In today’s hyperconnected world, cybersecurity isn’t a nice-to-have — it’s a necessity. Yet, for many organizations, security is still an afterthought in the software development process. In a recent podcast interview, Brittany Greenfield, Founder and CEO of Wabbi, broke down why that approach no longer works — and how DevSecOps can help close the gap between security and development teams before it’s too late. 

Here are the biggest takeaways from her conversation, and why your organization should be paying attention. 

Security Is a Trade-Off, Not an Absolute 

Greenfield makes it clear: security is never absolute. It’s always a balancing act between protection and functionality. In her words, “just because you lock up your kid doesn’t mean they’re safe from everything.” Traditional cybersecurity strategies focused on building bigger walls and tighter restrictions, often slowing down innovation and frustrating developers. 

But in reality, it’s not a matter of if a breach will happen — it’s when. That’s why today’s organizations need a risk management by design approach, integrating security into the earliest stages of development while still allowing teams to move quickly and efficiently. 

DevOps Moved Fast — Security Got Left Behind 

When DevOps entered the scene, it revolutionized how companies managed infrastructure and software delivery. The problem? Security wasn’t invited to the party. DevOps prioritized speed and agility, while security teams remained focused on halting anything risky — creating a fundamental culture clash. 

Greenfield highlights the problem well: “Security got left behind in this transformation, and they’re also outnumbered — with a hundred developers for every one application security manager.” 

DevSecOps bridges that divide, embedding security tools and practices directly into the DevOps workflow so teams can move fast while staying secure. 

Why Dev Sec Ops Matters Now More Than Ever 

Cybercrime isn’t just a headline anymore — it’s a thriving economy. Greenfield points out that if cybercrime were a country, it would have the third largest GDP in the world. Attackers aren’t lone wolves anymore; they’re organized, persistent, and increasingly using tools like generative AI to find vulnerabilities faster than ever. 

The result? “If companies don’t integrate DevSecOps now, generative AI is just going to kill them right there.” 

Security can no longer be reactive. Organizations need to bake security into the development process from the start and adopt proactive strategies like ephemeral infrastructure (think servers that disappear after 45 minutes) to stay ahead of modern threats. 

Wabbi’s Approach: Risk-Based, Automated, and Developer-Friendly 

Unlike early DevSecOps tools that simply shifted responsibility onto developers without providing enough context or automation, Wabbi is focused on what actually matters. Greenfield explains that most companies spend valuable time chasing down low-risk issues instead of addressing the critical 5% of vulnerabilities that truly pose a threat. 

Wabbi’s platform helps organizations: 

• Integrate security seamlessly into DevOps workflows 

• Automate and prioritize security tasks so developers aren’t overwhelmed 

• Break down the barriers between development and security teams with actionable, risk-based recommendations 

As Greenfield puts it, “The hardest thing to do is change human behavior. So don’t — give development autonomy to make risk-based, educated decisions, while security ensures those decisions are enforced where it counts.” 

Advice for Startups: Build Security in from Day One 

For startups, the temptation is often to push security aside until the business scales. Greenfield warns against this. “If you don’t start with the fundamentals very well, it’s going to be hard to reverse into them.” 

Her advice: 

• Start small with basic, automated security testing from day one. 

• Use free tools like OWASP and SonarQube. 

• Build a Dev Sec Ops culture early to avoid accumulating dangerous “security debt” that’s harder (and more expensive) to address later. 

Final Thoughts: The Future Belongs to Secure-First Organizations 

Greenfield leaves listeners with a sobering reminder: “Nine out of 10 breaches begin due to defects in code.” No tool or insurance policy can save an organization that ignores basic software security hygiene. 

The future of cybersecurity belongs to organizations that stop treating security as a gatekeeper and start viewing it as a business enabler — one that’s embedded in every stage of software development, from startup MVPs to enterprise product releases. 

DevSecOps isn’t just a trend — it’s the only way forward. 

Ready to Learn More? 

Explore how Wabbi is helping enterprises, mid-market companies, and even the Department of Defense modernize their application security practices at wabbisoft.com. 

Listen to Wabbi CEO & Founder Brittany discuss this and more on the podcast Strategy Next.