Need to start integrating security into your CI/CD pipeline but not sure where to start? Here’s a quick briefing to get you up to speed.

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Part 01 – What is CI/CD pipeline security?

A CI/CD pipeline is an automated workflow that helps teams build, test and release software faster. Security in this context involves embedding protective measures into every stage of that pipeline, rather than treating security as a separate, last–minute task.

This approach, often referred to as DevSecOps, ensures vulnerabilities are detected and fixed early, before they can propagate to production. It’s a great way to implement Secure by Design in a high–risk area of your business.

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Part 02 – Why is it important?

Your CI/CD pipeline is a critical part of your software delivery process – and a tempting target for attackers. Without proper safeguards, malicious actors may inject harmful code, compromise sensitive data, or tamper with releases.

The stakes are high: real–world breaches like SolarWinds and Codecov demonstrate how pipeline attacks can affect thousands of organisations.

Securing your pipeline helps reduce risks such as the exploitation of high–privilege access often used in automated workflows, supply chain attacks which target compromised third–party dependencies, and regulatory non–compliance.

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Part 03 – What should you focus on?

If you’re planning to integrate security into your CI/CD pipeline, here are some areas to prioritise:

• 01: Secure configuration – Harden all components, avoid default settings, enforce secrets management, and ensure code signing and protected branches prevent tampering.
• 02: Identity and Access Management (IAM) – Use the principle of least privilege and securely manage secrets with tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager.
• 03: Dependency management – Vet third–party dependencies, and use private repositories to avoid retrieving unverified code from the internet.
• 04: Pipeline access controls – Limit permissions of pipelines, rotate API keys, and ensure OAuth tokens have minimal scope and short lifespans.
• 05: Monitoring and visibility – Use centralised logging and anomaly detection to identify and respond to potential threats.
• 06: Security testing – Automate testing with tools such as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), and Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to catch vulnerabilities early.
• 07: Threat modelling and response plans – Conduct CI/CD–specific threat modelling to identify attack vectors. Regularly test incident response plans through security drills to ensure readiness.

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By embedding security into your CI/CD pipeline, you don’t just protect your organisation from potential breaches – you transform security into a competitive advantage, delivering software that’s not only fast but also trustworthy and resilient.