How do we bridge the gap between DevOps and Security to implement a true DevSecOps culture?

All answers to this question.

The trick is to automate security as much as possible so it becomes part of the existing developer workflow. Instead of manual reviews at the end, integrate Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Software Composition Analysis (SCA) directly into their IDEs and build pipelines. This gives them real-time feedback on vulnerabilities as they write code. Also, establish "Security Champions" within the dev teams—developers who are trained in security and can advocate for best practices. This peer-to-peer approach is much more effective than security "policing" from the outside.

   Answered 2024-06-07 by Angela Thompson

Automation is great, but how are you handling the false positives that SAST tools often generate? If the developers get twenty false alerts for every real bug, won't they just start ignoring the security reports entirely to meet their sprint deadlines and deployment targets?

   Answered 2024-06-09 by Kevin Barker

• Kevin, we handle that by tuning our rulesets strictly. We only break the build for "High" or "Critical" vulnerabilities that are confirmed. For anything else, it’s just a warning. This maintains the "speed of dev" while ensuring that the most dangerous flaws never make it into production.

     Commented 2024-06-11 by Heather Collins

We found that providing "Remediation Guidance" alongside the vulnerability report was the key. Developers don't mind fixing bugs if you tell them exactly how to do it within the tool they are already using.

   Answered 2024-06-13 by Timothy Reed

• I agree, Timothy. We used a tool that provided code snippets for the fixes. It turned a security hurdle into a learning opportunity for our junior developers, which they actually appreciated.

     Commented 2024-06-15 by Angela Thompson