The ever-evolving field of DevSecOps, which seamlessly integrates security practices into the software development lifecycle, is poised to revolutionize the way we approach cybersecurity and software engineering. As organizations strive to keep pace with the breakneck speed of technological advancements, embracing DevSecOps principles has become a crucial step in mitigating risks, enhancing collaboration and delivering secure, high-quality software products.

Exploring the emerging trends in this dynamic domain offers a glimpse into the future, where security, agility and innovation will converge to shape the digital landscape. Below, Forbes Technology Council members share valuable insights into how DevSecOps trends will influence development strategies and the industry as a whole, increasing overall efficiency and resilience.

1. ASPM Is Becoming Standard

Application security posture management is the infrastructure backbone that allows teams to seamlessly put the Sec in DevOps. As ASPM becomes standard in the development tech stack, not only will security teams capture the accountability they need while preserving development’s autonomy, but the term “DevSecOps” will disappear as security becomes a de facto part of the software development lifecycle. – Brittany Greenfield, Wabbi

2. DevSecOps Is Moving In Many Directions

DevSecOps is moving both east and west as well as north and south—and is getting infused by generative AI. On the east-west side, the continuous integration and continuous delivery of DevSecOps is moving to continuous everything, from ideation and design on the east side to deployment Ops moving to scaling and commercialization on the west side. On the north-south side, it is moving from the business function and serverless layer on the north to infrastructure as a code to the south. – Rajat Sharma, Zensar Technologies

3. ML Integration Will Improve Software Development Efficiency

Machine learning integration in DevSecOps will automate security tasks, enhance threat detection and continuously adapt to new risks. This will improve software development efficiency and cybersecurity resilience. – Benjamin Fabre, DataDome

4. Automated Security Testing Is Becoming A Standard Practice

There is a growing commitment in the DevSecOps community to make automated security testing in the software development pipeline standard practice and flag untested code as a high-priority risk. Advancements in artificial intelligence-driven tools have accelerated this trend by allowing developers to identify and fix vulnerabilities as early as possible and deliver more secure software faster than ever before. – Chris Wysopal, Veracode

5. Ease Of Automation Will Make DevSecOps More Business-Centric

DevSecOps breaks the silos between security and DevOps and brings the concept of continuous monitoring, improvement and automation into security. Co-pilots are disrupting the automation and code market by making it easy to automate tasks. The ease of automation and coding will have a vast effect on the role and skill sets of DevSecOps practitioners, helping them become more business-centric. – Vishwas Manral, Precize Inc

6. AI Co-Pilots Will Drive Efficiency And Productivity

AI co-pilots are reshaping coding, debugging, code documentation, vulnerability scanning, learning and alerts. With a shift-left approach and security as a code, companies can make the software tools robust with early identification of potential issues. These not only drive efficiency and productivity gains, but also limit coding blocks and accelerate learning with new approaches and possibilities. – Sudhanshu Duggal, Procter & Gamble

7. AI-Driven Security Is Automating Threat Detection And Response

One trend in DevSecOps is the integration of AI-driven security, which will significantly enhance both software development and cybersecurity. This approach automates threat detection and response, ensuring faster, more reliable deployments. I see this as pivotal for companies aiming to innovate safely while maintaining pace with market demands. – Przemek Szleter, DAC.digital

8. SaaS-Based Security Tools Will Allow DevSecOps To Advance Quickly

An advancement I see is pushing DevSecOps into the ETL pipeline. Using software as a service-based security tools that can be instrumented anywhere data is moving will allow DevSecOps to advance quickly. This shift will not only enhance the security posture of software development, but also streamline data protection processes, ensuring a more resilient and secure infrastructure for the future. – James Beecham, ALTR

9. Security Controls And Automated Testing Will Be Embedded In The CI/CD Pipeline

One key trend shaping DevSecOps is the increased integration of security into the software development lifecycle through shift-left security and security as code. This involves embedding security controls and automated testing directly into the CI/CD pipeline from the earliest stages, enabling faster identification and remediation of vulnerabilities before production. – Arthur Miller

10. PaC Will Help Manage And Enforce Security Policies

Policy as code, and specifically, Open Policy Agent—the open source engine and standard that gives DevSecOps engineers declarative language, tooling and integrations—is an advancement I anticipate. It helps with unified management and enforcement of security policies regardless of the underlying infrastructure, be it on-premises Kubernetes, cloud-native serverless, virtual machines or a mix of those. – Yuri Gubin, DataArt

11. Model-Based Systems Engineering Will Merge With DevSecOps

For mission-critical systems, model-based systems engineering and DevSecOps will merge. Integrating comprehensive system models throughout the lifecycle pinpoints security issues early via automated tools. This proactive, model-driven DevSecOps enables rapid, compliant deployment of highly secure, dependable systems where failures can have a catastrophic impact. – Tim Reed, Lynx Software Technologies

12. Edge Computing Will Enhance Decentralized Network Security

Edge computing in DevSecOps reduces latency and improves threat response by processing data near its source. This trend will enhance decentralized network security by offering dynamic, real-time defenses against emerging cyber threats. – Roman Vinogradov, Improvado

13. AI And ML Will Automate And Refine Security Protocols

The integration of AI and machine learning will automate and refine security protocols, reducing human error and speeding up response times to security threats. Similar to how autonomous systems are used in spacecraft to detect and mitigate issues without human intervention, AI will lead to more resilient and secure software systems, fundamentally transforming the landscape. – Shelli Brunswick, SB Global LLC

14. Just-In-Time Access Minimizes The Risk Of Compromised Identity

Providing just-in-time access to DevSecOps personnel minimizes the risk arising from compromised identity, which is a part of the overwhelming majority of breaches. Typical access granted based on roles or entitlements is too broad and can be abused to maliciously access organizational assets, including customer data. Dynamic, fine-grained access can help minimize such risk. – Atul Tulshibagwale, SGNL.ai

15. Container Security Will Be Prioritized In Deployments

As containerization continues to gain momentum as a preferred deployment tool, ensuring the security of containerized environments becomes paramount. By prioritizing container security, organizations can mitigate risks and prevent security breaches in their deployments. Expect tailored tools and techniques to address container-specific security challenges, such as image scanning and runtime protection. – Cristian Randieri, Intellisystem Technologies

16. Quantum Encryption Will Effectively Nullify Traditional Threats

Imagine a scenario where quantum computing fully integrates with DevSecOps. Quantum encryption will drastically reshape the landscape of cybersecurity, effectively nullifying traditional threats and heralding a new age of digital safety. With quantum technologies, cybersecurity defenses will become impregnable, enabling a more secure and robust protection framework that outpaces current standards. – Sandro Shubladze, Datamam