The main focus of a DevSecOps environment is to protect data. That means the software development process puts security concerns into the mix at an early stage. Moreover, the development process seeks to consistently find ways to better secure the software that your organization produces.

Some of the benefits of this approach include cost savings, speed of development, reduction in compliance risks and an improved atmosphere of collaboration, innovation, and agility.

A DevSecOps approach to software development can help an organization create solutions that not only meet the need of customers but do so in the safest possible way. When the whole team accepts responsibility for security the product, the customer, and your company benefits.

DevOps Defined

DevOps is an approach to software development that includes the development of the application logic and UX as well as all the other resources that are needed to operate and maintain the software at scale securely, efficiently, and reliably. In other words, it is bringing the development and operations teams together. DevOps encourages the teams to work together throughout the process rather than focus only on their place in the software development process.

SecOps Defined

SecOps is an approach to software development that encourages both the security and operations teams to work together in a collaborative way throughout the process. SecOps integrates DevOps and Security best practices by including necessary security standards in the process. It ensures that security is embedded into every part of the DevOps lifecycle from inception through to maintenance. This approach enables your team to implement security actions at the same efficiency, reliability and scale as development and operations actions.

The Benefits of DevSecOps

Bringing together the advantages of DevOps and SecOps into a DevSecOps approach can be an advantage for your company. Some of the benefits for organizations that adopt the DevSecOps approach including cost savings, innovation and speed of the development process.

1. Branding

With a DevSecOps approach, your organization can benefit from an enhanced brand image and public relations that elevates your reputation in the industry and the larger marketplace. This happens because by considering security concerns of your software early in the development process results in a more secure product. This, in turn, leads to more customer confidence that you take their security and privacy issues seriously.

Focusing on fixing security issues at an early stage in development reduces the risk that your product will suffer an attack. This can also protect you from litigation if a hack does occur. These types of lawsuits can be expensive and also tarnish your reputation with consumers.

2. Cost

Organizations that use a DevSecOps approach will save on a number of different costs thanks to an early detection of security issues. One of the ways is that teams working together to fix security flaws early on in the development process helps protect your organization against non-compliance issues and higher security risks. In turn, preventing non-compliance issues and security risks can protect your organization against lawsuits.

Additionally, in software development having a security mindset among all your developing teams can make them alert about the coding and libraries they use. In particular, developers will be more mindful of whether there are vulnerabilities among them. That is another way that DevSecOps can save companies money. Being able to design a secure product from the early stages can save an organization money both on the time invested into developing the product as well as the resources used to develop it.

3. Compliance

As noted earlier, by using DevSecOps as an approach to your software development process, your organization can reduce the risk of non-compliance. The bigger risk of course is that you could face a lawsuit if your product does not have the most up-to-date security.

Putting security issues into the mix during the early stages of development helps reduce the risk. Your teams will be constantly looking for any security vulnerabilities or compliance issues, which leads to a product that is better designed to prevent attacks.

Automating the compliance component is another advantage for DevSecOps development. Companies that take a DevSecOps approach often automate the compliance testing stages, which simplifies the process and also speeds it up. Automating the reports and checks and balances benefits everyone on the team as well as your product.

4. Mindset

A DevSecOps approach creates an awareness of security issues in the development industry. It also creates a culture and atmosphere of openness and transparency, which leads to everyone constantly looking for ways to improve the product and its security.

5. Speed

With everyone working in a collaborative way, the development process can become leaner and faster. Identifying and fixing security issues throughout the process creates more responsiveness and agility in your teams. Moreover, the development process becomes more refined, which means that you will see a reduction in the amount of time it takes to develop a software solution for the market.

6. Innovation

Teams working in a DevSecOps environment are able to focus more on creating higher-value products. It can also give your employees more time to innovate because there will be less time spent on fixing and patching security vulnerabilities overall.

7. Consistency

An important benefit that comes from a DevSecOps approach is that you have a more stable and predictable operating environment. This means there is more consistency for your team, your process, and your customers.

Applying a DevSecOps approach for your teams involved in the software development process has a number of benefits and advantages for you and your customers. From a reduction in costs to less compliance risk to creating a more reliable and trustworthy product that enhances your reputation in the marketplace. Helping your teams adopt a security mindset in the early stages of the development process should be considered an investment in your product, workplace, and organization as a whole.