As a recruiter, it is important to understand DevSecOps as it is becoming increasingly important in the software development industry. When looking for candidates with DevSecOps skills, it may be helpful to focus on individuals with a strong background in both software development and security, as well as experience with continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD) practices.
What is DevSecOps
DevSecOps is a software development approach that emphasizes the integration of security practices into the software development lifecycle (SDLC). It aims to streamline the process of building, testing, and deploying software, while also ensuring that security is a top priority throughout the entire process.
DevSecOps is an approach to software development, delivery, and operations that focuses on ensuring secure digital transformation by integrating development teams with IT security teams. It combines the speed, scale, and automation of DevOps while addressing organizations' security concerns through embedded controls at every step of the process. With DevSecOps organizations can deploy secure applications at a faster rate than ever before while maintaining confidence in their information systems.
In a DevSecOps workflow, developers, security professionals, and operations teams work closely together to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities as early as possible in the development process. This may involve using automated tools to scan code for vulnerabilities, conducting regular security testing, and implementing security best practices into the development process.
By integrating security into the SDLC, DevSecOps aims to reduce the risk of security breaches and improve the overall security posture of an organization. It also helps organizations to be more agile and responsive to changing security threats, as security concerns can be addressed in a timely and efficient manner.
What should recruiters look for when screening DevSecOps Talent?
When screening DevSecOps resumes, recruiters should look for candidates with a strong background in both software development and security engineering. They should also look for candidates who understand the importance of embedding secure processes into the development life cycle, as well as those who are familiar with tools such as code scanning, continuous integration/deployment pipeline, privileged access management, and configuration management systems. Candidates should also have an understanding of best practices such as least privilege principles, automated tests, traceability, and compliance requirements.
What are some of the popular tools that need to be screened for when seeking DevSecOps talent?
Some of the popular tools that recruiters should screen for when seeking DevSecOps talent include code scanning and vulnerability assessment tools, continuous integration/deployment pipeline systems, privileged access management solutions, configuration management systems, container security solutions, automated tests, and traceability tools. In addition to these popular tools, recruiters should also look out for candidates who are familiar with other best practices such as DevOps principles and version control techniques.
DevSecOps Tools
There are many tools available to support the implementation of DevSecOps practices within an organization. Some popular tools include:
Jenkins: Jenkins is an open-source automation server that can be used to automate the build, test, and deployment processes in a DevSecOps workflow. It supports a wide range of plugins and integrations, making it a flexible tool for automating various aspects of the software development process.
Ansible: Ansible is an open-source configuration management tool that can be used to automate the deployment and configuration of software and infrastructure. It can be integrated into a DevSecOps workflow to automate tasks such as provisioning and configuration management, helping to ensure that systems are configured consistently and securely.
Terraform: Terraform is a tool for building, changing, and versioning infrastructure safely and efficiently. It can be used to automate the creation and management of infrastructure, including cloud resources, networking, and security.
Docker: Docker is a tool for packaging and deploying applications as containerized images. It can be used in a DevSecOps workflow to automate the building, testing, and deployment of applications, making it easier to manage dependencies and ensure consistent environments across different stages of the development process.
Security scanning tools: There are many tools available that can be used to scan code and infrastructure for security vulnerabilities. Some popular options include Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools, Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) tools, and container security scanners.
These are just a few examples of the many tools that can be used to support a DevSecOps workflow. As a recruiter, it may be helpful to familiarize yourself with these and other tools, as candidates with experience using them may be well-suited for DevSecOps roles.
There are several ways that recruiters can source DevSecOps talent:
Job boards and online job search engines: These platforms can be a good place to find candidates with DevSecOps skills, as they often allow you to search for candidates with specific skills or experience.
Professional networking sites: Sites like LinkedIn can be a valuable resource for finding DevSecOps professionals. You can use LinkedIn's advanced search function to find candidates with specific skills or experience, or join relevant groups and participate in discussions to connect with potential candidates.
Referrals: Asking current employees or industry contacts for referrals can be a great way to find talented DevSecOps professionals. This can be especially effective if you have a strong network of professionals in the field.
Professional organizations: Many professional organizations, such as the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) or the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), have local chapters that hold events and networking opportunities. Attending these events and participating in online communities can help you connect with DevSecOps professionals.
Recruitment agencies: Working with a recruitment agency that specializes in DevSecOps can be a good way to find qualified candidates quickly. These agencies often have a network of professionals with specific skills and experience and can assist with the recruitment process from start to finish.
GitHub and Stack Overflow
GitHub and Stack Overflow are excellent platforms for finding talented developers, including those with DevSecOps skills.
GitHub is a popular platform for hosting and collaborating on software projects, and it is home to a large community of developers. By searching for repositories related to DevSecOps or following relevant organizations or users, you can find candidates with experience in this field. You can also use GitHub's advanced search function to search for specific skills or technologies.
Stack Overflow is a popular Q&A platform for developers, where users can ask and answer questions related to software development. By searching for questions and answers related to DevSecOps or following users with relevant expertise, you can find candidates with experience in this field.
Using Boolean Strings
Here is an example of a boolean string you can use to search for DevSecOps talent on GitHub, Stack Overflow, and Reddit:
"(DevSecOps OR "development operations" OR "security operations") AND (GitHub OR Stack Overflow OR Reddit)"
This boolean string will search for candidates who have experience with DevSecOps or related concepts (such as "development operations" or "security operations") and who have a presence on at least one of the platforms (GitHub, Stack Overflow, or Reddit).
You can also add additional terms to the search string to narrow down the results further. For example, you could include specific technologies or tools that are relevant to DevSecOps, such as "Ansible" or "Terraform.
Here is another example of a boolean search string for recruiting DevSecOps talent:
(DevSecOps OR "Security Development Operations" OR "DevOps Security") AND (automation OR Jenkins OR Ansible OR Docker OR Kubernetes OR AWS OR Azure OR GCP) AND (Linux OR Unix) AND (agile OR Scrum OR Kanban) AND (security OR "information security" OR "cyber security" OR "network security") AND (communication OR collaboration)
This search string will look for candidates who have experience with DevSecOps or Security Development Operations or DevOps Security, have experience with specific automation tools, have experience working with Linux or Unix systems, have experience with agile development methodologies, and have strong experience in security and knowledge of information security, cyber security, network security, and have strong communication and collaboration skills.