Continuous Integration and Continuous Development, or CI/CD, is the modern practice of constantly pushing updates to an application. Instead of waiting for a large update to be pushed to the final application, small changes are automatically tested and approved, allowing them to be integrated into the final application.
In modern development, it is common to have many developers working on a single application. This means there are many branches of the same code base going through changes simultaneously. In the past, when it was time to push the changes to the original code, it was a long and tedious process integrating all the changes. The developers needed to make sure there were no conflicts, and that each change didn’t take out a part that other changes were relying on.
This led to the implementation of CI/CD. CI/CD allowed all the changes to be pushed automatically, with the pipeline taking care of all the tests to ensure there are no conflicts between the changes.
This is very beneficial, as it allows for faster implementation of fixes, as well as making it easier to detect bugs before getting lost in large application updates.
This is done through third-party software, which handles the testing and implementation of the changes. This is more time-efficient, as it frees developers from writing test cases and making sure they pass.
CI/CD pipelines, however, can have many security risks that must be managed. One common risk is that many pipelines do not follow the practice of least privilege. This means that instead of only giving each component exact access to the parts of the system that are necessary, they are given default access to the entire system, allowing a malicious actor to access the entire system, even if they were only able to break into one part. When combined with insufficient control mechanisms, this can be even more harmful. Control mechanisms refer to the process of reviewing and approving changes before it is pushed down the pipeline. This means that just by accessing the pipeline and escalating their privileges, an attacker has unfettered access and ability to make whatever changes they would like to the application.
Another threat is unsecure code. Because updates are automatically deployed, unsecure code can very easily be pushed out without being reviewed. In addition, third party packages can be integrated with only a few lines of code, making it very easy for packages with backdoors or malicious snippets to be included.
To enhance the security of the CI/CD pipeline, a variety of strategies can be implemented, each focusing on different aspects of the development and deployment process. One of the first steps in securing a pipeline is implementing strict access control and fine-grained permissions for users. This means ensuring that each developer or team member has access only to the parts of the pipeline necessary for their role, which is known as the principle of least privilege. For example, developers working on the codebase should not have access to production environments or deployment configurations unless explicitly required. Implementing role-based access control (RBAC) and using tools like AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) or GitHub Actions' secrets management can help enforce this. Furthermore, audit trails and logging should be enabled to track any changes made to the pipeline and identify any unauthorized access attempts.
In addition to controlling access, it is essential to implement a rigorous code review process. This ensures that all code changes are thoroughly reviewed by peers before being merged and deployed. Automated pre-merge checks can be set up to require a successful review or approval from designated team members before code can be pushed to the repository. Tools like GitHub Pull Requests, GitLab Merge Requests, or Bitbucket's Code Review can help facilitate this process. This approach minimizes the risk of introducing faulty code or overlooked security vulnerabilities into the pipeline. To further strengthen this, integrating Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools into the code review process is vital. These tools analyze the source code for known security flaws, such as SQL injection or cross-site scripting (XSS), before the code is merged into the main branch.
To address the security of the code itself, automated scanning tools should be integrated into the CI/CD pipeline. These tools focus on detecting and mitigating vulnerabilities in real-time, such as outdated libraries or vulnerable dependencies. These scans are typically performed on both the codebase and the dependencies it uses. Specialized tools like Snyk, WhiteSource, or Sonatype Nexus are commonly used for scanning code and dependencies for known vulnerabilities, while software composition analysis (SCA) tools can identify insecure packages or versions of third-party dependencies. Integrating these tools with the CI/CD system ensures that every commit is scanned automatically before it is deployed, preventing malicious code or known security risks from making it into production. These security scans often look for issues like hardcoded credentials, open ports, insecure API endpoints, and other vulnerabilities that could be exploited.
Moreover, CI/CD systems primarily focus on testing the functional integrity of the code, ensuring that new changes do not conflict with the existing application. However, they do not always scan for security vulnerabilities, which is why additional security layers are necessary. Security tools that integrate with CI/CD platforms go beyond the functionality tests by running continuous dynamic application security testing (DAST) or penetration testing, simulating attacks to detect exploitable vulnerabilities during runtime. This provides an additional layer of protection during the deployment phase. Furthermore, the security scanning tools should not only focus on detecting vulnerabilities in the code but also include checks for misconfigurations in the infrastructure, such as improper access controls, insecure API keys, or inappropriate cloud storage permissions.
By combining these elements—strict access control, automated code review, and specialized security scanners—organizations can fortify their CI/CD pipelines. A well-structured and secure pipeline minimizes the risk of introducing vulnerabilities and allows for early detection of security issues, ensuring that code is both functional and secure as it moves through the deployment process. Tel-Arm would be happy to help you and your company secure your pipeline. Reach out for more info.
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