E-Handbook: Secure DevOps brings better, faster, safer software Article 1 of 2

The time to secure DevOps is here -- but how?

The DevOps methodology was birthed by the necessity for improved communication between software developers and operations teams. DevOps brings together the developer and operations sides of software creation and delivery to speed up and smooth out the process. When DevOps works well, users get better-working software that has new features and gets bugs fixed more regularly.

For a long time, security was viewed as the speed bump that slowed down the glorious machinery of creation and improvement. But soon enough, it became clear that a secure DevOps process was essential to the business of software creation and launching. And thus, DevSecOps was born -- or at least the realization of its desirability. Knowing what you need is step one. Knowing how to get it is the essential step two.

When it comes to software creation using the DevSecOps approach, security is -- to use a popular phrase -- "baked into" the software development and delivery process. This involves such things as learning how to embed security controls in the software development lifecycle, using configuration management tools, monitoring logs and events and performing vulnerability assessments, among others. The goal is to create more secure applications and infrastructures.

Sound complicated? It sure ain't easy. That's why it's essential to stay up to date on the recommendations of experts who follow this field closely. It's important to gather knowledge and plan before launching an initiative. DevSecOps will involve the building of a professional team skilled in both software creation and security and trained in DevOps methodology. It will require staying informed on vendors' latest offerings of the tools that enable a secure DevOps operation to thrive.