Searching for a more cutting-edge approach to application development? If so, you might eventually have to decide between the two alternative techniques, DevOps vs DevSecOps. The efficacy of IT and business will be impacted by some fundamental differences between the two, despite how similar they may sound. So what is the difference between Devops and Devsecops? In this post, let’s discover it and learn how to make the switch from DevOps to DevSecOps and other information that will help you find a more effective method for developing applications.
Table of Contents
The similarities of Devops vs Devsecops
1. Automation
DevOps vs DevSecOps use artificial intelligence (AI) to automate development steps. Automation in the context of application development is all about employing technology to accomplish activities with less human intervention. Automation in DevOps and DevSecOps aids in continuous integration, continuous delivery, and continuous deployment workflows.
DevOps often involves the use of auto-complete code and anomaly detection. Automation facilitates feedback loops between the development and operations teams, allowing updates to be pushed more quickly.
DevSecOps is automating security checks and utilizing anomaly detection to detect vulnerabilities and security threats proactively. Automation in DevSecOps enables secure operations automatically, eliminating overhead and human mistake. In both DevOps vs DevSecOps circumstances, automation exists to improve the process and increase efficiency.
2. Active Monitoring
Active monitoring is an essential aspect of DevOps vs DevSecOps processes since code that works today may need to be changed tomorrow. Monitoring real-time data improves performance, reduces the attack surface, and strengthens overall security posture. To promote changes and resolve concerns, DevOps and DevSecOps must record and monitor application data. Active monitoring is required in both procedures for software or applications that are currently operating and code that is actively being written.
Active monitoring in DevOps entails focusing on quality early in the application development life cycle. This means that early testing in the production environment is required to assure dependable services and timely updates for new features. Monitoring contributes to DevOps’ goal of increasing quality and efficiency without reducing cost.
Active monitoring in DevSecOps includes both internal security tools (to guarantee safe code does not create security vulnerabilities) and cloud-based technologies. Monitoring cloud security entails keeping an eye out for malicious logins, application problems, and unauthorized access. Active monitoring allows for the patching of software before security is compromised.
The key to monitoring in both practices is to take a proactive rather than a reactive approach. Code can be built or altered more efficiently and securely if it is kept up to date with changes in the environment. While DevOps and DevSecOps have many similarities, there are several key distinctions in how they operate.
3. Collaboration culture
To achieve development goals, DevOps vs DevSecOps necessitate a collaborative culture. The focus on community is the cultural link between DevOps and DevSecOps. The focus on community is the cultural link between DevOps and DevSecOps.
Both techniques must achieve rapid iteration and development while maintaining environmental quality and security. It necessitates teams extending their visibility across the development lifecycle and collaborating at all stages.
This culture in DevOps enhances efficiency and reduces bottlenecks. DevSecOps is a culture that attempts to incorporate cloud security at every stage and minimize vulnerability while enhancing compliance. Because the cultures are so similar, the two techniques rely on similar instruments to function.
What is the difference between Devops vs Devsecops?
DevOps entails close coordination between application development and operations teams throughout the software development process. DevOps teams have similar objectives, tools, and key performance metrics. DevOps attempts to make development cycles shorter, allowing for more frequent releases while retaining software quality, robustness, and predictability.
DevOps engineers strive to identify the most efficient technique to release application updates while minimizing disturbance to end-user experience. Because of the emphasis on rapid software delivery, DevOps teams frequently overlook security risks. Delegating security to the end of the DevOps pipeline frequently leads to the accumulation of vulnerabilities that endangers an organization’s assets, end-user data, and applications.
DevOps emphasizes application team collaboration throughout the app development and deployment process. The development and operations teams collaborate to implement common KPIs and tools. The goal of a DevOps approach is to increase the frequency of deployments while ensuring the app’s predictability and efficiency. A DevOps engineer considers how to distribute app changes as efficiently as possible while minimizing disturbance to the user experience. Because DevOps teams are often focused on maximizing delivery speed, they may not always prioritize the prevention of security threats along the route, which can lead to the accumulation of vulnerabilities that might threaten the application, end user data, and valuable company assets.
Development teams started to recognize that the DevOps methodology wasn’t sufficiently addressing security problems, which led to the evolution of DevSecOps and this is the most obvious difference between DevOps and DevSecOps. DevSecOps was created as a method to incorporate security management earlier on during the development process rather than retrofitting security into the build. Instead of coming to an end at the finish of the development pipeline, application security starts at the very beginning of the build process. A DevSecOps engineer aims to make sure that apps are secure against cyberattacks before they are delivered to the user and that they remain secure at all times during app upgrades with this new method. DevSecOps tries to address the security challenges that DevOps doesn’t address while emphasizing that developers should write code with security in mind.
The application security techniques used in DevSecOps are integrated into the whole build process from the very beginning of the pipeline. DevSecOps developers can make sure that programs are secure before releasing them to end users and subjecting them to potential threats thanks to this security-driven strategy. The application is continuously secured by DevSecOps teams while updates are being made, with a focus on safe coding techniques and solving complicated security problems where typical DevOps procedures fail.
Devops vs Devsecops in specific activities
DevOps Activities Involved
Active monitoring, automated systems, and DevOps engineers collaborate to increase productivity and shorten the development life cycle. The process is frequently referred to as Scrum. Scrum establishes the roles of the team members and the manner in which they collaborate. Although there are alternative approaches, they generally share the following DevOps practices:
- Continuous testing is the practice of monitoring and automating code testing as it is written and patched.
- Continuous improvement of the development life cycle’s planning and coding phases
- Continuous maintenance of the underlying infrastructure and the active code
- fixing bugs, coordinating incident response, and performing quality assurance duties
DevSecOps Activities Involved
DevSecOps operates in conjunction with a CI/CD pipeline, as each stage of the DevSecOps process necessitates the application of security protections. Devops vs Devsecops both require security expertise, automation, and active monitoring to function. The following types of checks are presented in the same sequence as the development cycle:
- Pre Commit checks. These occur prior to the developer checking code into a source code repository and involve trigger threat modeling and email notifications.
- Commit-time checks. This activity is triggered automatically by checking in to a source code repository and includes metrics collection and automatic security testing.
- Build-time checks. When the commit-time checks are successful, these actions occur automatically and include risk-based security testing.
- Test-time checks. These actions are triggered by successful build-time inspections and include harmful code detection.
- Deploy-time checks. These operations take place before and after deployment and include security checks to complete the DevSecOps pipeline.
The transition from DevOps to DevSecOps
What to Expect
When switching between DevOps vs DevSecOps, the workflow is typically shifted left or brought closer to the client. A crucial initial step is getting teams ready to comprehend the requirement for a transition and how it will impact the development of your application. Everyone concerned should be aware of the cultural shift needed to maintain a consistent focus on security.
Your company will need to train personnel on secure coding procedures in order to switch smoothly. Your security team must work together with developers and operations on this. For your developers, getting educated on cybersecurity problems is a crucial first step.
What to prepare
Shift Left
Before making any modifications to your process, it’s crucial to get teams on board with the idea of DevSecOps. Ensure that everyone is aware of the importance of early application security, its advantages, and how doing so influences application development.
Select the appropriate mix of security testing techniques
There are many different security testing techniques available, and it can be challenging to determine which ones are appropriate for your company. Here is a brief summary:
- SAST: Static application security testing looks at your code to find flaws.
- DAST: Dynamic application security testing simulates the actions of an attacker to assist administrators spot holes and vulnerabilities.
- IAST: Interactive application security testing combines SAST and DAST to monitor application performance using software instrumentation (active or passive).
- RASP stands for Runtime Application Self-Protection, which works without an administrator to identify and stop assaults as they happen.
Impose coding standards on your workforce
DevSecOps includes evaluating the caliber of your code. Your team will have an easier job in the future safeguarding your code if you make sure it is robust and standardized. Create a structure for training developers on good coding standards if you don’t already have one, and make sure that any modifications to the code can be applied immediately.
Secure applications from the ground up
Instead of attempting to defend the expanding perimeter, safeguard apps that are running on dispersed infrastructures from the inside out. This makes a security strategy that is developed from the inside more easier on IT teams and improves your security posture overall.
What to avoid
Although DevSecOps can significantly improve the security of your process, there are a few dangers to watch out for:
- Selecting the incorrect tools. The applications for security come in a variety of forms. You may prevent a difficult transition by selecting the tools that are pertinent to your code and meet the needs of both your present and potential future use cases.
- Not utilizing your security personnel. The DevSecOps process is ongoing and occurs throughout the entire development cycle. Consistent security is made possible by involving your security staff early on. You can get advice from security specialists on the best tools for your company.
- Putting speed ahead of quality. Speed is the main objective of DevOps. A secure and useful pipeline is the ultimate result of the DevSecOps shift. For effectively integrated security measures, further steps and time will be required.
- Not keeping track of the code. The DevSecOps team should continuously monitor the code because it is continually changing. New vulnerabilities may become apparent when new libraries, fixes, or configurations are introduced. It’s critical to watch constantly.
DevOps configuration management tools
As such, although automation, active monitoring, and a collaborative culture are similarities between DevOps vs DevSecOps, there are also significant distinctions. DevSecOps teams are concerned with application security across the product life cycle, while DevOps teams are more focused with application deployment frequency and performance. Businesses that are aware of DevOps and DevSecOps difference can alter their procedures in the best possible ways to maximize speed, agility, and security while also raising the overall effectiveness of the distribution pipeline.
