Four key tips to prioritize the security of DevOps tools and processes

Toolchains' are an integral part of any DevOps system, helping to simplify software application delivery, creation and management and deliver better products to both consumers and business units more efficiently and effectively.

DevOps adoption has grown rapidly, with many companies seeking routes for either implementing or expanding DevOps workflows within their IT departments.

It is therefore important to address this risk and maintain key resources and infrastructure if companies are to achieve positive DevOps results and progress on their digital transformation journeys. In order to do so, five key measures must be taken into account to prioritize the security of DevOps tools and processes:

1. Keep DevOps tools on the lockdown

Attackers need only leverage one vulnerability to achieve their task, so a holistic approach to resolve security requirements and possible vulnerabilities is necessary. It begins by protecting the secrets and passwords associated with DevOps and cloud management software in multi-factor authentication (MFA) safely encrypted vault.

Permissions of access should be checked so that access is only provided to prospective users. In other words, only when it is necessary to perform those activities, provide high-level access and ensure that this temporary use is closely monitored.

2. Keep your secrets safe in the code repositories

Over recent years, application repositories such as GitHub have become controversial due to IT departments leaving code over publicly accessible areas inappropriately. Thus, security teams must create risk-based policies for developers to ensure that such repositories are used.

Therefore companies are advised to use an on-site database rather than a cloud-based repository of code, and it can be achieved without affecting the workflow.

If this strategy is implemented, the next move is to search the system and ensure that any on-site software repositories from outside the network are unavailable. Furthermore, when cloud-based servers are used, security teams must ensure that they are privately configured.

Above all, every company must make sure the software is reviewed automatically to ensure that it does not contain secrets before it can be checked into any repository.

3. Manage privilege proliferation

Enforcing the least privilege rule should be a requirement for every business. This restricts the level of access for each client to DevOps tools required for their role. It will, however, be less successful when security teams do not configure DevOps tools to allow dual authorization for certain critical functions.

In addition, teams must maintain separation of tasks for building automation systems which often retain permission to perform all tasks without constraint, from building and testing to packaging.

4. Invest in securing the infrastructure

Cyber hackers are searching for the path of least resistance, and this is their target for many companies. Well-crafted phishing emails can often do the trick, so IT departments must ensure frequent patching, vulnerability scanning, and security monitoring of all workstations and databases.

Far from hardware, monitoring the cloud infrastructure for signs of irregular credential use or changes in the configuration is also critical. This means ensuring that VM and container images used in development and production environments come from and are kept up-to-date from a licensed source.

Security teams should also collaborate with their DevOps counterparts to automate the installation of VMs and containers so that when a new machine or container is spun, it is configured safely and equipped with correct controls without human involvement.