Last Updated on March 11, 2025 by Arnav Sharma

What are DevOps and DevSecOps?

DevOps is a hot topic in the tech industry, and for good reason. The benefits of DevOps are faster software development cycles, increased collaboration between development and operations teams, and more efficient use of resources–are well-documented. But what is DevSecOps?

Simply put, DevSecOps is the application of security best practices to the software development process. In other words, it’s about making security an integral part of the software development lifecycle instead of an afterthought.

There are many benefits to implementing DevSecOps in your organization. For one, it can help you avoid costly security breaches by identifying and addressing potential security vulnerabilities early on in the development process. Additionally, DevSecOps can help improve communication and collaboration between your security and development teams, which can lead to more secure code being released faster.

In recent years, the software development world has seen the rise of a new approach called DevOps. DevOps is a set of practices that aims to automate and improve the process of software delivery. DevOps is characterized by a focus on collaboration between developers and operations staff, as well as on automation of the software delivery process.

DevSecOps is a variation of DevOps that emphasizes security. DevSecOps aims to integrate security into the software development process in order to speed up delivery while still ensuring that applications are secure.

Both DevOps and DevSecOps are designed to improve the efficiency of software delivery. However, DevSecOps adds an extra layer of security to the process, which is essential in today’s environment of increasing cyber threats.

What’s the difference between DevOps and DevSecOps?

DevOps is a set of practices that combines software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The main goal of DevOps is to shorten the software development life cycle and provide continuous delivery of value to end users.

DevSecOps is a variation of DevOps that emphasizes security in the software development life cycle. The main goal of DevSecOps is to secure software applications from attacks throughout their lifecycle.

The key difference between DevOps and DevSecOps is that DevOps focuses on speed and efficiency, while DevSecOps focuses on security. Both approaches aim to improve the quality of software products and increase collaboration between development and operations teams. However, security is an essential part of modern software development, and it must be considered from the start to avoid costly vulnerabilities later on. DevSecOps is often compared to the DevOps model because of its similar goals. However, there are some important differences between the two approaches:

A key difference between DevSecOps and traditional software development is the focus on security throughout the entire software lifecycle. The DevSecOps methodology brings together developers and security specialists to ensure that security is included in all stages of development, including the initial design. This can be done by integrating security into the development process with tools such as static analysis, penetration testing, dynamic analysis and fuzzing. The DevSecOps approach is also more focused on the involvement of the entire software development team in the analysis of security risks.

The benefits of DevSecOps

DevOps has improved an organization’s ability to deliver features and updates faster, while reducing the number of failures. But what about security? Can DevOps help with that?

The answer is yes, and the practice is known as DevSecOps.

DevSecOps adds security into the mix from the start, rather than waiting until the end of the development process. By doing so, organizations can find and fix security vulnerabilities more quickly and prevent them from becoming costly problems later on.

In addition, DevSecOps can help reduce the amount of time it takes to deploy new features or updates. This is because security testing can be done in parallel with other tasks, such as code writing or system administration.

DevSecOps in your organization

DevOps is a culture and set of practices that seek to unify software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops). The goal of DevOps is to shorten the systems development life cycle and provide continuous delivery with high software quality. DevOps is complementary with agile software development; agile emphasizes working software, while DevOps emphasizes continuous delivery.

Organizations that want to implement DevSecOps need to start by identifying their goals and then developing a plan to achieve those goals. The goals may be to improve security and quality or to increase agility along with security.

FAQ – DevOps vs DevSecOps

Q: What is the difference between devops and devsecops?

A: DevOps is an approach that focuses on streamlining development and operations processes, while DevSecOps is an extension of DevOps that emphasizes incorporating security practices into the entire software development life cycle.

Q: How does devsecops differ from traditional security?

A: Traditional security is typically implemented by a separate security team that focuses on securing the production environment. DevSecOps, on the other hand, requires all team members to take responsibility for application security throughout the development process.

Q: What is the transition from devops to devsecops?

A: The transition from DevOps to DevSecOps involves incorporating security practices into the DevOps process. This includes using security tools and testing methodologies to ensure that security is integrated into every step of the application development and deployment process.

Q: What are the key differences between devsecops and devops?

A: DevSecOps extends DevOps by incorporating security practices into the development process. While DevOps focuses on improving collaboration between developers and operations teams, DevSecOps expands that collaboration to include security teams and practices.

Q: How are devsecops and devops similar?

A: Both DevOps and DevSecOps aim to streamline development and deployment processes, improve collaboration between teams, and incorporate automation and testing tools to ensure the quality and efficiency of software development.

Q: What is the difference between automated testing in devops and devsecops?

A: In DevOps, automated testing is typically focused on functionality and performance, while in DevSecOps, testing is conducted specifically to uncover security vulnerabilities and ensure that security is integrated into every stage of the development life cycle.

Q: What is rugged devops?

A: Rugged DevOps is an extension of DevOps that focuses on incorporating security into the development process, with an emphasis on building secure applications that can withstand attacks and remain resilient in the face of security threats.

Q: What are some of the key security practices that devsecops requires?

A: DevSecOps requires a comprehensive understanding of security issues, the ability to incorporate security into the development process at every stage, and the use of dynamic and interactive application security testing tools to uncover potential vulnerabilities.

Q: How does devsecops incorporate security into the devops process?

A: DevSecOps incorporates security practices into the entire DevOps process, including development, testing, deployment, and operations. This includes using security tools and practices to identify and address security vulnerabilities throughout the software development life cycle.

Q: What are some differences in the teams involved in devops vs devsecops?

A: In DevOps, there are typically separate teams for development and operations, while in DevSecOps, there is a third team dedicated specifically to security. Additionally, all team members in DevSecOps are responsible for application security.

Q: How is devsecops part of the larger devops movement?

A: DevSecOps evolved from the DevOps movement, which aimed to streamline development and deployment processes and improve collaboration between teams. DevSecOps extends this collaboration to include security teams and practices, making security a key component of the DevOps philosophy.

Q: What should be included in a devops to devsecops checklist?

A: The devops to devsecops checklist should encompass the steps and considerations required to integrate security into the existing devops framework, ensuring a smooth transition while maintaining the advantages of devops.

Q: How does the role of a developer change when transitioning from devops to devsecops?

A: Developers in devsecops have a lot more responsibility in ensuring security is integrated throughout the application lifecycle, unlike traditional devops where the focus might be more on speed and deployment.

Q: How critical is the pipeline in the devsecops model?

A: The devsecops pipeline is essential as it integrates security checks and measures directly into the software delivery process, ensuring applications are both fast and secure.

Q: What are the key steps for converting from devops to devsecops?

A: Converting from devops to devsecops involves integrating security into the devops approach, adopting devsecops practices, and ensuring that the devsecops team collaborates closely with devops engineers.

Q: Why is it essential to automate security in the devsecops approach?

A: Automating security in devsecops enables continuous and consistent security checks throughout the software development lifecycle, ensuring that vulnerabilities are caught early and mitigated promptly.

Q: What distinguishes the devsecops team from traditional devops teams?

A: Devsecops teams work with the primary purpose of integrating security into the devops process, emphasizing security measures, and ensuring they align with devops principles.

Q: Can you explain the core devops practices that are enhanced with devsecops?

A: Devops practices like continuous integration and continuous deployment are enhanced in devsecops by integrating security checks, dynamic application security testing, and making security a part of the entire lifecycle.

Q: How is the devsecops approach similar or different from traditional devops?

A: Devops and devsecops share many principles, but the main differences lie in the focus on security. Devsecops emphasizes the need for security integration at every stage, while traditional devops may prioritize speed and efficiency.

Q: What is the significance of dynamic application security testing in devsecops?

A: Dynamic application security testing is a part of devsecops practices that helps identify runtime vulnerabilities, ensuring that the application is not only functional but also secure against potential threats.

Q: How does devsecops enhance the traditional security process?

A: Devsecops integrates security measures directly into the devops pipeline, ensuring continuous security checks, and promoting a culture where security is everyone’s responsibility, not just a separate team.