Best Practices for Securing CI/CD Pipelines

Securing your CI/CD pipelines is critical to prevent breaches, data theft, and compliance risks. Supply chain attacks have surged, with incidents like SolarWinds and Codecov exposing vulnerabilities in build processes. Common threats include:

• Pipeline Poisoning: Injecting malicious code into build configurations.
• Exposed Secrets: Poor handling of credentials like API keys or passwords.
• Third-Party Risks: Vulnerabilities in dependencies or external tools.

Key Security Practices:

1. Access Control: Use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and regular permission audits.
2. Automated Scanning: Integrate tools for Static (SAST), Dynamic (DAST), and Dependency (SCA) testing.
3. Container Hardening: Employ minimal base images, non-root users, and vulnerability scanning.

Implementation Checklist:

• Secure secrets with tools like HashiCorp Vault.
• Automate policy enforcement using Policy-as-Code.
• Monitor runtime and audit activity logs.

Setting Up A Security Scanning Pipeline From Start To Finish DevSecOps

Common Security Risks in CI/CD Pipelines

CI/CD pipelines come with their own set of risks, and understanding these is key to building strong safeguards.

Pipeline Poisoning Attacks

Pipeline poisoning is a serious threat to CI/CD systems. Attackers exploit vulnerabilities in build processes by injecting malicious code into pipeline configurations, effectively turning your infrastructure into a weapon against itself.

A PPE attack occurs when a threat actor can modify the pipeline logic of a source code management (SCM) repository by injecting malicious code into the build process, thus 'poisoning' the pipeline and forcing it to execute malicious code as part of its building process. - Bishop Fox [7]

These attacks often start with infiltrating source control systems to tamper with CI configurations. Attackers may inject commands designed to expose sensitive information, steal credentials, or even deploy compromised code directly into production environments.

A notable example occurred in May 2018 when Docker Hub was attacked. Hackers breached its development pipeline and inserted malicious code into a publicly accessible component, gaining unauthorised access to sensitive data from millions of users [7]. More recently, researchers John Stawinski and Adnan Khan demonstrated the risk by targeting PyTorch’s supply chain. They submitted a malicious fork pull request that executed code on self-hosted runners, extracting AWS keys, GitHub tokens, and accessing 93 repositories within the PyTorch organisation [7].

Pipeline poisoning can take several forms: attackers may directly alter pipeline files, manipulate referenced files indirectly, or exploit public repositories to trigger malicious actions.

Next, let’s look at how poor handling of secrets can leave pipelines exposed.

Exposed Secrets and Credentials

One of the most common security pitfalls in CI/CD pipelines is the mishandling of secrets like passwords, API keys, and certificates. When these are exposed, they become direct entry points for attackers, often with elevated privileges that can jeopardise entire systems.

This issue often stems from poor credential management. Developers sometimes embed secrets directly into source code repositories, inadvertently making them visible to anyone with access. Even private repositories aren’t immune. A GitGuardian study revealed how sensitive data can easily spread beyond its intended scope, increasing the risk of exposure [8].

When attackers gain access to these credentials, they can move through systems undetected, escalate privileges, and maintain access for extended periods. Samsung’s SmartThings app incident is a stark reminder of the consequences. The accidental exposure of source code and secret keys potentially put millions of users at risk [2]. Similarly, the Codecov breach led to the theft of thousands of credentials from environment variables across numerous pipelines [2].

The problem is compounded when secrets are granted broad or long-term permissions. Without regular rotation and proper management, a single compromised key can provide attackers with prolonged access to critical systems.

But secrets aren’t the only external factor that can introduce vulnerabilities.

Third-Party Dependency Risks

Modern software relies heavily on third-party components, with such dependencies often accounting for 40–80% of the codebase. These dependencies come with their own risks, as evidenced by nearly 40,000 documented Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) [5]. Alarmingly, the average time it takes for attackers to exploit these vulnerabilities has dropped to just five days in 2024, down from 32 days the year before [5].

Third-party risks can emerge in multiple ways. Vulnerable dependencies might introduce flaws that ripple through the application stack. Malicious packages can be deliberately uploaded to popular repositories, or legitimate packages can be compromised post-publication, turning trusted components into attack vectors.

A striking example is the introduction of a backdoor in a malicious PHP version, which demonstrated how quickly third-party vulnerabilities can wreak havoc [1]. Such incidents highlight how a single compromised dependency can have far-reaching consequences.

The risks grow further when external services are integrated without thorough security checks. These unvetted components can bring hidden vulnerabilities or compliance issues. The lack of visibility into third-party tools makes it difficult to assess risks or respond quickly to new threats.

In fast-moving CI/CD environments, these dependency risks are even more dangerous. Automated builds and deployments can spread vulnerable components across multiple systems before security teams can intervene, amplifying the potential damage.

Security Best Practices for CI/CD Pipelines

Now that we've covered the risks, let's dive into practical ways to secure your CI/CD pipelines. These best practices offer a structured approach to embedding security into every phase of your development process.

Access Control and User Management

Access control is the cornerstone of pipeline security. Without proper identity and authorisation measures, even the best tools can fall short.

Start with Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). Assign permissions based on roles tied to specific job functions instead of granting broad access. This limits unauthorised changes to critical pipeline elements.

RBAC helps enforce the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users only have access to the resources they need. This reduces the risk of unauthorised access and minimises the impact of security breaches. [9]

Adding Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) provides an extra layer of security. Even if credentials are stolen, MFA makes it much harder for attackers to gain access, especially to sensitive environments.

The principle of least privilege should guide every access decision. Grant users and automated processes the minimum permissions they need to perform their tasks. This reduces the damage potential of compromised accounts or malicious insiders.

Regular permission audits are essential. As team members change roles or leave, their access rights should be reviewed and adjusted. Modern access management tools can automate this process, offering time-limited access and integrating seamlessly with CI/CD platforms like Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, and Azure DevOps [10].

Automated Security Scanning

Automated security scans are crucial for keeping up with the fast pace of development. By integrating these tools into your CI/CD pipeline, you can ensure continuous protection.

• Static Application Security Testing (SAST): Scans source code and binaries for vulnerabilities before the application runs. It can catch issues like SQL injection and cross-site scripting early in development.
• Software Composition Analysis (SCA): Focuses on third-party dependencies and open-source libraries, flagging known vulnerabilities and suggesting fixes or alternatives.
• Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST): Simulates real-world attacks on running applications. Unlike SAST, it identifies runtime vulnerabilities by interacting with the application.

The key to effective scanning lies in strategic integration. Automate scans to trigger after each code commit, and set policies to block the pipeline if critical vulnerabilities or misconfigurations are detected [11].

Provide instant feedback to developers through notifications on platforms like Slack or Teams. Export scan results to dashboards for better visibility and compliance tracking [11]. A robust security workflow might include SAST during commits, SCA during builds, and machine learning tools monitoring API and network traffic during deployment [5].

Container Image Security and Hardening

As containerised deployments grow, securing containers has become a priority. The container security market, valued at £1.6 billion in 2023, is expected to reach £10.5 billion by 2032 [4].

Multi-stage builds help separate build and runtime environments, reducing the attack surface. For example, Docker Hardened Images can cut the attack surface by 95% [13].

Using minimal base images is another effective strategy. Lightweight distributions like Alpine Linux, combined with multi-stage builds, ensure that only essential components are included in the final image. In one case, switching to a hardened Node image eliminated vulnerabilities and reduced the package count by 98% [13].

Run containers as non-root users, which limits the impact of potential breaches by restricting privileges within the container.

Container image hardening is a process of securing a container by reducing its attack surface and making it less vulnerable to exploits. - Fabien Soulis [12]

Vulnerability scanning should be applied at every stage of the container lifecycle. Tools like Trivy or Clair can flag issues in base images and installed packages. Treat open-source images with the same scrutiny as your own code, and only push images that pass security checks [6].

Secrets management is another critical area. Avoid hardcoding sensitive data like passwords or API keys in Dockerfiles. Instead, use environment variables, Docker secrets, or dedicated tools to securely handle sensitive information.

Use a .dockerignore file to exclude unnecessary or sensitive files from the Docker build context, similar to how .gitignore works for Git repositories.

Finally, implement health monitoring with Docker's HEALTHCHECK instructions. This enables automatic restarts for unhealthy containers, helping maintain service reliability and offering early warnings of issues. Regularly update base images in your pipeline to include the latest security patches, ensuring your deployments remain secure.

CI/CD Security Implementation Checklist

This checklist provides a clear roadmap to strengthen the security of your CI/CD pipeline. It focuses on actionable steps and practical tools to address potential vulnerabilities.

Core Security Controls

Secrets Management is essential to safeguard your pipeline. Use tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager to securely store and automatically rotate secrets [3]. Avoid hardcoding credentials at all costs, as this directly mitigates risks tied to exposed credentials.

Policy-as-Code ensures consistent security standards by automating policy enforcement. Machine-readable policies in your CI/CD systems can block deployments that fail to meet security requirements [3][14].

Comprehensive Scanning Integration should cover the entire pipeline. Incorporate tools for SAST, SCA, DAST, IaC scanning, container scanning, and secrets detection (e.g., SonarQube, Checkmarx) for automated security analysis [3].

Immutable Infrastructure reduces the risk of unauthorised changes. Use containerisation platforms like Docker and orchestration tools like Kubernetes, alongside IaC solutions such as Terraform or AWS CloudFormation [3]. This approach ensures infrastructure changes are version-controlled and traceable.

Runtime Monitoring and Incident Response provide real-time detection and mitigation of threats. Implement SIEM/SOAR systems, anomaly detection, and incident response playbooks [3]. Configure alerts for suspicious activities and automate responses to common security events to counter risks like pipeline poisoning or third-party vulnerabilities.

Logging and Auditing are critical for maintaining visibility. Log every pipeline activity, including access events and configuration changes, to create a robust audit trail. This aids compliance and helps with incident investigations.

These foundational practices require regular upkeep to remain effective.

Regular Security Maintenance

Threat Modelling should be an ongoing process. Regularly assess your pipeline for vulnerabilities and define measures to address them [16].

Vulnerability Scanning and Patching is a continuous need. Update CI/CD tools and dependencies regularly, testing changes in staging environments before rolling them out to production [15][17].

Access Control Reviews are vital for managing permissions. Audit user access quarterly and revoke permissions for inactive users [15][17][18].

Security Metrics Tracking supports ongoing improvement. Monitor metrics such as vulnerability detection rates, mean time to remediate (MTTR), compliance levels, test coverage, and security-related build failures [3]. Use tagging in your ticketing system and automated timestamp tracking to measure MTTR effectively.

To continuously improve your security stance, track metrics like vulnerability detection rate, mean time to remediate, policy compliance, security test coverage, and security-related build failures. – Wiz [3]

Incident Response Planning is crucial for readiness. Conduct regular drills and tabletop exercises to ensure your team knows their roles during security incidents [17][18]. With cloud-based intrusions rising by 110% in 2023, preparation has never been more important [15].

Compliance Monitoring helps maintain alignment with industry standards. Gartner predicts that by 2025, 45% of organisations will experience supply chain attacks [19]. Regular compliance checks add an extra layer of protection and ensure best practices are upheld.

Security Tool Evaluation should occur annually. Compare the effectiveness of your current tools to identify gaps in detection [3]. As new tools emerge, they may offer better coverage or integration options to enhance your pipeline's security.

Team Training and Awareness programmes are vital to keeping your team informed. With 54% of companies acknowledging that their IT teams are underprepared for cyber attacks, regular training is essential [19]. Focus training efforts on emerging threats, new tools, and lessons learned from past incidents.

How Hokstad Consulting Can Help

After diving into best practices, let’s see how Hokstad Consulting puts these ideas into action. They specialise in combining expert DevOps security integration with strategies that keep costs in check, ensuring businesses achieve strong protection without sacrificing efficiency.

DevOps Security Integration

Hokstad Consulting takes secure integration to the next level by embedding thorough security measures into CI/CD pipelines, all while maintaining speed and reliability. Their approach ensures security is woven into every phase of development - from the moment code is committed to its deployment in production.

By leveraging platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, they tailor security solutions to fit your technical environment. One standout feature is their automated container image scanning, integrated directly into CI/CD workflows. This ensures vulnerabilities are caught early, before images make it to production registries. They even set up inline scanning, which processes images securely within your pipeline environment, keeping everything private.

Their expertise extends across the entire pipeline ecosystem. For example:

• Configuring Kubernetes admission controllers to block unscanned images.
• Using policy-as-code to maintain consistent enforcement.
• Setting up continuous monitoring that evolves with emerging threats.

Hokstad Consulting’s results speak for themselves. A tech startup they worked with reduced deployment time from 6 hours to just 20 minutes while cutting infrastructure-related downtime by 95% [20]. These outcomes are achieved through automation that eliminates manual bottlenecks and reduces human error.

What sets them apart is their focus on your unique needs. Whether you’re navigating complex regulations or running performance-critical applications, they craft security solutions tailored to your specific challenges. They avoid generic, one-size-fits-all approaches, ensuring their strategies align with your goals.

This strong foundation in security integration naturally supports their cost-saving strategies, which we’ll now explore.

Cost-Effective Security Solutions

Hokstad Consulting proves that you can strengthen security without overspending. Their cost engineering approach not only enhances security but also boosts operational efficiency, ensuring every improvement adds value rather than unnecessary expense [20].

Their unique engagement model ties their fees to the savings they help you achieve. This performance-driven approach has delivered impressive results across industries. For instance:

• A SaaS company saved £120,000 annually after cloud optimisation.
• An e-commerce platform saw a 50% performance boost while cutting costs by 30% [20].

Cut Your Infrastructure Costs by 30%-50% and Pay Out of Your Savings – Hokstad Consulting [20]

Hokstad Consulting focuses on strategies like right-sizing infrastructure, introducing intelligent caching solutions, and optimising resource allocation. They design cloud setups that balance cost, performance, and security, ensuring you’re not paying for unused resources or redundant tools.

Their process begins with a detailed assessment of your current security infrastructure. They identify areas for cost optimisation, eliminate unnecessary tools, and consolidate functions where possible. This reduces licensing fees and simplifies operations.

Additionally, they build custom security tools designed to meet your compliance, performance, and cost needs - no extra features you don’t need.

With flexible engagement options, including hourly consulting and ongoing retainers, Hokstad Consulting adapts to your budget and requirements. They also provide regular cloud security audits and performance optimisation services to ensure your cost savings continue over time, while your security evolves with your business.

Conclusion

Securing your CI/CD pipelines isn’t just a technical task - it’s a critical business priority. With attackers increasingly targeting these pipelines, implementing robust security measures is essential to safeguard your software development process and overall business operations [3].

Organisations that prioritise CI/CD security report impressive results: a 60% boost in team efficiency, 50% fewer change failures, and noticeable decreases in development costs, operational expenses, and post-release defects [23]. These numbers highlight how effective security practices not only protect but also enhance productivity and cost management.

To build a resilient pipeline, security must be integrated at every stage. This includes automated security scanning, secrets management, and role-based access control - all strategies previously discussed. For example, automated security scanning can lead to a 61% faster detection of vulnerabilities compared to traditional testing methods [24].

Securing containers requires a comprehensive approach spanning many points in the software supply chain. Security and risk management technical professionals must use DevSecOps processes and techniques to effectively secure container environments. - Gartner, Inc. [22]

Expert guidance plays a vital role in tailoring and maintaining these security measures. Organisations that leverage professional consultancy see tangible benefits, including a 33% reduction in time-to-market when using CI/CD pipelines compared to traditional approaches [23]. Hokstad Consulting, for instance, has a proven record of cutting infrastructure costs by 30–50% while simultaneously strengthening security. This demonstrates that businesses don’t have to choose between staying secure and staying profitable.

The urgency is clear. With 35% of enterprises still relying on self-hosted runners with weak security practices [3] and more than 90% of companies now using containers [21], the time to act is now. By securing your CI/CD pipelines today, you not only mitigate emerging threats but also gain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world.

A strong CI/CD security strategy isn’t static - it’s comprehensive, automated, and continuously evolving. Investing in these practices now will deliver long-term benefits, such as reduced risk, greater efficiency, and a more resilient business ready to tackle future challenges.

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