Measuring DevSecOps Maturity with OWASP DSOMM

DevSecOps, an extension of DevOps, integrates security into the development, deployment, and operation of applications. Measuring the maturity of your DevSecOps processes is crucial to understand how well security controls are integrated into your development pipeline. The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) DevSecOps Maturity Model (DSOMM) offers a framework for assessing and improving your DevSecOps practices.

Introduction to OWASP DSOMM

OWASP DSOMM is a framework providing a measurable and incremental approach to implementing security within DevOps. It consists of several dimensions, each focusing on different aspects of security in the DevOps environment. By implementing DSOMM, organizations can identify security risks, define strategies to mitigate them, and evaluate the maturity of their security practices over time.

Structure of OWASP DSOMM

The DSOMM is divided into the following dimensions:

• Culture and Organization
• Information Gathering
• Static Depth of Defense
• Dynamic Depth of Defense
• Deployment
• Environment
• Operational

1. Culture and Organization

This dimension assesses how well security is ingrained in the organization’s culture and processes. It examines awareness, training, and organizational structure to understand how well employees comprehend and prioritize security.

1.1 Security Awareness

How knowledgeable is your team about security? This sub-dimension evaluates how aware and knowledgeable the development, operations, and business teams are regarding security best practices and policies.

1.2 Training and Education

To what extent is your team educated on security? This sub-dimension assesses the level and quality of security training provided to employees, focusing on continuous learning and improvement.

2. Information Gathering

This dimension revolves around the acquisition of knowledge related to application security, such as collecting information about components and their known vulnerabilities.

2.1 Component Information

This aspect ensures that detailed information about all components is available, enabling a comprehensive assessment of potential vulnerabilities within them.

2.2 Threat Intelligence

How well does your organization stay updated on the latest threat landscape? This sub-dimension evaluates how well the organization gathers and utilizes information about emerging security threats.

3. Static Depth of Defense

This dimension focuses on integrating security practices during the development phase, using static analysis tools to identify vulnerabilities in source code, dependencies, and configurations.

3.1 Source Code Review

This sub-dimension examines how efficiently and effectively the organization reviews the source code for vulnerabilities using automated tools and manual review processes.

3.2 Dependency Scanning

This sub-dimension investigates how well the organization identifies and manages vulnerabilities within the dependencies of the project.

4. Dynamic Depth of Defense

This dimension emphasizes security practices applied during the runtime of applications, evaluating how well the organization detects and responds to vulnerabilities through dynamic analysis.

4.1 Dynamic Analysis

How well does the organization use dynamic analysis tools to identify vulnerabilities that occur during the runtime of applications?

4.2 Runtime Protection

This sub-dimension assesses how well security controls are implemented to detect and prevent attacks during the runtime of applications.

5. Deployment

This dimension examines security practices applied during the deployment phase, assessing how well security is integrated into deployment processes and pipelines.

5.1 Deployment Process

This sub-dimension evaluates the security of deployment pipelines, focusing on the incorporation of security checks and controls during deployment.

5.2 Container Security

How secure are your application containers? This sub-dimension assesses the security configurations and controls applied to application containers during deployment.

6. Environment

This dimension investigates the security of the operating environment, including network security, infrastructure security, and configuration management.

6.1 Network Security

This sub-dimension evaluates how well the organization secures its network, focusing on the implementation of security controls to prevent unauthorized access and data breaches.

6.2 Infrastructure as Code

This sub-dimension assesses how securely infrastructure is provisioned and managed through code, focusing on the use of secure configurations and practices.

7. Operational

This dimension scrutinizes the operational security practices, such as incident response, monitoring, and logging, to evaluate how well the organization manages security post-deployment.

7.1 Incident Response

How prepared is your organization to respond to security incidents? This sub-dimension assesses the organization’s incident response capability, including preparation, detection, analysis, containment, eradication, and recovery.

7.2 Monitoring and Logging

This sub-dimension investigates how well the organization monitors its systems and logs security events, focusing on the detection of suspicious activities and anomalies.

Implementing OWASP DSOMM

Implementing DSOMM involves a number of important steps.

Assessment

• Identify Stakeholders: Involve relevant stakeholders, such as security experts, developers, and operations teams.
• Conduct Interviews and Workshops: Collect information through interviews and workshops to understand the current state of security practices.
• Evaluate Current Practices: Map the current practices against the DSOMM dimensions and identify gaps.

Definition of Roadmap

• Prioritize Gaps: Based on the assessment, prioritize the identified gaps in security practices.
• Define Improvement Initiatives: Establish initiatives to address the gaps and enhance security maturity.
• Allocate Resources: Assign necessary resources, including personnel and budget, to implement the initiatives.

Implementation

• Execute Initiatives: Implement the defined initiatives, starting with high-priority ones.
• Monitor Progress: Regularly review the progress of initiatives and adjust the approach as needed.
• Iterate and Improve: Continuously improve security practices based on feedback and evolving requirements.

Benefits of OWASP DSOMM

Implementing DSOMM brings numerous benefits, including:

• Enhanced Security Posture: By identifying and addressing security gaps, organizations can significantly improve their overall security posture.
• Informed Decision-Making: DSOMM provides insights that enable informed decision-making related to security investments and initiatives.
• Compliance and Risk Management: Achieving higher maturity levels in DSOMM can help in meeting compliance requirements and managing security risks effectively.
• Continuous Improvement: The iterative approach of DSOMM encourages continuous improvement of security practices based on evolving threats and business needs.

Conclusion

OWASP DSOMM provides a structured and measurable approach for integrating security into DevOps. By meticulously applying the model, organizations can not only assess their current DevSecOps maturity but also chart a path for continual improvement. It’s crucial to involve all relevant stakeholders in this journey and maintain a focus on enhancing security culture, practices, and technologies in line with organizational goals.

Remember, the road to DevSecOps maturity is iterative and ongoing, requiring regular assessments, refinements, and enhancements to adapt to the ever-evolving security landscape.