Top 14 DevSecOps tools to secure your SDLC

This statistic highlights a glaring gap in modern security (not to mention one that is often overlooked due to the focus on breaches that affect production environments rather than development pipelines): In many cases, the tools and pipelines that businesses use to develop code are just as vulnerable to attack as the code itself.

This is why deploying effective DevSecOps tools is a critical step toward improving your organization’s overall security posture. With the right DevSecOps tools, it becomes possible to secure code at all stages of the secure software development lifecycle (SSDLC) – whether it’s during development, in pre-deployment testing environments, or in the production environments that host applications once they become available to end users.

Read on for an in-depth look at how DevSecOps tools work, the role they play in modern cybersecurity, the types of DevSecOps tools that are available, and how to choose the right DevSecOps tools for your business.

In this article:

What are DevSecOps tools?
The importance of DevSecOps tools
Types of DevSecOps tools
Popular open source DevSecOps tools
How to choose a DevSecOp tool
DevSecOps tools list comparison

What are DevSecOps tools?

DevSecOps tools are software solutions designed to integrate security practices and processes into the DevOps workflow, ensuring that security is addressed throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). By enabling teams to identify and remediate security issues early in the development process, DevSecOps tools enhance collaboration between developers, operations, and security teams.

The importance of DevSecOps tools

DevSecOps tools are critical to modern software development because they integrate security practices directly into the DevOps workflow, enabling teams to deliver secure applications without sacrificing speed or agility. In this way, they help ensure that security becomes a shared responsibility across development, operations, and security teams, enabling organizations to address risks efficiently and effectively.

DevSecOps tools are also vital for modern software development because they embed security into the development process, ensuring proactive and automated risk management while fostering collaboration between development, security, and operations teams. By enabling shift-left security, these tools detect vulnerabilities early in the software development lifecycle. This reduces costs and accelerates development cycles without compromising on quality or agility. The sooner teams catch security issues, the less time and effort they typically take to fix.

From the perspective of regulatory compliance, too, DevSecOps tools are beneficial because they enable automated checks, provide comprehensive coverage across diverse environments, and adapt to evolving threats with real-time insights and AI-driven detection.

In short, DevSecOps tools help teams strike a healthy balance between speed and security in the context of modern software development. By embedding security into every stage of the software development lifecycle, these tools empower organizations to deliver high-quality, secure applications efficiently and cost-effectively. In a world where security breaches can lead to significant financial and reputational damage, DevSecOps tools are indispensable.

“According to SANS DevSecOps Survey 2023 – A striking 54% of respondents push system changes to production weekly, while 53% conduct security tests on their critical application at least once a week. It’s clear why the DevSecOps role is considered essential to business success.”
DevSecOps Buyer’s Guide

Types of DevSecOps tools

DevSecOps tools can be categorized into seven key areas, each addressing specific aspects of secure software development and deployment.

Type	Explanation
Code Security Tools	Identify vulnerabilities in application source code to enhance overall code quality and security.
Dependency Scanning Tools	Analyze third-party libraries and dependencies to detect and mitigate risks from insecure components.
Dynamic Security Testing Tools	Evaluate running applications to uncover runtime vulnerabilities and simulate potential threats.
Container Security Tools	Secure containerized environments by scanning images and ensuring proper configurations.
Infrastructure Security Tools	Protect configurations and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) files by detecting security issues or misconfigurations.
Secrets Management Tools	Secure sensitive credentials such as API keys, passwords, and tokens, preventing unauthorized access.
Compliance and Policy Tools	Ensure adherence to organizational security policies and regulatory standards through automated checks and monitoring.
Shift-Right Tools	Monitor and secure applications in production, providing runtime protection, anomaly detection, and incident response.

Popular open source DevSecOps tools

Now that we’ve covered what DevSecOps tools do and which types are available, let’s look at popular DevSecOps tool solutions available today, with a focus on open source solutions.

Code scanners

Code scanners work by detecting flaws in application source code that could expose software to attacks. Popular open source code scanners include SonarQube, Semgrep and Brakeman. Note that in many cases, code scanning tools only support certain languages, so be sure to select a solution that works with your application’s codebase.

IaC scanners

In addition to scanning application code, it can be helpful to scan Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) files, which -teams use to configure servers and other resources. IaC misconfigurations could trigger security risks such as exposing sensitive data to public access. Most end-to-end security vendors also provide IaC scanning capabilities, although standalone commercial IaC scanners are more challenging to find.

Shift Right Tools

Focus on securing and monitoring applications in production environments. They provide real-time protection, incident response, and operational visibility, complementing earlier DevSecOps stages. Examples include RASP and CWPP solutions, which detect runtime threats, ensure continuous security, and address risks that static or dynamic testing may miss, creating a comprehensive DevSecOps framework

How to choose a DevSecOp tool

Choosing a DevSeCOps tool or platform requires weighing a variety of factors.

Supported integrations

Perhaps the single most important factor in selecting a DevSecOps tool is ensuring it’s compatible with whichever software development and Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) software your business uses. As mentioned above, some DevSecOps scanners or testers may only work if you host your code on a certain platform, or if you use certain CI servers.

Supported languages

Along similar lines, ensure that the solution you select is compatible with the programming languages your team uses. While most mainstream DevSecOps tools support the most popular languages and frameworks (like Java, C, and C++), support for languages that are somewhat less popular but still widely used (like Go or PHP) can be spottier.

Supported application and deployment types

The types of applications and deployment patterns that your DevSecOps tools support is a critical factor to consider, too. For example, some tools may only be able to scan monolithic applications, while others are flexible enough to offer container scanning and serverless function security as well.

Scanning capabilities

As we noted, some DevSecOps tools are part of unified platforms that address all DevSecOps needs, while others can perform only certain types of scans or tests. Unless you already have other tools in place and are looking to fill just one specific type of security need, consider end-to-end DevSecOps platforms, which allow your team to manage all aspects of DevSecOps without having to switch between different tools or learn multiple solutions.

Remediation guidance

Identifying risks is one thing. Fixing them quickly is another. To speed remediation and reduce the risk that responding to security scans and tests will slow down software release cycles, look for DevSecOps tools that provide remediation guidance in addition to alerting about risks. For example, if a SAST scanner automatically generates code to fix a buffer overflow, it saves your developers from having to implement a solution on their own.

Risk severity level and prioritization

When DevSecOps tools identify a risk, the ability to categorize it based on varying severity levels helps teams make informed decisions about which issues to prioritize. This is important because it’s common for tools to generate volumes of alerts, and if your teams aren’t sure which ones matter the most, they can become bogged down responding to low-risk items while more critical risks remain unaddressed. Risk-based priority management helps solve this challenge.

Reporting

Reporting in DevSecOps tools is a valuable type of feature for tracking security outcomes over time, and to demonstrate security best practices for auditing and compliance purposes. Reports allow you to measure and display data such as how many vulnerabilities your tools discover in each application release cycle and how quickly it takes to remediate them. They can also map your security risks to compliance frameworks, helping you monitor compliance status.

Performance overhead

DevSecOps tools consume CPU and memory resources. Some may also use storage space to retain logs or other data that they generate. Ideally, your DevSecOps tools will consume these resources efficiently so that they don’t deprive your development tools of the resources they need to perform well. You don’t want to slow down your compiler, for example, because a security scanning tool is hogging most of the CPU available in your development environment.

Access controls

If threat actors manage to access DevSecOps tools or any other tool that features in a CI/CD pipeline, they could potentially inject malicious code into applications or populate security alerts and reports with false data. To reduce this risk, look for DevSecOps tools that offer robust access control features and allow only authorized personnel to interact with the tools and the data they produce.

💡 Pro Tip – Start Early with Security

Starting early with security is essential for an effective DevSecOps approach. By shifting security left, teams can proactively identify and address vulnerabilities throughout development. This includes scanning code and third-party packages for potential risks, checking container images before deployment, and integrating security into CI/CD pipelines for quicker feedback and safer releases. Your goal is to anticipate and mitigate potential risks in upcoming updates, ensuring that security is a priority from the very beginning.

Source: DevSecOps Buyer’s Guide: Essential Strategies for Securing Cloud Native Applications

DevSecOps tools list comparison

To summarize DevSecOps tools available today, the following table highlights several of the most popular offerings, along with notes on their pros and cons.

Solution	Description	Strengths
Aqua	End-to-end DevSecOps platform.	Highly flexible solution that integrates with virtually all mainstream CI/CD tools and provides a comprehensive set of security scanning and testing capabilities. Offers full support for the cloud, but is not limited to cloud security.
Aqua Trivy	Open source vulnerability and IaC scanner.	Combines vulnerability scanning and IaC scanning into a single tool. Free and open source. Developed by Aqua but can be used separately from the Aqua platform if desired.
KICs	Open source IaC scanner.	Free tool for performing IaC scans.
SemGrep	Open source static code analyzer.	Provides some SAST scanning features. Free and open source solution.

Category	Example Tools
Code Scanners	Semgrep, CodeQL, FindSecBugs
IaC Scanners	Checkov, Terrascan, tflint, CloudFormation Guard
SCA Scanners	OWASP Dependency-Check, CycloneDX, Trivy
Shift-Right Tools	Falco

“Before Aqua, we did not have the visibility across DevSecOps that we needed. Because of the Aqua Platform we are more efficient, able to pivot and have the confidence we will not be compromised. Aqua is a critical part of our agency’s infrastructure. We chose Aqua Security ultimately because of its’ seamless end-to-end platform, ease of use and ability to integrate with our other gold standard technologies. Aqua is our technology of choice. There are other tools and platforms, but for my money, we are adding capabilities found only in Aqua.”
– Department of Defense Program Manager

Aqua: The only DevSecOps tool you’ll ever need

While you can deploy individual DevSecOps tools to cover different security needs, you can also use Aqua – a DevSecOps platform that does it all.

The Aqua platform is a robust DevSecOps solution that consolidates a broad spectrum of security testing capabilities into a unified framework. It is designed to secure diverse application types across multiple environments, CI/CD pipelines, and the entire Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). With advanced features such as AI-guided remediation, Aqua enhances operational efficiency by proactively identifying and resolving vulnerabilities. Its flexibility and scalability make it an ideal choice for securing modern development workflows, ensuring seamless integration with varied tools and processes.

See for yourself by requesting a demo.