DevSecOps: Security Integrated into CI/CD

DevSecOps means security is not a separate phase. It is built into the daily work of development and operations. In CI/CD, security becomes a shared responsibility carried by the whole team.

To make this practical, teams add automated checks at different stages:

• SAST during code commit and pull requests to catch flaws early
• Software composition analysis to find risky libraries and licenses
• Infrastructure as code scanning before deployment to prevent misconfigurations
• Secrets detection to block keys and tokens in code or config
• Dynamic testing (DAST) on staging to uncover runtime flaws
• Runtime security and continuous monitoring after deployment

SBOM, the software bill of materials, helps track every component and its licenses. Policy as code turns security rules into machine checks, so gates can block unsafe changes or require approvals.

Getting started is easier than you think:

• Pick two or three checks that fit your pace
• Integrate SAST and secrets scanning into the pull request
• Add IaC scanning and SBOM reporting in the build

Then expand to include DAST and policy-based gates as your team matures. The goal is to keep feedback fast, avoid roadblocks, and raise the security baseline without slowing delivery. DevSecOps is not about slowing teams; it is about making secure software a natural part of every release.

Key Takeaways

• Security is integrated into CI/CD, not added at the end
• Automated checks and policy as code speed up secure releases
• Start small, measure impact, scale responsibly