In today’s paced world, where the risk of cyber attacks is constantly increasing Information Security Officers, Risk Managers and IT Auditors are facing unprecedented challenges. The traditional approach to information security is no longer effective. It’s time to adopt a new way of working; an Agile Information Security Department.
In this blog post, we will explore ten strategies for making this transition and revolutionizing your security efforts.
1. Shifting Security Left
To embrace agility in your Information Security Department it is crucial to shift your mindset towards integrating information security in the secure software development lifecycle – commonly known as “shifting left.” This means incorporating security practices at every stage of software development. By doing so you not only identify vulnerabilities earlier but also empower your development teams to proactively address them.
Example
Let’s consider a software development project I was involved in at a different company. In the past third-party security assessments were conducted after the code had already been written. This often led to the discovery of vulnerabilities just before the code was ready, for production. This was causing delays and increased costs of development. However, by giving importance to integrating security early on in the development process we were able to address vulnerabilities through threat modeling during the design phase itself even before writing a single line of code. This resulted in shorter development cycles and reduced security risks.
2. Embracing the Principles of Secure Design
In today’s world security is not a feature; it has become an integral part of numerous products and services. The principles of design involve infusing security into every aspect of your organization’s processes, systems, and culture. It entails instilling a security mindset at the core of your organization.
Example
A great example would be making secure coding practices mandatory like validating inputs and encoding outputs. Developers can undergo training in secure software development and regularly conduct code reviews.
3. Enhancing Team Velocity
In this fast-paced era agility is crucial for your Information Security Department. One major advantage of embracing agility is the ability to deliver results swiftly. To achieve this it is essential to break down silos and encourage functional collaboration between security, development, and operation teams.
Example
For instance, you can incorporate “security sprints” where security tasks are prioritized alongside development tasks. This enables collaboration, between teams. As a result, addressing security vulnerabilities will take less time allowing you to introduce features to the market more quickly and gain a competitive edge.
4. Aim for Accuracy from the Start
Traditional security practices often involve rounds of testing and revisions. However, in an Agile Information Security Department, the goal is to achieve accuracy from the beginning. This involves planning, continuous feedback, and a commitment to quality.
Example
Consider investing in automated security testing tools that seamlessly integrate with developers’ IDEs. This will empower developers to identify and resolve security issues while coding, similar to using a spell checker.
5. Enable Security as a Service
In this era of agility, Information Security should be viewed as an enabler, not an obstacle. Transform your security function into a service-oriented department that grants development and operational teams access to on-demand security expertise, products, and services.
Example
Offer secure by design building blocks to teams through your Information Security Departments Git repository. Development and operational teams can utilize the infrastructure as code your team provided to build their products and services.
6. Embrace the concept of DevSecOps
DevSecOps is not a trendy term; it signifies a fundamental shift in how security is incorporated into the development and operations pipeline. It is crucial to adopt this approach and automate security testing and deployment as a part of your CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) process.
Example
For instance, consider a financial services provider who successfully implemented DevSecOps practices to enhance their security measures and compliance standards. By automating security scans and compliance checks within their CI/CD pipeline they were able to reduce the time required for compliance audits. This not only resulted in cost savings but also ensured that they remained compliant with industry regulations while minimizing the risk of expensive fines.
7. Promote a culture of improvement
Agility goes hand in hand with adaptability. Encourage your Information Security Department to embrace a growth mindset and foster a culture that values improvement, where mistakes are seen as opportunities, for learning rather than failures.
Example
Never point fingers at individuals, but conduct an examination of the incident and identify areas that need improvement. We call this a blameless post-mortem.
8. Prioritize risk-based security
Not all security risks carry weight. Agile security involves allocating resources where they are most needed based on risk assessments. To enhance security it is advisable to adopt a risk-based approach by prioritizing vulnerabilities based on their exploitability, impact, and likelihood.
Example
A client decided to take a risk-based approach in securing their cloud infrastructure. They conducted an assessment of risks and identified that misconfigured permissions presented the highest threat. By focusing on addressing this issue they were able to significantly reduce the chances of a data breach while also saving valuable resources compared to using a less focused security strategy.
9. Invest in Training and Development
Agile Information Security goes beyond processes; it also emphasizes people. Invest in the training and development of your security professionals to equip them with the skills and knowledge required to excel in an Agile environment.
10. Leading through Example
Lastly, as an Information Security Officer, Risk Manager, or IT Auditor leading by example is crucial. Embracing agility in your work and demonstrating its advantages to your team and organization will make you an advocate, for change.
Encourage the adoption of security practices by engaging with functional teams and attending Agile training sessions and team rituals so that you can publicly support various security initiatives.
In conclusion, embracing agility presents opportunities for an Information Security, Risk, or Audit Department. By prioritizing security principles during the design phase providing training to teams and striving for improved velocity and efficiency while aiming for effective solutions from the start we enable organizations to thrive in the digital era.
All of us need to adopt the principles of DevSecOps and Agility and foster a culture that values growth and places an emphasis on security measures based on a thorough risk assessment. Investing in training and professional development sets an example for others to follow leading to a transformation in our approach to security. It is essential to recognize that agility is key to information security. There is no better time, than now to embark on this transformative journey.