Difference between DevOps and DevSecOps

Having a clear understanding of DevOps and DevSecOps is crucial in determining the ideal approach for your business to advance in software and application development. Although these methodologies share cultural similarities, they cater to different business objectives. Being able to determine the appropriate time to use each methodology or to transition from DevOps to DevSecOps could have a significant positive impact on your business.

DevOps and DevSecOps are two methodologies that have been gaining popularity in recent years. While DevOps focuses on collaboration between development and operations teams to streamline software development and deployment, DevSecOps adds an additional layer of security to the process. In this blog, we’ll explore the difference between DevOps and DevSecOps and how implementing DevSecOps can improve software security.

DevOps vs DevSecOps

DevOps is a methodology that emphasizes collaboration and communication between development and operations teams to streamline the software development and deployment process. DevOps aims to break down silos between teams and promote continuous delivery and deployment. It focuses on automation, monitoring, and feedback, and aims to deliver software quickly and reliably.

DevSecOps, on the other hand, adds a security layer to the DevOps process. It aims to integrate security into the software development lifecycle from the beginning, rather than treating it as an afterthought. DevSecOps emphasizes the importance of security throughout the entire development process, from planning to deployment and beyond.

How can DevSecOps improve software security?

Implementing DevSecOps can improve software security in several ways. By integrating security into the development process from the beginning, DevSecOps helps to identify and mitigate security risks early on. This can prevent security vulnerabilities from being introduced into the software and reduce the risk of security breaches.

DevSecOps also promotes a culture of security awareness and collaboration between teams. It encourages developers, operations teams, and security teams to work together to identify and address security risks. This can lead to more effective security measures and a better understanding of security risks and best practices.

Activities Included in DevOps

‍

• Continuous testing, where code testing is automated and monitored as code is written and patched

• Continuous development of the planning and coding phases of the development life cycle
• Continuous monitoring to maintain the code in action and the underlying infrastructure
• Performing quality assurance tasks, fixing bugs and managing incident response

‍

Activities Included in DevSecOps

• Precommit checks. These happen before the developer checks code into a source code repository and include trigger threat modeling and email notifications.
• Commit-time checks. This activity is automatically triggered by checking in to a source code repository and includes gathering metrics and automatic security testing.
• Build-time checks. These activities happen automatically when the commit-time checks are successful and involve risk-based security testing.
• Test-time checks. These activities are triggered by successful build-time checks and include malicious code detection.
• Deploy-time checks. These activities happen at predeployment and postdeployment and involve security checks to finish off the DevSecOps pipeline.

‍

Benefits and Challenges of Implementing DevSecOps

• Implementing DevSecOps can provide several benefits, including improved software security, faster delivery times, and better collaboration between teams. However, there are also some challenges associated with implementing DevSecOps.
• One challenge is the need for additional resources and expertise. Implementing DevSecOps requires specialized knowledge and skills in both security and software development. This may require additional training or hiring new team members with the necessary skills.
• Another challenge is the need to integrate security into the development process without slowing down delivery times. DevSecOps requires a balance between security and speed, and it may take some time to find the right balance for your organization.

‍

In conclusion, DevSecOps is a methodology that adds a security layer to the DevOps process. By integrating security into the development process from the beginning, DevSecOps can improve software security and promote a culture of security awareness and collaboration. While implementing DevSecOps may present some challenges, the benefits of improved software security and collaboration between teams make it a worthwhile investment for any organization.

‍

When weighing the pros and cons of DevOps versus DevSecOps, the primary factor to consider is the inclusion of security practices. DevSecOps is founded on the principles of DevOps, taking the philosophy to the next level, similar to how DevOps built on Agile. DevSecOps aims to integrate security measures for cloud-based applications, proactively addressing any potential security threats before they can escalate into a significant issue.

Both methodologies involve fostering a shared understanding among teams across the organization, which can drive business efficiency and growth.

‍

‍