Best DevSecOps Tools in 2024

What is DevSecOps?

DevSecOps, which combines development, security, and IT operations, builds upon the foundations of DevOps, focusing on efficient and secure development practices. DevOps, a methodology for swiftly creating, testing, and deploying software, relies on automation and management tools to streamline workflows and foster collaboration between development and operations teams.

DevSecOps software takes this a step further, integrating cybersecurity measures into the development process itself. In continuous delivery environments, cybersecurity challenges often arise due to the integration of various open-source components and APIs by developers. These components may have different security standards and statuses, posing multiple potential vulnerabilities that are challenging to manage and monitor.

Moreover, even minor code changes can introduce unexpected bugs or security loopholes, necessitating reactive responses from security professionals. DevSecOps tools address these issues by promoting a proactive approach to security, enabling teams to build inherently secure code from the outset rather than retrofitting security measures afterward.

DevOps revolves around three core elements: organizational culture, processes, and technology/tools. These elements work together to facilitate collaboration between development and IT operations teams, enabling them to deliver software more rapidly, iteratively, and adaptively compared to traditional development methodologies.

What are DevSecOps tools?

DevSecOps tools foster collaboration among development, security, and IT operations teams in software or app development. They prioritize security throughout the entire DevOps workflow, rather than adding it as an afterthought to finished products. These tools enable automated or semi-automated detection of vulnerabilities, tracking of bugs, and remediation throughout the planning, building, coding, testing, and deployment phases.

Traditionally, security has been an add-on after the initial development phase or sometimes managed separately from the finished product by different teams. With recent concerns over software vulnerabilities, DevSecOps security tools have gained popularity for seamlessly integrating proactive threat management solutions. They provide a platform where development, Information Technology (IT), and security teams can effectively follow best practices and exchange knowledge. Moreover, they streamline product delivery by eliminating the need to transfer finished products between separate teams before deployment.

DevSecOps platform combines aspects of both application security tools and integrated development environment (IDE) software. In contrast to tools within these categories, DevSecOps tools frequently offer approaches to merge existing tools into a cohesive platform or deliver modular services to supplement absent elements in alternative solutions.

Why are DevSecOps tools important?

Modern DevOps principles contribute to the competitiveness of companies by enabling rapid product updates and issue resolution. Through automation of repetitive tasks and fostering effective collaboration among team members, businesses achieve agile workflows, swiftly realizing product decisions.

However, in the face of such rapid development, ensuring cybersecurity standards align with best practices to mitigate security risks poses a challenge. Even proficient cybersecurity professionals may struggle to keep pace with the ever-evolving product development environment.

DevSecOps tools address this disparity by integrating security tasks into the DevOps pipeline. By integrating security measures into the DevOps process and automating regular checks and updates, DevSecOps software improves DevOps environments. The importance of DevSecOps security tools can be understood by the following;

• Mitigating risks: DevOps' rapid pace and continual evolution introduce numerous potential security risks. DevSecOps software aims to detect and remediate current and future security vulnerabilities arising from ongoing development, enabling DevOps teams to maintain agility while ensuring security.
• Alleviating workloads: In the absence of DevSecOps tools, cybersecurity professionals must continuously review code changes and updates to uphold rigorous security standards. Proposed product updates often introduce unforeseen vulnerabilities, requiring prompt attention. DevSecOps platform automates much of the vetting process involved in maintaining cybersecurity, promptly alerting users to security issues as they arise. This alleviates the workload of cybersecurity professionals, enabling them to play a more proactive role within the DevOps environment.

Best features of DevSecOps tool

Following are some of the key features of DevSecOps tools;

1. Automation: DevSecOps solutions automate numerous tasks involved in maintaining robust security standards throughout development cycles. Depending on the product, these tools can automatically execute penetration tests, monitor open-source components for real-time vulnerabilities, and scan code for potential security weaknesses. This alleviates the burden on users, enabling them to focus on core development tasks without being hindered by security maintenance.
2. Customization: Tools used in DevSecOps offer users the flexibility to define their own testing and scanning parameters before automating these processes. Given that the priority levels of different security risks may vary across companies' development environments, customization is vital to address specific requirements effectively.
3. Task management: The majority of DevSecOps software enables administrators to assign tasks to team members, establish priorities, and track the status of security-related activities. Upon detection of an issue, cybersecurity professionals can coordinate a cohesive response to ensure appropriate risk management.
4. Reporting: Both cybersecurity professionals and developers rely on the reporting features provided by DevSecOps software, which promptly alert users to various security vulnerabilities and provide detailed descriptions of issues. This facilitates swift problem resolution by eliminating guesswork and enabling users to address issues promptly.
5. Remediation: Certain DevSecOps tools actively participate in remediation efforts upon detecting security issues. This may involve providing automatic remediation suggestions as part of a report or even executing automated responses to perceived security threats.

How to choose the best DevSecOps tool?

When it comes to developing and deploying software, prioritizing security is paramount. Sacrificing security for the sake of faster delivery or other objectives is not an option. However, not every DevSecOps tool will suit your specific requirements. Understanding the main criteria for assessing DevSecOps security tools is crucial, taking into account features or capabilities provided by certain vendors that may not be available from others. These criteria should form the basis for organizations to determine which solutions best suit their particular needs. 

There are six key criteria to consider;

• Application Hardening: Tools should be capable of identifying weak areas in the code and addressing them directly, without manual intervention. This might involve functionalities such as detecting and eliminating redundant code or software packages, deleting default or sample sensitive files, deactivating unused software features, or pinpointing potential attack paths in the code.
• Repository-Level Protection: The code itself requires protection of intellectual property (IP) and privacy to prevent scanning for weaknesses by third parties or unauthorized access by users or third-party integrations. Sensitive data should be automatically purged from the repository and incorporated into secret management solutions. Artifact repositories need to ensure adherence to a secure software supply chain strategy to block unauthorized or unidentified software components from entering the environment. This involves tasks like code signing, image/artifact signing, and routine scanning of artifacts sourced from third-party software.
• Environment Security: Tools should offer advice, scanning capabilities, best practices, and protective measures for targeted cloud and on-premises environments, including AWS and ESXi. This information enables engineers to understand potential vulnerabilities before deploying an application to production and ideally several levels before production.
• Application Profiling for Architectural Security: Apart from development, tools should support protective measures like microsegmentation and container security. Understanding an application's intended behavior ensures a secure runtime environment and helps detect unexpected changes across different releases.
• SOAR and SIEM Integration: Tools need to seamlessly integrate with operational monitoring, reporting, and feedback systems. They should offer a continuous stream of events and logs that can be easily incorporated into existing Security Operations Center (SOC) workflows in real time.
• Integration with Development Planning Tools: Development teams require an efficient method to prioritize tasks. Security-related issues should be automatically identified and added to development planning tools.
• Additionally, it's crucial to consider key emerging capabilities that are expected to become widely relevant in the coming years:
  • Automated and Codified Cloud Development Environments: These environments empower organizations to manage the location of their source code and automate the setup of development tools and configurations. This accelerates the developer onboarding process and mitigates risks linked to misconfigured environments or exposure of source code.
  • Machine Learning/AI-Driven Insights: Although still emerging, machine learning and AI technologies are being utilized to propose enhancements for existing source code and provide suggestions for new code. These functionalities save valuable developer time and will naturally expand into the security realm by ensuring code adherence to organizational security policies.
  • Auto-Remediation within GitOps Models: Remediation recommendations will progress towards automatically patching applications within new GitOps operational models. This allows for automated testing and validation of remediations with minimal or no involvement required from developers.

Benefits of using a DevSecOps tool

DevSecOps offers the following advantages;

Swift, cost-effective delivery: Traditional software development methodologies often encounter significant bottlenecks and delays due to security concerns. Addressing security flaws and rectifying code issues typically consumes time and incurs substantial costs. DevSecOps facilitates expedited, secure software delivery, thereby saving time and diminishing technical debt. This, in turn, reduces expenses by minimizing the necessity for repetitive processes toward the conclusion of the delivery cycle.

• Proactive security approach: DevSecOps platform integrates security measures at the outset of the software development lifecycle, ensuring that the code undergoes continuous reviews, audits, tests, and scans throughout the development pipeline. Development teams can promptly address security issues as they arise, mitigating problems before they escalate and incur additional dependencies. This proactive approach enhances security effectiveness while simultaneously lowering costs.
• Rapid vulnerability resolution: DevSecOps aids teams in swiftly identifying security vulnerabilities and applying patches early in the development process. It seamlessly incorporates vulnerability detection and patching into the development cycle, thereby preventing the release of vulnerable software. Early patching also reduces the window of opportunity for threat actors to exploit vulnerabilities, particularly concerning publicly exposed common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs).
• Automation-driven development: Customers and business stakeholders increasingly demand software that is rapid, dependable, and secure. To fulfill these requirements, development teams need to utilize advanced collaborative and security technologies, such as automated security testing, continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD), and vulnerability patching. DevSecOps fosters enhanced collaboration among development, security, and operations teams, thereby improving organizational efficiency and enabling teams to concentrate on tasks that add value to the business.

Top 10 DevSecOps Tool Comparison

Find this DevSecOps tools list along with their features and price;

Top 10 DevSecOps tool Comparison
Software	Best Features	DevSecOps Pricing
Coralogix	Archiving & Retention, Audit Trail, Compliance Tracking, Data Analysis Tools	Starts at $15/month
Kiuwan Code Security	API, Access Controls/Permissions, Bug Tracking, Version Control	Starts at $599 (one time payment)
Jit	Access Controls/Permissions, Alerts/Notifications, Vulnerability Assessment, Third-Party Integrations	Price On Request
GitLab	Access Controls/Permissions, Alerts/Notifications, Vulnerability Scanning, Continuous Integration	Starts at 29/month
Datadog	Access Controls/Permissions, Activity Tracking, Alerts/Notifications, Application Security	Starts at 15/month
WhiteSource	Alerts/Notifications, Application Security, Compliance Management, Vulnerability Scanning	Starts at $4000
Invicti	API, Access Controls/Permissions, Alerts/Notifications, Application Security	Starts at $5994/year
Veracode	API, Alerts/Notifications, Application Security, Vulnerability Scanning	Price On Request
Sonarqube	API, Application Security, Deployment Management, Vulnerability Scanning	Starts at $160/year
Sumo Logic	API, Access Controls/Permissions, Activity Tracking, Alerts/Notifications	Starts at $270/month

How do we review and select the best DevSecOps tools for you?

When reviewing and selecting the best DevSecOps tools for you, we carefully consider several key factors to ensure we recommend solutions that meet your specific needs. Above all, we evaluate the simplicity of integration with your current software development and operations workflows to minimize interruption and enhance effectiveness. We also prioritize tools that offer comprehensive security testing capabilities, including static and dynamic analysis, to identify and remediate vulnerabilities effectively. Additionally, we evaluate the scalability and flexibility of each tool to accommodate your evolving requirements as your business grows. Usability and user experience are essential considerations, as we aim to recommend tools that are intuitive and accessible for your team members. Finally, we take into account factors such as cost, vendor reputation, and customer support to ensure you receive the best possible value and assistance throughout your DevSecOps journey.

How to use DevSecOps tool?

Strategies to use your DevSecOps tools;

1. Select What You Require: The market offers a plethora of DevSecOps tools, with new ones emerging continuously. While it may seem enticing to adopt as many tools as possible to cover all bases, this approach can prove counterproductive. Instead, take the time to evaluate your requirements and opt for the tools that align best with your needs.
2. Foster Team Communication: A key benefit of DevSecOps is its promotion of communication and collaboration among team members. Utilize this advantage by maintaining frequent and transparent communication with your team regarding your ongoing tasks and how they can contribute.
3. Embrace Automation Opportunities: Automation lies at the core of DevSecOps principles, and for good reason. Automation improves efficiency, precision, and time management, enabling more effective allocation of resources. Thus, when selecting tools, prioritize those offering automation functionalities.
4. Maintain Focus on the Larger Picture: While engaging with DevSecOps solutions, it's easy to become engrossed in minutiae. Nevertheless, it is essential to occasionally pause and verify alignment with the overarching goals of the project.
5. Adaptability is Key: DevSecOps is a dynamic field, continually evolving. What proves effective today may become obsolete tomorrow. Therefore, remain adaptable in your approach and be prepared to pivot strategies as circumstances dictate.

What is the cost of DevSecOps tool?

The cost of DevSecOps tools varies depending on the specific tool and its features. While there are numerous free, open-source DevSecOps security tools available, these are typically recommended for smaller teams or those with a solid understanding of security concepts. Paid plans for DevSecOps tools generally range from $120 to $900 per year for the basic tier, supporting anywhere from 1 to 20 users. For larger enterprise teams, custom pricing may be available upon contacting the vendors directly. Many vendors also offer free trials and product demonstrations to potential users.

DevSecOps vs DevOps tools

DevOps and DevSecOps are methodologies essential in software development, each with its unique focus and strategy. Here's a breakdown of their distinctions;

1. Emphasis on Security Processes: Security tools in DevOps primarily center on improving collaboration between development (Dev) and operations (Ops) to streamline the software development lifecycle, with an emphasis on security. However, it doesn't inherently prioritize security within its process. Conversely, DevSecOps integrates security (Sec) as an intrinsic and foundational component of the software development and delivery process. It emphasizes 'security as code,' ensuring that security considerations are integrated into every development stage to proactively identify and mitigate vulnerabilities.
2. Culture and Team Involvement: Within a DevOps framework, the primary collaboration occurs between developers and IT operations staff, aiming to enable continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD). The objective is to enable swift, frequent, and dependable software building, testing, and release. DevSecOps expands this collaborative ethos to encompass security teams. In this framework, all participants in the software development lifecycle share accountability for security, dismantling barriers between development, operations, and security teams. DevSecOps advocates for a philosophy of 'security by all and for all.'
3. Timing of Security Integration: In conventional DevOps methodologies, security measures are often implemented as a separate procedure, typically towards the conclusion of the software development lifecycle. This late-stage integration can result in delays and complications, particularly when significant security issues arise. DevSecOps tackles this challenge by integrating security practices from the project's outset throughout all development stages. Adopting a 'shift-left' approach to security ensures that potential issues are identified and resolved much earlier in the process, resulting in more secure and reliable end products.
4. Tools and Automation: Both DevOps and DevSecOps depend on a range of tools for automation and streamlined process management. However, DevSecOps specifically employs tools crafted to automate and incorporate security checks and controls. These might comprise code analysis tools, automated security tests, and continuous monitoring tools customized to detect and address security vulnerabilities.