Abstract

Secure DevOps, often referred to as DevSecOps, represents a strategic integration of security practices into the continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines of software development. In modern cloud computing environments, rapid deployment and scalability present unique security challenges, which traditional DevOps practices often fail to address comprehensively. This research explores frameworks and practices for embedding security seamlessly throughout the software development lifecycle, ensuring both reliability and compliance in cloud applications. Emphasis is placed on automated security testing, infrastructure-as-code hardening, policy-as-code enforcement, and continuous monitoring to reduce vulnerabilities and improve operational efficiency. The study also examines organizational and technical barriers to implementing Secure DevOps, including cultural resistance, skill gaps, and integration challenges. By reviewing existing literature, case studies, and industry best practices, this paper identifies the key drivers of successful Secure DevOps adoption and evaluates their impact on deployment reliability and security posture. Findings indicate that organizations that implement Secure DevOps practices experience faster detection and remediation of security issues, reduced operational risk, and enhanced collaboration between development, operations, and security teams. The study concludes with a proposed framework for organizations to adopt Secure DevOps effectively while mitigating challenges associated with cloud-native environments.