CI/CD Security Checks - OWASP Top 10

Introduction

CI/CD (Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment) pipelines help automate software delivery. However, integrating security checks into CI/CD processes is essential to mitigate risks outlined in the OWASP Top 10, especially regarding vulnerabilities like Broken Access Control and Injection.

Key Concepts

• **CI/CD Pipeline**: A series of automated processes for code integration and deployment.
• **Security Checks**: Automated tests to ensure code quality, including vulnerability scanning and compliance checks.
• **OWASP Top 10**: A list of the most critical security risks to web applications, published by the Open Web Application Security Project.

Step-by-Step Process

Flowchart of CI/CD Security Checks

graph TD;
    A[Start] --> B[Code Commit];
    B --> C[Run Static Code Analysis];
    C --> D[Run Dependency Scanning];
    D --> E[Run Dynamic Application Security Testing];
    E --> F[Deploy to Staging];
    F --> G[Run Security Tests];
    G --> H{Security Tests Passed?};
    H -->|Yes| I[Deploy to Production];
    H -->|No| J[Fix Vulnerabilities];
    J --> B;
            

Implementation Steps

1. Set up CI/CD tooling (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI).
2. Integrate Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools like Fortify or SonarQube.
3. Implement Dependency Scanning tools like Snyk or OWASP Dependency-Check.
4. Incorporate Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools like OWASP ZAP.
5. Set up security testing in the staging environment before production deployment.

Best Practices

• Automate security testing in your CI/CD pipeline.
• Regularly update security tools and libraries.
• Ensure that developers receive training on secure coding practices.
• Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing.
• Monitor application and infrastructure continuously for vulnerabilities.

FAQ