In recent years, DevSecOps swiftly emerged as a crucial new paradigm in software development, prioritizing the integration of security into DevOps practices.
Rooted in core principles and best practices, the DevSecOps approach goes beyond treating security as an afterthought, making it an integral part of the entire software development life cycle (SDLC).
Recognizing the need for mature DevSecOps practices to meet the demands of rapidly delivering high-quality, secure, and reliable software, technology teams find themselves facing a challenge – assessing their progress and charting the course toward the next level of maturity.
Agile frameworks and DevOps strategies dominate the field of software development. Application security often takes a back seat, especially during implementation.
To address this, consider the concept of a DevSecOps maturity model, which offers organizations a structured framework to navigate their journey. As with software supply chains, you can measure maturity and identify where to start improving your processes.
In this blog post, we dive into the concept of a maturity model within the context of DevSecOps, shedding light on its nuances and underscoring the myriad benefits it offers to organizations.
Navigating DevSecOps demands a structured approach. That's precisely where a DevSecOps maturity model becomes indispensable.
A maturity model serves as a compass, guiding organizations to assess their current standing in the journey toward DevSecOps, evaluate the proximity to their ultimate objectives, and strategically chart the course for the next steps in their evolution.
To be effective, a comprehensive DevSecOps maturity model must address pivotal questions that form the bedrock of an organization’s security strategy:
While there is no required industry standard for DevSecOps maturity, most frameworks enlist a multistage approach that provides a pathway to success.
Implementing DevSecOps can be challenging, necessitating a proper transition through a maturity model.
The following transformation stages enable organizations to evaluate their progress and maturity during DevSecOps implementation, allowing them to continually refine their approaches:
Navigating these stages empowers organizations to ascend the DevSecOps maturity ladder, adapting their practices to align with the evolving landscape of secure and efficient software development.
In consideration of these stages of transformation, the Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) provides a comprehensive DevSecOps maturity model, offering organizations a clear roadmap to fortify their security posture.
As just one example of a structured approach to DevSecOps, the OWASP DevSecOps Maturity Model (DSOMM) serves as a crucial guide to rectify this oversight, offering organizations a roadmap to bolster their DevOps strategies with a focus on security.
DSOMM addresses the tendency to neglect security in continuous integration environments, particularly within containerization frameworks like Docker.
DSOMM ensures that security becomes an inherent part of the development process by emphasizing the integration of security measures throughout the SDLC, similar to the functions served by DevSecOps tools and security testing methodologies.
Within a DevOps strategy, DSOMM encourages meticulous testing of components, such as application libraries and operating system libraries within Docker images, to identify and address known vulnerabilities.
In the face of intelligent and creative attackers, DSOMM provides forward-looking principles and measures, empowering organizations to proactively counteract potential threats. Aligning DevOps practices with DSOMM guidelines enables organizations to build resilient defenses against evolving security challenges.
This model defines four maturity levels, each representing a stage of evolution in integrating security practices into an SDLC.
At this initial stage, organizations gain a fundamental awareness of security practices. This involves recognizing the importance of security but may lack a systematic approach to implementing security measures.
As organizations progress to Level 2, they begin to actively adopt basic security practices. This includes integrating security into the development process, conducting regular security assessments, and implementing basic security controls.
Level 3 signifies a high level of maturity, with organizations extensively adopting security practices throughout the software development lifecycle. This involves automated security testing, continuous monitoring, and proactive threat intelligence integration.
The pinnacle of maturity is reached at Level 4, where organizations achieve advanced deployment of security practices at scale. This involves automation at every phase, real-time threat detection, and a proactive approach to addressing emerging security challenges.
This maturity model overall provides a structured path for organizations to advance through these maturity levels, ensuring a holistic and continuous improvement in their DevSecOps capabilities.
Implementation of a DevSecOps maturity model yields a plethora of benefits, such as the following, that contribute to the overall success of an organization’s software development endeavors:
A DevSecOps maturity model serves as a valuable guide for organizations striving to fortify their security practices within software development.
By understanding DevSecOps maturity model concepts, such as those contained in OWASP’s DSOMM, organizations can not only enhance security but also potentially reap numerous benefits from cost reduction to improved customer experience.
DevSecOps is not just a methodology — it's a mindset that ensures security remains a core component of software development. Explore DevSecOps maturity models to build more reliable and secure software ecosystems.