Understanding "Shift Left":

"Shifting left" signifies a departure from the conventional development timeline, where development activities are on the left, and operations activities are on the right. This shift involves relocating security tasks from the operations phase to the development phase, aiming to address potential issues at an earlier stage. By doing so, developers and security experts seek to circumvent the challenges, costs, and rework associated with discovering security issues later in the development lifecycle.

Key Security Activities:

In the context of security, the shift left diminishes activities on the operations side, such as incident response and vulnerability management. In their place, more proactive activities during development, such as static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), threat modeling, and security architecture review, gain prominence. The objective is to reduce vulnerabilities in the software code, lessening the burden on incident response and vulnerability management.

Advantages of Shifting Left:

Beyond the evident benefits of reducing workload and stress for operational teams, shifting security left brings less apparent advantages. Operations teams can redirect their focus towards suggesting and implementing software improvements, enhancing code effectiveness, resilience, and overall value for customers. Additionally, software designed with security in mind from the outset becomes more appealing to potential customers.

Utilizing Open Source Tools:

Numerous open-source tools, such as Red Hat Product Security's RapiDAST, are available to support secure development strategies. Automation plays a crucial role in integrating these tools into the development workflow, allowing developers to concentrate on their core responsibilities.

Choosing the Right Tools:

Effective "shift left" relies on using the right tools at the right time. Performing activities like threat modeling, SAST, and DAST at strategic points in the development lifecycle maximizes their impact, as opposed to ad-hoc or late-stage implementation.

Identifying the Root Issue:

Many organizations still practice security at the end of the development timeline, just before a release. This approach, known as the "sprinkling" of security controls, can lead to increased challenges and expenses when addressing vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

Implementing Solutions:

Security specialists play a crucial role in shaping company culture by advocating for early security integration. Secure development strategies are more about mindset and process than simply adopting tools.

Breaking Down Silos:

Historical separation between engineering and security departments can result in inefficiencies and missed opportunities. Breaking down these silos requires an open approach to collaboration, encouraging direct communication across the organization.

The Role of Collaboration in Shifting Left:

Security specialists need to engage with development teams early to instill a security mindset from the concept phase onward. This involves significant collaboration during the design phase, regular communication, and the use of automated tools throughout the development lifecycle.