DevSecOps, the practice of integrating security into the DevOps lifecycle, has become a cornerstone of modern software development. By embedding security practices early in the development process, organizations can reduce vulnerabilities, improve compliance, and accelerate delivery. 

Microsoft Azure, a leading cloud platform, offers a suite of native tools to support DevSecOps practices. However, while Azure-native tools provide robust capabilities, they may not always cover all use cases, and third-party solutions can fill these gaps.

In this article, we explore the pillars of DevSecOps, highlight Azure-native tools, and discuss alternative and supplementary third-party solutions.

The pillars of DevSecOps

DevSecOps is built on several key pillars, each addressing a specific security aspect in the software development lifecycle. Below, we explore these pillars and the tools available in Azure to support them. We also evaluate whether Azure-native tools are sufficient on their own and provide third-party alternatives.

1. Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) security

CI/CD security focuses on integrating security into the CI/CD pipeline to detect vulnerabilities early and automate secure deployments.

Azure DevOps is a comprehensive suite for CI/CD, offering pipelines, repositories, and artifact management. It includes security features such as pipeline approvals, secret management, and integration with security tools. While Azure DevOps is powerful, it may require additional tools for advanced security scanning and compliance checks, as its native capabilities may not cover all aspects of vulnerability detection or provide detailed remediation guidance.

Third-party solutions for CI/CD security

• Supplementary: Jenkins with security plugins (e.g., OWASP Dependency-Check) can enhance Azure DevOps by adding more granular security checks. Jenkins is highly customizable and can be integrated with various security tools to provide additional layers of security.
• Alternative: GitLab CI/CD offers built-in security scanning and compliance features, making it a strong option for organizations seeking a more integrated experience with security features like SAST, DAST, and dependency scanning out of the box. GitHub offers its own CI/CD platform called GitHub Actions that provides various DevSecOps features such as its native SAST tool CodeQL, customizable security checks, version-control, and audit for your CI/CD workflows, ensuring transparency and traceability of security processes.

We recommend that organizations utilizing GitLab and GitHub continue to benefit from their comprehensive CI/CD and DevSecOps functionalities. Azure DevOps is a practical starting point for those seeking to maximize Azure-native tool utilization. Integration with Jenkins can then be pursued to introduce more detailed security assessments and enhance overall integration capabilities, allowing for scalable DevSecOps practices.

2. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) Security

IaC Security ensures that infrastructure templates, such as ARM or Terraform, are free from misconfigurations and comply with organizational standards. Azure Policy is a native tool that enforces rules and compliance across Azure resources, ensuring that infrastructure adheres to defined standards. While Azure Policy is effective for compliance, it lacks advanced IaC scanning capabilities, such as identifying complex misconfigurations in Terraform or ARM templates.

Third-party solutions for IaC Security

• Supplementary: Checkov by Bridgecrew can work alongside Azure Policy by providing detailed scanning for IaC templates. Checkov supports multiple IaC frameworks and offers various predefined policies to detect misconfigurations.
• Alternative: HashiCorp Sentinel offers policy-as-code capabilities and can be used instead of Azure Policy, especially for organizations using Terraform. Sentinel provides more granular control and flexibility in defining and enforcing policies.

For organizations heavily invested in Terraform, HashiCorp Sentinel is a natural choice for IaC Security. However, if you are primarily using Azure-native IaC tools like ARM templates, Azure Policy is an ideal starting point.

At a later stage, if you are shifting to a multi-cloud environment, you can integrate Checkov for more advanced scanning and validation of IaC templates, ensuring comprehensive coverage across different frameworks.

3. Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

SAST involves analyzing source code for vulnerabilities during the development phase. Microsoft Defender for Cloud, which includes Azure Security Center, provides code scanning capabilities and integrates with Azure Repos to identify vulnerabilities in source code. While functional, it doesn’t cover many programming languages (Python and JavaScript/TypeScript are only supported now) and doesn’t provide detailed remediation guidance, limiting its effectiveness for complex projects.

Third-party solutions for SAST

• Supplementary: It is important to mention that, in addition to the tools that you embed into your Development Pipeline for SAST, you should consider direct SAST integration into your Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a crucial aspect of the "Shift Left" approach. This approach aims to identify and address security vulnerabilities early in the development process.

While Azure doesn't offer direct services for IDE-based SAST, utilizing code analysis tools within IDE can significantly enhance your DevSecOps practices by providing initial code scanning. For example, Visual Studio, a Microsoft's IDE, provides built-in code analysis features that scrutinize your code for potential security issues, adherence to coding standards, and best practices. 

Beyond the native capabilities, Visual Studio supports various third-party extensions that further bolster SAST efforts, such as Codiga, PVS-Studio, SonarLint and others.

• Alternatives: Veracode and SonarQube can be integrated with Azure DevOps to provide comprehensive SAST features and detailed remediation recommendations. Both solutions offer broader language support and detailed code quality insights. They support a wide range of programming languages and provide advanced analysis capabilities, making them a strong option for organizations needing more robust code analysis.

If your organization requires extensive language support and detailed remediation guidance, one of the third-party SAST leaders (e.g., Veracode, SonarQube) is an excellent choice. For companies focused on Azure-native tools and working with Python and JavaScript code only, starting with Microsoft Defender for Cloud can be a suitable solution.

In both scenarios, we recommend adopting the “Shift Left" approach by integrating static code analysis early in the development phase. This can be achieved by leveraging built-in IDE capabilities or third-party extensions, in addition to incorporating a SAST toolchain into your CI/CD pipeline.

4. Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)

DAST tests running applications for vulnerabilities, such as injection flaws or misconfigurations. Microsoft Defender for Cloud includes vulnerability scanning for Azure-hosted applications, providing insights into runtime security issues. However, it may lack advanced features like interactive application security testing (IAST), which can identify vulnerabilities during runtime interactions.

Third-party solutions for DAST

• Supplementary: OWASP ZAP can be integrated into Azure DevOps Pipelines to complement Microsoft Defender for Cloud's DAST capabilities. OWASP ZAP is an open-source tool that provides various security testing features and can be customized to fit specific needs.
• Alternatives: Burp Suite offers advanced DAST features and can be used by organizations requiring in-depth application testing. Burp Suite provides comprehensive testing capabilities and detailed vulnerability reports.

Both third-party solutions can be integrated into Azure DevOps Pipelines. For organizations with advanced DAST requirements, Burp Suite is a powerful tool that can replace Microsoft Defender for Cloud.

However, if you are looking for a cost-effective and customizable option, integrating OWASP ZAP with Azure DevOps Pipelines can provide significant value. For teams already using Microsoft Defender for Cloud, adding OWASP ZAP can enhance your DAST capabilities without requiring a complete revision of your toolchain.

5. Secrets Management

Secrets Management involves securely storing and managing sensitive information, such as API keys, passwords, and certificates. Azure Key Vault is a robust native tool that provides a secure repository for secrets, keys, and certificates, with fine-grained access controls. While Azure Key Vault is highly effective, it may require additional tools for advanced features like secrets rotation and monitoring.

Third-party solutions for Secrets Management

• Supplementary: HashiCorp Vault can work alongside Azure Key Vault by offering advanced secrets management features, such as dynamic secrets and lease management. HashiCorp Vault is highly flexible and can be integrated with various cloud platforms.
• Alternative: For organizations operating in multi-cloud environments, AWS Secrets Manager or CyberArk can be used instead of Azure Key Vault. AWS Secrets Manager provides cross-platform compatibility, while CyberArk offers enhanced security features for managing privileged access.

If your organization operates in a multi-cloud environment, AWS Secrets Manager or CyberArk can provide the cross-platform compatibility needed for effective secrets management. However, Azure Key Vault is a strong starting point for Azure-centric environments.

You may later consider integrating HashiCorp Vault for advanced features like dynamic secrets and lease management, ensuring a comprehensive secrets management strategy.

6. Threat Detection and Monitoring

Threat Detection and Monitoring involves continuously monitoring applications and infrastructure for security threats. Microsoft Sentinel, a cloud-native SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tool, provides threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities. It provides built-in Azure Active Directory integration and machine learning algorithms for detecting anomalies. While powerful, Microsoft Sentinel may require additional tools for specialized threat intelligence, such as advanced log analysis or integration with third-party threat feeds.

Third-party solutions for Threat Detection and Monitoring

• Supplementary: Splunk can enhance Microsoft Sentinel by providing advanced log analysis and visualization capabilities. Known for its powerful search and analysis features, Splunk serves as a valuable addition to Sentinel. In some cases, Splunk can be a full replacement for Microsoft Sentinel - particularly in hybrid or diverse environments, as well as for companies already using Splunk on-premises or in non-Azure public clouds
• Alternative: LogRhythm, IBM QRadar or Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR can be used as alternatives for organizations seeking different SIEM solutions. IBM QRadar offers specialized threat intelligence, while Cortex XDR provides advanced analytics and response capabilities.

For teams already invested in the Azure ecosystem, an approach where you start with Microsoft Sentinel and gradually incorporate Splunk can provide advanced log analysis and visualization. However, if you need specialized threat intelligence or advanced analytics, IBM QRadar or Cortex XDR can be valuable alternatives.

The following table summarizes Azure's DevSecOps features, limitations, and available alternative or complementary tools.

Conclusion
DevSecOps in Azure provides a solid foundation for embedding security throughout the software development lifecycle. Azure-native tools such as Azure DevOps, Azure Policy, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Azure Key Vault, and Microsoft Sentinel offer robust capabilities for CI/CD security, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) compliance, secrets management, Application Security Testing (AST), SIEM, and more.

Below, we show the position of these Azure-native solutions in the DevOps lifecycle.

Despite all the benefits, some of the Azure DevSecOps tools have advanced features, language support, or cross-platform compatibility limitations.

This article doesn’t aim to cover all available alternatives to Azure-native tools, but we highlight some of the best complementary and replacement solutions. Our primary goal is to provide organizations with a starting point for securing their DevOps practices and processes.

At CPX, as trusted cybersecurity ambassadors, we consistently advise our clients to strengthen their environments and processes with the best security tools available. For organizations heavily invested in Microsoft’s cloud solutions, it makes sense to maximize the use of Azure-native DevSecOps tools initially and gradually integrate third-party solutions as needed. Suppose your development environment is entirely within the Microsoft Azure ecosystem.

In that case, we recommend paying close attention to third-party Application Security Testing tools, including SAST and DAST, as they address significant capability gaps in Microsoft Defender for Cloud.

In addition, we encourage our customers to leverage Generative AI to enhance their security posture. Microsoft Security Copilot, for example, integrates AI-driven assistance throughout the development and security lifecycle. It identifies code vulnerabilities, automates incident response, ensures continuous compliance, provides threat intelligence, and enforces security policies, thereby streamlining security tasks and fostering a more secure development environment.

This can be achieved by Copilot integration with other Microsoft native solutions covered in this article, such as Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel, and Azure Policy.

By combining Azure-native tools with third-party solutions and AI-driven capabilities like Microsoft Security Copilot, organizations can build a comprehensive DevSecOps strategy that balances security, compliance, and agility.

As the threat landscape evolves, adopting a proactive and integrated DevSecOps approach will be critical for staying ahead of risks and ensuring your business's long-term success and resilience in an increasingly complex digital environment.