SecDevOps is a software development method that places manual reviews, producing more efficient work.

For example, it
encourages devs to review altered bits of code instead of entire
security first. It relies on automation and a few best practices that
code bases.
keep production moving quickly. While this idea of "security as SecDevOps teams mainly review code with:
strategy" draws a lot of interest, putting it into practice takes
careful planning. Dynamic application security testing (DAST): Tests that
simulate outside attacks on a program.
What is SecDevOps?
Static application security testing (SAST): Tests that assess
SecDevOps is a software development approach focused on source code for built-in vulnerabilities
security. You could say it "moves security to the left" as the first
step in a project's life cycle. While other methods test security Infrastructure as code (IaC)
intermittently, SecDevOps places risk prevention first for more
resilient programs and a streamlined production pipeline. SecDevOps goes beyond code reviews and hones in on your IT
Instead of placing the burden of security on one team, infrastructure. Specifically, it streamlines the process of updating
SecDevOps makes it a shared responsibility. Everyone from your infrastructure. SecDevOps applies coding principles to your
senior devs to new hires learns the basic skills of a security data centers to:
analyst. With that in mind, SecDevOps ensures that each team
member:
Follows security best practices  Prevent security issues early on
Understands security principles  Maintain productivity on operations teams
 Deliver consistent, reliable programs
Relies on modern tools and automation to maintain efficiency  Create a flexible, adaptive environment for devs
Doesn’t waste time fixing vulnerabilities they missed earlier on  Allow team members to make changes without
While leaning into security may sound like a trade-off, the pros compromising overall systems
outweigh the cons. After all, SecDevOps isn’t a compromise—it’s
a response to modern security problems. This approach relies on How does SecDevOps work?
two main pillars: security as code (SaC) and infrastructure as
code (IaC). 1. Anticipate risk in the planning phase

Before a dev starts coding, they need to consider potential risks.

Security as code (SaC) You can avoid future costs or development slowdowns by
preventing these vulnerabilities in advance. To get ahead of
SaC works modern risk-prevention tools into your production security issues,
pipeline. AI-powered code checks and vulnerability scans replace
ask:
Have incident response systems been set in place? 4. Run automated tests
Does the program protect user data?
Does the code use tools with known security problems?
On top of manual reviews, use automation to scan for potential
Do you see outside methods of accessing the system?
safety issues. These scans act as a stress test for your code and
Does the code leverage authentication and authorization?
measure its ability to resist breaches. In many cases, AI-run tests
Is the user’s input sanitized to prevent security attacks?
can spot small issues more efficiently than manual reviews. Here
Does the code properly protect data related to any industry or
are a few examples of tests you can run:
federal data standards like GDPR or HIPAA?
Static application security testing to gauge code’s overall quality
2. Begin work in a test environment Dynamic application security testing to measure resistance to
outside attack
Your actual coding starts in a test environment. This means Application containers for vulnerable dependency analysis
ensuring all devs work within a version control management Software composition analysis (SCA) to find more automation
system. These systems help track changes to code over time. By opportunities and make a software bill of materials (SBOM)
highlighting who changed a line of code and when, it can help 5. Move to production
teams keep track of collaboration.
Note: As devs progress, they should stay alert for security risks.
Once the code passes each test, you can move your app to a
They can't anticipate all threats before this stage, so they may
production environment. Bear in mind that you want to consider
have to build more defenses over time.
security as the project continues, so devs should conduct
3. Conduct a manual code review additional reviews and go through more than one automated scan.
To go the extra mile, set up a security monitoring system during
After putting together their initial build, devs hand off their work for production.
review. At this stage, managers or senior developers check the
code for bugs and vulnerabilities. After identifying any problems,
the dev can make security configurations to fix them. SecDevOps best practices
While SecDevOps focuses on security, it encourages general
optimization. Outside of risk prevention, code review SecDevOps places security steps into each employee's workflow.
checklists should also consider: When risk prevention is the top priority, company policies and
Feature requirements practices need to reflect that. Without a centralized security team,
Readability every employee should follow these best practices. We'll break
Maintainability down the main ones below.
Performance and speed
Naming conventions.
Set clear security policies for staff regular processes, and reviews. Personal accountability will get
you far, but SecDevOps demands organization-wide commitment.
Managers and senior developers should monitor systems for
When talking about SecDevOps, the word “security: gets thrown
suspicious activity. This security-first mindset will spread more
around a lot. Even though security makes sense as a general
tenet, each business will embrace it differently. With that in mind, easily if leadership leads by example. You can also foster this
set clear definitions and security policies for your developers. culture of security by:
These rules should oversee:  Starting each project by outlining security concerns
 Testing guidelines  Locking down systems when they’re not in use
 Encryption rules  Integrating security checks into daily workflows
 Coding best practices  Consistently using security tools
 Code review standards  Sacrificing production speed for greater resilience
 Work device policies Incorporate version control practices and tools
 Clear guidelines won’t only stand in the way of data
breaches—they give your devs clear standards to follow. Version control, or the practice of managing and tracking software
The less confusion they have about their expectations, the changes, is crucial. Developers must leverage version control
better your end product will be. when working on scripts, templates, and apps. While version
control helps manage code changes and edits, it can also limit
Factor secure development into training risk. Specifically, it:
 Provides evidence of audits for legal compliance
 Whether you're hiring veteran developers or newcomers,  Points out when vulnerabilities entered a program
training is key to SecDevOps. Even experienced devs may  Traces suspicious additions or changes to code
need to adjust to a focus on security. While you don't need  Highlights features and builds open to data breaches
to train security experts, every new hire should undergo Automate standard processes
basic security training. The training should emphasize:
 Digital security best practices While DevOps focuses on automation to boost productivity, SecDevOps
 How to implement security into daily workflows uses it to mitigate risk. Automated processes and tools can speed up
 How to use basic security tools workflows without compromising security. Specifically, automation
 Standardized practices within your business covers repeatable tasks and frees up devs for more intricate ones.
 Team and individual expectations Automation can assist with:
Make security a business-wide priority  Code reviews
 Cutting latency issues
With SecDevOps, you can’t relegate security to one expert or  Identifying vulnerabilities
team—each team member needs to consider how they can  Rote work
prevent vulnerabilities. Integrate security concerns into training,