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Common Barriers to DevSecOps Adoption

by GuardRails on May 11, 2023

DevSecOps involves implementing security practices and tools in every stage of the software development lifecycle, from planning and design to deployment and operations. DevSecOps pipeline development aims to create a culture of security within an organization, where security is not seen as a separate function but as an integral part of the software development process.

The core principles of DevSecOps include automation, collaboration, and continuous improvement:

Automation is essential to ensure that security is integrated into every step of the software development process.
Collaboration is key to aligning the goals of development, security, and operations teams.
Continuous improvement is crucial to identifying and addressing security vulnerabilities and risks as they emerge.

DevSecOps relies on various technologies and tools to ensure secure software delivery. These include infrastructure as code (IaC), continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, vulnerability scanners, security testing tools, and log analysis tools.

What Are Some Common Barriers To DevSecOps Adoption?

While the adoption of DevSecOps can bring many benefits to an organization, such as faster time-to-market, improved security, and better collaboration between teams, there are common barriers that companies may face when implementing DevSecOps practices.

Below are some reasons and ways that companies may encounter these barriers:

Lack of Security Expertise

One of the most significant barriers to DevSecOps adoption is the lack of security expertise within the organization. Many developers and operations teams may lack the knowledge and skills to implement security practices into their workflows.

Cultural and Organizational Change

DevSecOps requires a culture of collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement. However, many organizations may have a traditional siloed culture that can make it difficult to implement DevSecOps practices.

Tooling and Technical Automation Challenges

DevSecOps relies heavily on automation and tooling, which can be a barrier for organizations that lack the resources or expertise to implement these tools. If teams do not have the necessary skills and tools to identify and remediate security issues, it can hinder the adoption of DevSecOps practices.

Cultural and Organizational Barriers

DevSecOps requires a culture of collaboration and communication between development, security teams, and operations teams. If teams work in silos and do not collaborate, it can hinder the adoption of DevSecOps practices. Below are some specific ways that siloed teams and lack of collaboration can mar the progress of DevSecOps adoption:

Limited Visibility into Security Risks

If teams work in silos, it can limit visibility into security risks across the organization. For example, if the security team is not involved in the development process, they may not have visibility into the security risks associated with the code being developed. This can lead to missed security issues not being addressed until it’s too late.

Duplication of Effort

If teams work in silos, it can lead to duplication of effort. For example, if the development team creates its security testing tools, it can lead to duplication of effort and a lack of consistency in testing practices across the organization.

Lack of Accountability

If teams work in silos, it can lead to a lack of accountability for security-related issues. For example, if a security issue is identified during the development process, it may not be clear which team is responsible for addressing the issue, leading to delays in remediation.

Strategies to Overcome Cultural and Organizational Barriers

Spreading awareness about cross-functional collaboration is essential for successfully adopting DevSecOps practices. Moreover, organizations should align the goals of development, security, and operations teams to promote collaboration. This can be achieved by creating shared objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) that all teams can work towards. This approach can help to break down silos and create a culture of collaboration by:

Aligning goals
Involving all teams in planning
Using shared tools and platforms
Providing cross-functional training
Encouraging continuous feedback and improvement

Technical Barriers

When not addressed well, technical barriers can lead to security breaches and vulnerabilities, impacting the organization’s bottom line and reputation. Additionally, technical barriers can slow down software delivery, leading to delays and increased costs to remediate issues later in the software delivery pipeline. The following are some technical factors hindering DevSecOps adoption:

Lack of Leadership Buy-In

Without buy-in and support from senior leadership, it can be difficult to implement DevSecOps practices across the organization. This can lead to limited resources, a lack of accountability for security-related issues, and team resistance to change.

Lack Of Security Controls and Secure Coding Practices

Organizations should prioritize security controls and secure coding practices to successfully implement DevSecOps practices and realize the benefits of faster time-to-market, improved security, and better collaboration between teams. This can be achieved by integrating security into every stage of the software development lifecycle, investing in training programs for staff, and implementing security controls and tools that align with existing workflows.

Legacy Systems

Legacy systems may not be designed for modern DevSecOps practices, making integrating them into a DevSecOps pipeline challenging. These systems often lack the flexibility and adaptability of more modern solutions, and are often monolithic, meaning that they are tightly integrated and difficult to modify without causing disruptions to other parts of the system.

Overcoming Technical Barriers

DevSecOps is becoming increasingly critical for organizations to stay competitive and secure in the ever-evolving digital landscape. This approach can help organizations deliver secure software faster and with higher quality, reducing the risk of security breaches and vulnerabilities. Here are some steps towards overcoming technical barriers:

Follow the Secure Coding Process

Training coders to code securely can help organizations adopt DevSecOps practices by identifying and addressing security risks early, promoting a culture of security awareness, aligning coding practices with security objectives, and building developer skills and expertise. By prioritizing secure coding practices, organizations can improve the security of their software applications, reduce the risk of security breaches and vulnerabilities, and realize the benefits of faster time-to-market, improved security, and better collaboration between teams.

Promote Shared Responsibility

Cross-team ownership promotes a shared responsibility for security and quality throughout the software development lifecycle. By working together from the start, teams can ensure that security requirements and controls are integrated into the development process, reducing the risk of security breaches and vulnerabilities.

Value Automated Vulnerability Management

By using automated vulnerability management tools, organizations can streamline vulnerability scanning and analysis. These tools can scan software applications for known vulnerabilities, provide recommendations for remediation, and track the progress of remediation efforts.

Providing training on secure coding practices, establishing clear ownership and accountability for security, adopting a Shift-left approach, and prioritizing accelerated security vulnerability patching. By addressing these barriers, organizations can realize the benefits of faster time-to-market, improved security, and better collaboration between teams.

Recap

Here’s a recap of barriers to DevSecOps adoption:

Siloed Teams and Lack of Collaboration

Siloed teams and lack of collaboration can hinder the adoption of DevSecOps practices. To overcome this barrier, organizations can prioritize building a culture of collaboration and security awareness, investing in automation and tooling, and establishing clear ownership and accountability for security.

Lack of Security Controls and Secure Coding Practices

The lack of security controls and secure coding practices can also hinder DevSecOps adoption. To overcome this barrier, organizations can provide training on secure coding practices, invest in automated security testing and analysis tools, and integrate security into the software development process from the start.

Barriers to Legacy Systems

Legacy systems can also challenge DevSecOps adoption. Developers must first assess the existing system architecture and identify any vulnerabilities or potential security risks. Once these issues are identified, developers can implement the necessary changes to ensure the legacy system is compatible with DevSecOps practices.

Conclusion

With the increasing threat of cyber attacks and data breaches, the adoption of DevSecOps is becoming increasingly important for businesses of all sizes.

GuardRails is designed to effortlessly integrate security scanning tools into your development process and provide real-time guidance to fix vulnerabilities early. We help by putting the Sec in DevSecOps and shifting security everywhere. You can learn more about our approach in this free white paper.