A recent SentinelOne survey found that 84% of companies know they must secure their Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines. 20% have already faced a security breach in the past year! It’s crucial to protect these systems before an attack happens.

Software supply chain attacks have increased by 742% per year over the last three years. Hackers are finding new ways to attack every part of the development process, including CI/CD pipelines.

If a CI/CD pipeline is hacked, attackers can inject bad code, steal important data, or disrupt production. This can lead to huge financial losses and serious damage to a company’s reputation. Businesses must take these threats seriously and secure their pipelines.

Having said this, security vs speed is a constant debate. Developers want more speed; security teams want more protection. But can both be achieved? Here are a few important ways to secure a CI/CD pipeline without losing the speed of deployment.

1. Implement Least Privilege Access

Grant only the necessary access to minimize security risks. Regular audits and role-based controls prevent insider threats.

• Reduce risks by granting only necessary access. 
• Use Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to streamline permissions.
• Regularly audit privileges and remove inactive accounts.
• Prevent insider threats by limiting unnecessary access.

2. Deploy Secrets Management

Hardcoding credentials is a security risk – store them securely instead. Automate secret management to maintain safety without disrupting workflows.

• Store API keys, credentials, and tokens securely – never in code.
• Use tools like HashiCorp Vault or AWS Secrets Manager.
• Rotate credentials frequently and monitor their usage.
• Encrypt secrets at rest and in transit for added protection.
• Automate secret management to maintain security without slowing workflows.

3. Automate Security Scanning

Security scans should be proactive, not reactive. Automate vulnerability detection to strengthen application security.

• Integrate security scans into the development lifecycle.
• Use SAST (Static Application Security Testing) for early detection.
• Implement DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) for runtime analysis.
• Leverage SCA (Software Composition Analysis) to secure third-party libraries.
• Automate security checks to avoid delays in development.

4. Enforce Code Signing & Integrity Checks

Ensure only verified and untampered code gets deployed. Code signing and validation help prevent supply chain attacks.

• Verify code authenticity with cryptographic signatures.
• Block deployments if signature validation fails.
• Implement checksum verification to detect tampering.
• Secure repositories with branch protection and mandatory code reviews.
• Strengthen defenses against supply chain attacks.

5. Monitor and Audit Everything

Visibility is key to security. Continuous monitoring and real-time alerts help detect threats before they escalate.

• Maintain full visibility from code commits to deployment.
• Log all activities securely for auditing purposes.
• Use SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools to detect anomalies.
• Set up real-time alerts for unauthorized security bypass attempts.
• Conduct regular log reviews and security audits.

6. Involve the Team

Security isn’t just for security teams – it’s everyone’s responsibility. Training and feedback loops build a culture of secure coding.

• Train developers in secure coding best practices.
• Perform regular security checks to identify weak spots.
• Gather team feedback to improve security processes.
• Integrate security seamlessly into daily workflows.

With CloudNow, when it comes to the security vs speed debate, you don’t have to choose. Secure smarter, and deploy faster. Talk to us for more information.