What is DevSecOps? — UK Software Development Guide
Direct Answer
DevSecOps is the practice of integrating security throughout the software development lifecycle — not just at the end before deployment. "Shift left security" means moving security testing and review earlier in the development process. DevSecOps tools include: SAST (Static Application Security Testing — scans code for vulnerabilities), DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing — tests running applications), dependency scanning (checks third-party libraries), and secrets scanning (prevents credentials in code).
Devsecops in the UK
DevSecOps aligns directly with UK compliance requirements. Cyber Essentials Secure Configuration control is supported by automated SAST in CI/CD pipelines. NCSC's Secure by Design principles recommend integrating security throughout development — not treating it as a pre-release checkpoint. DTAC Domain 3 (Technical Security) for NHS software benefits from DevSecOps evidence: automated security scanning in CI/CD is strong evidence of secure development practice. ClickMasters implements: Dependabot (dependency vulnerabilities), Gitleaks (secrets scanning), ESLint security rules (SAST for JavaScript), and Bandit (SAST for Python) in all CI/CD pipelines.
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