development, Security and Operations (DevSecOps), knowing it can help them smoothly integrate secure practices into the software development process. Then, they can move from the conventional gatekeeping-based approach to one that enables developers to do their best work.
Align DevSecOps With Business Goals
As CISOs assess how to bring security into the product development process, they should match these efforts to overarching ideals.
Emphasize Teamwork Across Departments
Effective DevSecOps requires executives to encourage interdepartmental collaboration. Having developers work with cybersecurity professionals gives them up-to-date information on the latest threats that could affect their projects.
Similarly, encouraging people from technically oriented departments to discuss challenges with peers in business-focused areas helps employees see that although their roles may differ, many shared responsibilities and priorities exist.
Use the Security at Inception Paradigm
Security at inception tackles the growing identity sprawl problem by putting automated, relevant controls into DevOps workflows and code pipelines. Using secure software development life cycles for verification ensures good hygiene and prevents issues where people discover vulnerabilities too late.
CISOs can also consider enforcing zero standing privileges, whereby developers receive access only as required. This option minimizes persistent risk and protects infrastructure.
Develop Procedures to Verify Assurance
Assurance tells CISOs that developers uphold security best practices. However, these leaders should use personalized strategies to test knowledge and utilization rather than merely assuming they do.
One option is to have the organization work toward internationally recognized information security standards, such as ISO 27001. Alternatively, developing comprehensive disaster recovery procedures and having employees follow them during mock events shows how well they respond under pressure.
Prioritize Quality Control
CISOs who have embraced agile DevSecOps realize the importance of software quality assurance from a security perspective. Code scanners are readily available to assist, but developers may miss significant issues by being too dependent on them because they often produce false positives.
Updated documentation for each application strengthens organizations by providing a reliable source of truth about security posture. Some CISOs do not treat quality control as a top-of-mind concern, causing them to wait too long to assess and address risks.
Encourage Developer Accountability
Developers in many organizations lack the accountability needed to uphold DevSecOps principles. Upholding this ideal with a top-down approach allows CISOs to emphasize that security is everyone’s responsibility.
Budgeting for courses, certifications and conferences helps development professionals keep their knowledge current. Creating an easy way for them to ask questions or report problems also makes executives aware of potential new security issues to investigate.
Choose Metrics to Track
CISOs should meet with developers and other stakeholders to determine the best trackable statistics to monitor within their organizations. Mean time to detect and remediate are among the most frequently used statistics because they reveal how effectively people can find and fix security issues.
Measuring the number of vulnerabilities within single development processes helps leaders examine trends and detect patterns that could indicate ineffective practices or bad habits. Similarly, quantifying the deployment frequency indicates how well developers can deliver quickly while keeping products secure.
Enable Continuous Improvement
Ongoing testing is vital to successful DevSecOps practices because it helps developers speedily identify issues, causes and remediation steps. Feedback loops give CISOs valuable data that shows where vulnerabilities most often occur.
A continuous improvement mindset also equips security-focused organizations to respond nimbly to emerging concerns, such as new malware or social engineering tactics. Urging developers to give input on remaining proactive keeps them involved in their industry and engaged in specific tasks.
Drive the Transition: Best Agile Transformation Consulting Services
Pursuing agile DevSecOps can allow development teams to work faster while maintaining tight security. This approach also eliminates organizational silos and promotes teamwork, which can enhance communication. Hiring professional consultants to steer the transformation optimizes the outcomes.
1. ICON Agility
ICON Agility consultants apply a pragmatic approach to enable business transformations that closely align with clients’ primary objectives and goals. They develop comprehensive and tailored roadmaps for success.
2. CTG
CTG includes an experienced team of consultants to guide clients’ DevSecOps transitions. These professionals have numerous industry partnerships that expand their networks.
3. DLH
DLH consultants help clients bring security into DevOps with new tools and approaches applied throughout the development life cycle. They specialize in improvements for federal programs and contractors.
4. Adaptavist
Adaptavist consultants apply end-to-end solutions to build security into DevOps processes. CISOs learn best practices to increase organizational effectiveness through better visibility.
Make DevSecOps an Organizational Asset
More customers throughout locations and industries recognize the risks of insecure products. When CISOs bring security into the full software development life cycle, they can safeguard their reputations and increase trust.
Additionally, many leaders view the agile DevSecOps methodology as a proven way to meet tight development deadlines while maintaining high security. It shows no need to choose one or the other, and executives can have the best of both worlds.
Devin Partida is an industrial tech writer and the Editor-in-Chief of ReHack.com, a digital magazine for all things technology, big data, cryptocurrency, and more. To read more from Devin, please check out the site.
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