Exploring 10 DevSecOps tools for Optimal Security

In the rapidly evolving world of software development, the integration of security at every stage is becoming increasingly important. The DevSecOps approach, which brings together development, security, and operations teams, is at the forefront of this shift. A key component of successful DevSecOps implementation is the use of specialized tools that ensure security is embedded throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). In this article, we delve into the world of DevSecOps tools, spotlighting the top ten options that can significantly enhance an organization’s security posture.

But first, lets define what DevSecOps is.

What is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps, which is a combination of the terms “Development”, “Security”, and “Operations”, is a philosophy or practice that emphasizes the need for security in the continuous development cycle of an application. It’s essentially a natural evolution of the DevOps methodology, but with an added focus on security.

The core idea behind DevSecOps is to integrate security practices into the DevOps workflow rather than leaving them to the end of the development pipeline. Traditional methods often see security testing as a final step in application or product development. This can lead to delays in deployment, as well as the possibility of discovering serious security issues late in the development process.

In a DevSecOps culture, everyone involved in the development cycle is responsible for security. Security practices are integrated from the start of development and are automated as much as possible to reduce human error. This approach aims to deliver a rapid, yet highly secure, continuous delivery system. This is often implemented with a “shift-left” approach, which means introducing security as early as possible in the lifecycle, instead of waiting until later stages.

Benefits of DevSecOps

DevSecOps can help organizations:

1. Find and fix security issues earlier in the development cycle, which can lead to significant cost and time savings.
2. Develop a culture where everyone considers security in their day-to-day work.
3. Enable faster, more effective response to security issues when they arise.
4. Automate security protocols to reduce the risk of human error.

Overall, it leads to more secure software and infrastructure, better risk management, and improved compliance with security standards.

Let’s explore the tools used in DevSecOps.

Categorizing DevSecOps tools

DevSecOps tools can be broadly categorized into the following:

Code Analysis and Testing

Code analysis and testing tools help organizations identify security vulnerabilities and defects in the code. In addition, these tools can be used to identify vulnerabilities during the development stage itself, thus reducing the cost and effort involved in fixing them at a later stage.

Container Security

Container security tools assist in securing containerized environments by scanning container images for vulnerabilities and ensuring compliance with security policies.

Vulnerability Management

Vulnerability management tools detect and remediate vulnerabilities in an organization’s applications and infrastructure.

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

SIEM tools aid in monitoring networks, systems, and applications for security events and provide real-time alerts and reports.

Web Application Firewall (WAF)

Finally, WAF tools allow organizations to protect their web applications from attacks by inspecting and filtering incoming traffic and blocking malicious requests.

10 Best DevSecOps Tools

Here are the ten best DevSecOps tools that organizations can adopt to improve their security posture:

StackHawk

StackHawk is a modern application security platform that integrates security testing into the development process. It is a SaaS-based platform that helps organizations find and fix security vulnerabilities in their applications early.

One great thing about StackHawk is that it provides a variety of testing tools, including dynamic application security testing (DAST), static application security testing (SAST), and interactive application security testing (IAST). Additionally, it integrates with popular development tools such as Jira, GitHub, and Slack.

StackHawk is also available as a command-line interface (CLI) tool that developers can use to scan their applications for vulnerabilities from their local machines.

Benefits:

• Provides various testing tools that cover all aspects of application security testing.
• Integrates with popular development tools, making incorporating security testing into the development process easy.
• Provides real-time feedback to developers, enabling them to quickly identify and fix security vulnerabilities.

Drawbacks:

• It may be difficult for non-technical users to use the CLI tool.
• StackHawk is a paid platform and may only be affordable for some organizations.

OWASP ZAP

OWASP ZAP is an open-source web application security scanner that helps organizations find security vulnerabilities in their web applications. It provides various scanning tools, including automated and manual testing, and integrates with popular development tools such as Jira, Jenkins, and Zapier. OWASP ZAP is actively maintained by a community of developers and security experts and is regularly updated with the latest security vulnerabilities and threats.

Benefits:

• It is an open-source, free platform with a large community of developers and security experts.
• Supplies a variety of scanning tools that cover all aspects of web application security testing.
• It makes it simple to incorporate security testing into the development process by integrating it with well-known development tools.

Drawbacks:

• It may be difficult for non-technical users to use the tool.
• As an open-source platform, it may provide a different level of support and features than paid platforms.

Aqua Security

Aqua Security is a container security platform that helps organizations secure their containerized environments. It provides many security tools, including container image scanning, runtime protection, and compliance checks. Additionally, Aqua Security can be used with container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes, Docker, and OpenShift.

Benefits:

• It delivers comprehensive security tools for containerized environments.
• Integrates with popular container orchestration platforms, making the process of integrating security testing into the development process painless.
• It offers real-time protection against container vulnerabilities and attacks.

Drawbacks:

• Aqua Security is a paid platform and may be costly for small organizations.

Sysdig Secure

Sysdig Secure is another container security platform that helps organizations protect their containerized environments. It delivers multiple security tools, including vulnerability scanning, runtime protection, and compliance checks. Much like the previous options, Sysdig Secure can be leveraged with various container orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes, Docker, and OpenShift.

Benefits:

• It delivers comprehensive security tools for containerized environments.
• Integrates with popular container orchestration platforms, making integrating security testing into the development process straightforward.
• It provides real-time protection against container vulnerabilities and attacks.

Drawbacks:

• Sysdig Secure is a paid platform and may be expensive for small organizations.

Nessus

Nessus is a vulnerability management tool developed by Tenable that helps organizations detect and remediate vulnerabilities in their applications and infrastructure. It provides various scanning tools, including vulnerability scanning, configuration auditing, and compliance checks. In addition, Nessus can be used with a variety of operating systems and devices.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive vulnerability management tools for applications and infrastructure.
• Integrates with popular development and security tools such as Splunk, McAfee, and Tenable.io.
• Real-time protection against vulnerabilities and attacks.

Drawbacks:

• Nessus is a paid platform and may only be affordable for some organizations.

Snort

Snort is an open-source intrusion detection and prevention system that helps organizations monitor their networks for security events. It provides real-time alerts and reports for security events and can be used with various operating systems.

Benefits:

• Open-source, free platform with a large community of developers and security experts.
• Real-time monitoring and alerts for security events.
• It can be customized to fit the organization’s specific security requirements.

Drawbacks:

• It may be difficult for non-technical users to use the tool.
• As an open-source platform, it may provide a different level of support and features than paid platforms.

Elastic SIEM

Elastic SIEM is a security information and event management (SIEM) tool that helps organizations monitor their networks, systems, and applications for security events. Moreover, Elastic SIEm provides real-time alerts and reports for security events and can be used with a variety of operating systems.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive security monitoring tools for networks, systems, and applications.
• Integrates with popular development and security tools such as Jira, GitHub, and Slack.
• Real-time monitoring and alerts for security events.

Drawbacks:

• Elastic SIEM is a paid platform and may only be affordable for some organizations.

ModSecurity

ModSecurity is an open-source web application firewall (WAF) that helps organizations protect their web applications from attacks. It inspects and filters incoming traffic and blocks malicious requests. Additionally, web servers such as Apache, Nginx, and IIS can use ModSecurity.

Benefits:

• Open-source platform that is free to use and has a large community of developers and security experts.
• Real-time protection against web application attacks.
• Customizable to fit the organization’s specific security requirements.

Drawbacks:

• It may be difficult for non-technical users to use the tool.
• As an open-source platform, it may provide an insufficient level of support and features than paid platforms.

Burp Suite

Burp Suite is a web application testing tool that helps organizations identify and exploit security vulnerabilities in their web applications. It provides a diverse set of testing tools, including web application scanning, proxying, and manual testing. In addition, Burp Suite can be used with a variety of operating systems.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive set of testing tools for web applications.
• Integrates with popular development and security tools such as Jira, Zapier, and Jenkins.
• Customizable to fit the organization’s specific security requirements.

Drawbacks:

• Burp Suite is a paid platform and may not be affordable for small organizations.
• It may be difficult for non-technical users to use the tool.

GitGuardian

GitGuardian is a code analysis tool that helps organizations identify and remediate security vulnerabilities in their code. It scans public and private repositories for secrets such as API keys, tokens, and passwords. GitGuardian can be used with code hosting platforms like GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive scanning tools for secrets in code.
• Integrates with popular code hosting platforms, making incorporating security testing into the development process painless.
• Offers real-time feedback to developers, enabling them to identify and fix security vulnerabilities quickly.

Drawbacks:

• GitGuardian is a paid platform and may need to be more affordable for small organizations.
• It may provide a different level of security testing tools than other paid platforms.

Beyond DevSecOps Tools

In conclusion, organizations adopting a DevSecOps approach must use the right tools and technologies to improve their security posture. The ten DevSecOps tools mentioned in this article cover various aspects of security testing, vulnerability management, container security, SIEM, and web application security. While each tool has its benefits and drawbacks, organizations must choose the tools that best suit their specific security requirements and budget.

It is also worth noting that some tools mentioned in this article are open-source, while others are paid platforms. Therefore, organizations must consider the pros and cons of each tool before making a decision.

This post was originally written for and published by StackHawk.com