July 08, 2024

DevOps vs DevSecOps

Struggling to understand the difference between DevOps vs DevSecOps? Both models sound similar and share many aspects – but are not the same.

Here are the key similarities and differences to choose the right model for your needs.

What is DevOps?

DevOps is an approach that combines practices, principles, and a cultural mindset to enhance the cooperation and communication between software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) teams.

Its main goal? To automate and streamline the processes involved in software development and IT operations, helping organizations to develop, test, and deploy software faster and more reliably.

At its core, DevOps is built on,

Collaboration
Automation
Continuous Integration (CI)
Continuous Deployment (CD)

What is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps is DevOps taken a step further.

It integrates security practices into the DevOps process, ensuring security is a shared responsibility from the get-go.

This proactive approach means security isn’t just an afterthought or a bottleneck at the end of the development pipeline.

The key principles include,

Security integration
Proactive threat management
Automation of security practices

Key Differences of DevOps vs DevSecOps

While both aim to streamline and improve software development and delivery, there are several key differences.

HTML Table Generator

Aspect	DevOps	DevSecOps
Primary Focus	Speed, efficiency, and collaboration between development and operations teams.	Security integration throughout the entire DevOps workflow, ensuring that security is a shared responsibility.
Key Principles	CI/CD - Automation - Collaboration and communication between teams - Infrastructure as Code (IaC)	Shift-left security (early integration of security) - Continuous security assessment and automation - Threat modeling and risk management - Secure coding practices
Tools	Jenkins, CircleCI, Travis CI (CI/CD) - Docker, Kubernetes (Containerization) - Ansible, Puppet, Chef (Configuration Management) - Git, GitHub, GitLab (Version Control)	Snyk, Checkmarx (Code Analysis) - OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite (Application Security Testing) - Twistlock, Aqua (Container Security) - HashiCorp Vault (Secrets Management)
Team Structure	Emphasizes collaboration between development and operations teams to improve workflow and efficiency.	Adds security teams to the collaborative mix, ensuring that security considerations are integrated into every phase of development and operations.
Benefits	Faster time to market - Improved collaboration and communication - Increased deployment frequency - Better product quality and reliability	Enhanced security posture - Reduced vulnerabilities and risks - Early detection and mitigation of security issues - Compliance with security standards and regulations
Challenges	Integrating diverse tools and processes - Bridging the gap between development and operations - Ensuring continuous delivery without compromising quality	Balancing speed and security - Integrating security tools without disrupting workflows - Ensuring all team members are adequately trained in security practices - Overcoming resistance to change in security practices
Automation	Extensive automation of testing, deployment, and infrastructure management processes.	Automation of security testing, code analysis, and vulnerability management alongside traditional DevOps processes.
Cultural Shift	Requires a cultural shift towards collaboration and shared responsibilities between development and operations.	Further cultural shift to include security as a shared responsibility among all team members, not just the security team.
Metrics and KPIs	Deployment frequency - Lead time for changes - Mean time to recovery (MTTR) - Change failure rate	Number of vulnerabilities detected and fixed - Time to detect and respond to security issues - Compliance with security policies and standards - Reduction in security incidents and breaches
Governance and Compliance	Focused on compliance related to deployment and operational processes.	Includes security compliance, ensuring adherence to industry standards and regulatory requirements throughout the development lifecycle.
Incident Response	Primarily reactive, focusing on operational incidents and system failures.	Proactive and reactive, addressing security incidents, vulnerabilities, and threats in addition to operational issues.

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The Need for DevSecOps in Modern Software Development

Modern software development faces a constant battle against evolving security threats. Hence, traditional methods that bolted on security as an afterthought just aren’t enough anymore.

That is when DevSecOps becomes crucial.

Shifting Left Security

Traditionally, security testing happens near the end of the development process.

This meant vulnerabilities could linger undetected until late in the game, causing delays and rework.

DevSecOps adopts a “shift-left” approach, introducing security measures right from the beginning. This helps catch and fix issues early on, saving time and resources.

Proactive vs Reactive

The reactive approach of waiting for security breaches to happen is simply unsustainable.

DevSecOps promotes a proactive approach by fostering a culture of security awareness and implementing preventative measures throughout the development process.

Faster and More Secure Releases

By integrating security testing into the CI/CD pipeline, DevSecOps enables faster and more secure deployments.

Security vulnerabilities are identified and addressed earlier, reducing the risk of breaches and improving overall software quality.

Building Trust

A single security breach can tarnish a company’s reputation and erode customer trust.

By adopting DevSecOps practices, organizations can build trust with their users by demonstrating their commitment to creating secure and reliable software.

DevSecOps for FinTech

How to Transition from DevOps to DevSecOps?

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

✅ Start by evaluating your current DevOps practices to identify security gaps.

✅ Equip your teams with the knowledge and skills needed to prioritize security.

✅ Integrate security tools into your existing DevOps pipeline. Tools like static code analyzers, vulnerability scanners, and compliance checkers are your friends.

✅ Modify your processes to incorporate security at every stage, from development to deployment.

✅ Foster a culture that values continuous learning and improvement in security practices.

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