Previously regarded as an afterthought, application security is a critical element of any application development process. As more applications move to the cloud, there are growing concerns about external threats and breaches. 

Today, “security” as a term is not just about the supporting infrastructure or the network. There is increasing emphasis on building security within the application itself.

Application security is the domain for following the best practices during application development. It aims to protect the application code and data from a breach or compromise. Effectively, it minimizes the probability of hackers gaining unauthorized access to applications, data, and the underlying system.

Even with all its advantages, product companies find it challenging to secure their applications in a constantly changing IT environment. Here is a look at the leading challenges for building secure applications and how to overcome them by adopting DevSecOps.

Challenges to Building Secure Applications

Software companies continue to follow a “reactive” approach to application security. Instead, a “proactive” approach is necessary to prevent a security issue from becoming a major problem.

Here are five challenges facing product companies that hinder them from building secure products: 

1. Multiple Platforms

In the modern app development environment, applications are typically spread across multiple platforms. This includes the web, mobile platforms, and desktops, thus increasing the surface attack for external threats. And companies often release new applications without following the necessary security protocols. Additionally, each platform adopts its security framework, which is challenging for security professionals to learn and grasp.

2. The Shift to the DevOps Model

By integrating both Development and Operations, product companies are leveraging benefits like faster product releases and high-quality apps. To implement DevOps, organizations are migrating to the IaaS model, which is much easier to configure. Developers are also creating new infrastructure code that dynamically creates server instances for automatic code deployment.

However, with the shift to DevOps, security professionals also face challenges like adapting to a continuous development cycle and changing configurations.

3. Talent Shortage

With more new applications, there is a serious shortage of skilled professionals required to secure these apps. App development trends like containers and microservices are also outpacing the time that security experts need to master new techniques.

Additionally, product companies are working in multi-cloud environments, each of which has specific security requirements. In this age, application security is a specialized field where formal education is not sufficient to train professionals. Adding to the challenge, experienced app security professionals are costly to hire and retain.

To meet the talent shortage, companies need to partner with professional security consultants.

Also Read: The Security Challenge In DevOps And The Rise Of DevSecOps

4. Specialized Skills

Despite growing security awareness, the reality is that DevOps team members cannot address security concerns within applications. They do not train for this function. Be it developers or operational teams, app security is not their focus area. Effective application security requires people with specialized skills who can work in tandem with the DevOps team.

The best solution to this challenge is to hire security specialists either internally or externally (or a mix of both).

5. New App Build Methods

Traditional applications were monolithic in design, where developers wrote build code for the main server. Now, product companies are shifting from monolithic to microservices, which contain smaller and multiple units that are packaged together. Modern apps are also a collection of cloud-native containers (using APIs).

Unfavorably, cybercriminals can exploit the microservices architecture (with any security-related vulnerability).

How can DevSecOps help organizations overcome these app security challenges? Let’s discuss that in the following section.

What Is DevSecOps and How Can It Secure Applications?

DevSecOps is a collaboration of Development and Operations teams (or DevOps) to integrate security in their application development. As the latest practice, DevSecOps incorporates application security from the early phases of software development.

How is DevSecOps different from DevOps? DevOps essentially accelerates product delivery. DevSecOps compliments the DevOps approach by delivering secure apps faster to the customer. At its core, DevSecOps integrates security into every stage of SDLC, from development to the build and production.

In the DevSecOps environment, security is not the sole responsibility of the IT security team. Instead, it is the shared responsibility of every stakeholder including development, build, and operations teams.

Through the fusion of DevOps and application security, DevSecOps can drive transformation by:

• Leveraging the “Shift-left” approach to fix security-related issues early in the development phase.

• Integrating security-related best practices in the development workflow and CI/CD process.

• Developing a “shared” organizational culture that underlines the importance of app security.

• Embracing cloud-native features with security to streamline the app development process.

• Implementing Agile security that begins with a minimum viable security for delivered applications followed by continuous and incremental improvements.

• Adopting a “programmatic” approach to app security through continuous improvements.

Benefits of Adopting DevSecOps to Build Secure Products

Adopting DevSecOps, an integrated approach that combines development, security, and operations, offers numerous advantages for building secure products. This methodology ensures that security is a core component throughout the entire development lifecycle, resulting in robust and resilient software. Here are some key benefits:

• Early Detection and Mitigation of Vulnerabilities: Integrating security practices early in the development process helps identify and address vulnerabilities before they become critical issues.

• Enhanced Collaboration: DevSecOps fosters a culture of collaboration among development, security, and operations teams, leading to more cohesive and efficient workflows.

• Improved Compliance: Continuous monitoring and automated compliance checks ensure that the software adheres to industry standards and regulations.

• Faster Time-to-Market: Streamlined processes and automated security testing reduce bottlenecks, allowing for quicker product releases without compromising security.

• Cost Savings: Early vulnerability detection and automated testing reduce the costs associated with fixing security issues later in the development cycle.

• Increased Customer Trust: Delivering secure products enhances customer confidence and protects the company’s reputation.

• Continuous Improvement: The feedback loop in DevSecOps promotes ongoing improvement in security practices and product quality.

The Way Forward with DevSecOps

As applications become larger and more complex, traditional security practices can no longer safeguard them from external threats. DevSecOps is an efficient framework that ensures faster application releases along with an improved security framework. With its “Shift-left” approach, DevSecOps uses a variety of app security testing tools that can work at various stages of the CI/CD pipeline.

As a product development company, Forgeahead understands the importance of delivering secure products to the market. For us, DevSecOps is all about securing the product development process. With our DevOps expertise, we can help in embedding app security seamlessly into product development. 

Get a free estimate for your next application development project from us. Talk to our consultants today.

FAQ

How does DevSecOps differ from traditional security practices?

Traditional security practices often involve a separate team that performs security checks at the end of the development cycle. DevSecOps, on the other hand, integrates security throughout the development process, enabling continuous testing, feedback, and improvement.

What tools are commonly used in a DevSecOps pipeline?

Common tools include static code analysis tools like SonarQube, dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools like OWASP ZAP, dependency management tools like Snyk, container security tools like Aqua, and CI/CD tools like Jenkins and GitLab.

How does automation benefit DevSecOps?

Automation in DevSecOps ensures that security checks are consistently applied throughout the development process, reducing human error and speeding up the detection and remediation of security issues. Automated tools can perform static and dynamic analysis, scan for vulnerabilities, and monitor systems continuously.

What is the role of continuous monitoring in DevSecOps?

Continuous monitoring involves tracking the security posture of applications and infrastructure in real-time. It helps detect and respond to threats quickly, ensuring that vulnerabilities are identified and mitigated promptly.

How does DevSecOps improve the overall quality of software products?

By integrating security into every phase of development, DevSecOps ensures that security issues are identified and addressed early, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities in the final product. This leads to higher quality, more secure software, and can also improve performance and reliability.

How does DevSecOps support compliance and regulatory requirements?

DevSecOps helps organizations meet compliance and regulatory requirements by ensuring that security practices are consistently applied and documented throughout the development process. Automated tools can generate reports and logs that demonstrate compliance with standards such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.