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Companies are now prioritizing the speed at which they release updates for software, applications, and websites over implementing security procedures. However, with cybercrime occurring 2,244 times per day on average, the need for safe and secure digital ecosystems is still pivotal. This is where SecOps comes into play.
Similar to how DevOps gets its name from combining software development and IT operations, SecOps is a mashup of IT security and operations. The role is gaining popularity as the demand for innovation becomes greater than the demand for security. Keep reading to find out more about this budding role in IT teams.
SecOps is a methodology calling on IT leaders to facilitate and increase communication between the IT security and IT operations teams. Historically, these teams worked independently of each other, which was not conducive to optimal performance. This is because when IT operations would pass their work to IT security, the security team would have to make changes to bolster security which would then diminish performance. Therefore, a key responsibility of SecOps is knocking down the silos of the IT security and IT operations teams and fostering collaboration throughout the entire process.
The goal of SecOps is twofold. The first is ensuring development timelines, application uptime, and performance requirements are all met while not compromising security. The second is to bring security into the development process from inception, thus avoiding a decrease in performance.
There are numerous benefits the SecOps role provides companies:
SecOps centers are the operation hubs for security teams. Here, security teams are tasked with continuously monitoring the safety and security of an organization’s digital ecosystem. The security teams are composed of managers, engineers, analysts, and more. However, a combination of security automation and human security experts produces the most effective outcomes.
SecOps centers help identify vulnerabilities quicker since a team of experts and machines are working together, which is crucial as cybercriminals are working faster than ever to identify and penetrate vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the longer it takes to identify and contain a breach, the more it usually costs the company. For example, IBM found that companies that contain breaches within 30 days end up saving more than $1 million than companies that require more time.
Massive sums of money can be lost if IT operations and development teams do not adequately plan and implement the necessary steps. For example, on Amazon Prime Day in 2018, Amazon’s website was down for some users for about 75 minutes, which experts predict cost the company $99 million in sales. That nets out to nearly $1.3 million lost every minute while the operations and development teams figured out how to get the site back up and running. Hence, why IT operations and development teams experience immense pressure to complete their jobs to the best of their ability.
Cybersecurity is also vital for companies. It prevents companies from experiencing data and monetary theft, maintains a positive public image, builds trust with consumers, and keeps systems and sensitive data safe. One of the most recent and infamous cybercrime examples is the Equifax data breach that impacted around 148 million customers of the US credit bureau. The consumers’ personal information was breached, including social security numbers, addresses, birthdates, credit card information, and more. The vulnerability that let hackers into the system was unpatched, which illuminates the importance of having cybersecurity processes in place, as well as regular penetration testings and vulnerability scans.
A term frequently associated with SecOps is DevSecOps, which is a variation of the former. DevSecOps is the combination of the development, security, and IT operations teams. DevSecOps works by having developers write code and then perform security tests on it. If the security test identifies weaknesses or failures, the developers then fix the code and retest security. When the code is successful and passes all the security tests, it is then ready for the production phase. DevSecOps is another way to implement security into the product from the beginning, thus creating a more secure and robust result.
Is your company looking to hire a SecOps Engineer, or are you a SecOps Engineer looking for a career move? If so, eNamix would love to talk with you! Contact us today at info@enamix.com to set-up a consultation with one of our senior account managers.
