DevSecOps Explained - Security for DevOps in 2025
Today we’re diving into something that sounds a bit technical at first, but is actually super practical: DevSecOps.
If you’re in DevOps — or planning to get into it — security is not something you can afford to ignore anymore. And don’t worry, this isn’t going to be full of code or complex theory.
It’s a straightforward explanation to help you think like a secure DevOps engineer in 2025. Let’s get into it.
What exactly is DevSecOps?
Well, DevSecOps simply means: security isn’t something that comes in at the end — it’s something that’s part of the process from day one.
In the past, developers would write code, DevOps would deploy it, and only then would the security team show up and say, “Wait a second — is this safe?”
DevSecOps flips that around. It means we’re thinking about security from the beginning. It’s like buckling your seatbelt before the car starts moving — not after an accident happens.
And no, it doesn’t mean you need to become a cybersecurity expert. But if you’re touching infrastructure, automation, or CI/CD — then yes, security is part of your job.
Why is this especially important right now?
Because things are fast. Everything is automated. You’re deploying through pipelines, spinning up cloud infrastructure in seconds, managing services across environments.
And attackers are adapting to that.
They’re not just targeting websites anymore — they’re going after your pipelines, your cloud configs, your secrets, your state files.
All it takes is one exposed API key, one public S3 bucket, or one bad permission — and your whole system is at risk.
Plus, with growing compliance demands, customer expectations, and the pressure to move quickly — we simply can’t treat security like an afterthought anymore.
How do you actually start thinking like a DevSecOps engineer?
Let me walk you through a few simple — but powerful — things you can start doing right now.
No need to boil the ocean. Just start here:
1. Don’t hardcode secrets.
I know it’s tempting, but passwords, tokens, keys — they don’t belong in your code. Ever.
Store them safely. Use something like Vault, AWS Secrets Manager, or even your CI/CD platform’s built-in secrets.
Think about it like this — would you tape your house key to your front door? No? Then don’t leave credentials in your Git repo either.
2. Treat your infrastructure as code like it’s real code — because it is.
Terraform files, Kubernetes configs, Ansible playbooks — they can all introduce risks.
Use tools like tfsec, Checkov, or Snyk to scan for misconfigurations. They’ll catch things you might miss.
3. Lock down your pipelines.
Your CI/CD has a ton of power. It can deploy apps, spin up servers, change production.
That’s not something just anyone should have access to.
- Keep it controlled.
- Use approvals.
- Don’t give out admin access freely.
4. Be intentional with permissions.
Use the principle of least privilege.
Give people — and systems — only the access they actually need. Nothing more.
5. Don’t forget observability.
- Turn on logging.
- Monitor who’s doing what.
- Set up alerts for strange behavior.
You can’t respond to what you can’t see.
Now let me be honest…
Some of the biggest security issues I’ve seen didn’t come from complex hacks.
They came from simple, overlooked mistakes:
- Leaving an S3 bucket open “just for testing” and forgetting to close it
- Accidentally pushing secrets to a public Git repo
- Letting the whole team share a single admin account
- Storing sensitive Terraform state files locally, unencrypted
- Skipping proper environments and pushing straight to production because staging was down
Each of these might seem small in the moment — but they can open the door to serious problems later.
If you’re new to all this — where do you begin without feeling overwhelmed?
Here’s a simple place to start:
✅ Move your secrets out of your codebase
✅ Store your Terraform state in a secure, remote backend with locking
✅ Add one security scanner to your workflow — just one is already progress
✅ Review infrastructure changes like you review application code
✅ Enable basic logging and alerting
✅ And start asking the question: “What could go wrong if this fails or leaks?”
That mindset shift is huge.
Security isn’t about being paranoid — it’s about being prepared.
To wrap this up:
DevSecOps isn’t just a new tool or framework. It’s a way of working. You’re not just building systems that work — you’re building systems that are resilient, secure, and ready to scale.
Thanks for reading! Be sure to watch the video version for extra insights and helpful visuals.
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Is this content AI-generated?
Absolutely not! Every article is written by me, driven by a genuine passion for Docker and backed by decades of experience in IT. I do use AI tools to polish grammar and enhance clarity, but the ideas, strategies, and technical insights are entirely my own. While this might occasionally trigger AI detection tools, rest assured—the knowledge and experience behind the content are 100% real and personal.
