DevSecOps Best Practices Summary of London's info sec event 2025

DevSecOps: Baking Security into the DevOps Pipeline from the Start

Introduction

In today's fast-paced software development landscape, security can no longer be an afterthought. Traditional approaches, where security checks were tacked on at the end of the development cycle, are no longer viable. Instead, organizations must adopt DevSecOps—a methodology that integrates security (Sec) into DevOps processes from the very beginning.

This article explores how to embed security into DevOps workflows, ensuring that security is "baked in" rather than "bolted on." We’ll examine key principles, best practices, and tools that enable shift-left security, reducing risks while maintaining agility.

Why DevSecOps? The Need for Proactive Security

The rise of cloud-native applications, microservices, and CI/CD pipelines has increased the attack surface for cyber threats. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report (2023), the average cost of a breach is $4.45 million, with 83% of organizations experiencing more than one breach.

Traditional security models fail because:

Security is reactive—issues are found too late, leading to costly fixes.

Slows down DevOps velocity—last-minute security reviews delay releases.

Increases technical debt—unaddressed vulnerabilities accumulate over time.

DevSecOps solves these challenges by automating security checks and making them an integral part of the CI/CD pipeline.

Key Principles of DevSecOps

To successfully implement DevSecOps, organizations must follow these core principles:

1. Shift Left Security

Integrate security early in the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

Use Static Application Security Testing (SAST) during coding.

Perform Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to detect vulnerable dependencies.

2. Automate Security Testing

Embed Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) in CI/CD.

Use Infrastructure as Code (IaC) scanning (e.g., Checkov, Terrascan).

Implement Secrets Detection to prevent hardcoded credentials.

3. Continuous Monitoring & Feedback Loops

Deploy Runtime Application Self-Protection (RASP).

Use Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) for real-time threat detection.

Foster collaboration between Dev, Sec, and Ops teams.

4. Compliance as Code

Define security policies using Open Policy Agent (OPA).

Automate compliance checks for GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, etc.

How to Bake Security into DevOps: A Step-by-Step Approach

1. Secure the Development Phase

SAST Tools (SonarQube, Snyk, Checkmarx) scan code for vulnerabilities.

Pre-commit Hooks enforce security policies before code is merged.

2. Secure the Build & Test Phase

SCA Tools (Dependabot, WhiteSource) detect open-source risks.

Container Security (Aqua, Trivy) scans Docker images for misconfigurations.

3. Secure the Deployment Phase

IaC Scanning (Terrascan, Checkov) validates cloud infrastructure.

DAST Tools (OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite) test running applications.

4. Secure Runtime Operations

Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) tools (Prisma Cloud, Wiz) monitor cloud environments.

Chaos Engineering (Gremlin, Chaos Monkey) tests resilience against attacks.

Benefits of DevSecOps

Faster remediation – Security issues are caught early.

Reduced breach risks – Continuous monitoring minimises exposure.

Regulatory compliance – Automated checks ensure adherence to standards.

Cost efficiency – Fixing issues in production is 100x more expensive than in development.

Conclusion: Security as a Shared Responsibility

DevSecOps is not just about tools—it’s a cultural shift where security becomes everyone’s responsibility. By baking security into every phase of DevOps, organisations can achieve speed, safety, and scalability without compromising on protection.

Is your organisation shifting left with DevSecOps? Share your experiences in the comments!

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