Top DevSecOps certifications and trainings
Check out some of the top DevSecOps certifications and trainings that can help professionals learn how to shift security left in the software development lifecycle.
Agile software development and DevOps practices help developers reduce development time frames, improve collaboration and innovation, and ensure scalability and reliability. One thing that hasn't always been addressed -- but is gaining increased attention -- is security in the software development lifecycle.
DevSecOps is the practice of shifting security left to involve security throughout the entire SDLC rather than right before -- or after -- deployment.
Due to its increasing importance, a number of DevSecOps certifications and trainings are available today. They are applicable to DevSecOps-specific jobs, such as DevSecOps engineers, managers, specialists and consultants, as well as software developers and engineers, security professionals, IT managers, auditors and other IT professionals.
These certifications can help professionals expand their knowledge of DevSecOps and further their careers in the space. Courses and trainings also enable candidates to explore their interests in a structured environment. Certifications are beneficial to organizations because their employees or job candidates must demonstrate they have the necessary skills and knowledge to collaborate and implement security-by-design practices to attain them.
Let's look at some of the top DevSecOps certifications and trainings.
1. DevOps Institute DevSecOps Foundation and 2. DevSecOps Practitioner
DevOps Institute offers two DevSecOps certifications. Its DevSecOps Foundation course teaches candidates the basics of secure software development. The course, which has no prerequisites, focuses on the benefits of shifting security left, building strong relationships between developers and security teams, and implementing security by design without sacrificing SDLC speed and scalability.
DevOps Institute's DevSecOps Practitioner is designed for candidates looking to advance their technical DevSecOps knowledge. This course offers advice on security best practices, methods and tools in the SDLC using real-life scenarios and case studies. Completion of the DevSecOps Foundation certification is recommended prior to pursuing the Practitioner certification.
The DevSecOps Foundation and Practitioner multiple-choice exams are offered online. They each require a passing grade of 65%.
3. EXIN DevSecOps Manager
EXIN's DevSecOps Manager is an advanced certification that covers DevOps and security management. This exam is designed for those pursuing a leadership or management role in DevOps or DevSecOps. This career path is best suited for professionals interested in integrating development, security and operations in the product lifecycle.
Candidates must complete three exams to receive the certification:
- A foundation course:
- EXIN Agile Scrum
- EXIN Lean IT
- EXIN DevOps
- EXIN DevOps Professional
- EXIN Information Security Management (ISO/IEC 27001) Professional
EXIN offers several exemptions and exam alternatives that can fulfill course requirements.
4. GIAC Cloud Security Automation (GCSA)
The GCSA certification is designed for candidates looking to expand their knowledge on cloud security and DevSecOps best practices, including developers, engineers and security professionals. Topics covered include securing cloud services; using open source tools; and automating configuration management, continuous monitoring and continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD).
The GCSA exam, which has no prerequisites, is based on SANS Institute's five-day online or in-person SEC540: Cloud Security and DevSecOps Automation course. The program covers five areas of focus:
- DevOps Security Automation
- Cloud Infrastructure Security
- Cloud Security Operations
- Cloud Security as a Service
- Compliance as Code
5. GSDC Certified DevSecOps Engineer Certification
Global Skill Development Council's (GSDC) Certified DevSecOps Engineer certification teaches recipients DevOps security best practices and how to use security as code in the SDLC. The exam is geared toward a number of professionals, including security practitioners, software engineers, IT managers, compliance teams and managed service providers. Candidates should have a basic understanding of DevOps and coding before attempting this certification.
The DevSecOps Engineer certification syllabus is divided into six sections:
- Introduction
- Overview of modern application development
- Overview of containerization
- Overview of information security
- Overview of cloud computing and infrastructure as code
- Overview of CI/CD
6. Practical DevSecOps Certified DevSecOps Professional (CDP)
Practical DevSecOps' CDP certification course teaches candidates about DevSecOps processes, tools and techniques. The course also offers guidance on creating and maintaining a DevSecOps pipeline and using software composition analysis (SCA), static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST) and security as code.
Candidates should have a basic understanding of Linux commands and application security before enrolling in this course.
The CDP course has nine chapters, many with demonstrations and hands-on labs:
- An introduction to the basics
- Introduction to the tools of the trade
- Secure SDLC and CI/CD pipeline
- SCA in CI/CD pipeline
- SAST in CI/CD pipeline
- DAST in CI/CD pipeline
- Infrastructure as code and its security
- Compliance as code
- Vulnerability management with custom tools
Students earn CDP certification after passing a 12-hour practical exam.
Practical DevSecOps offers three additional DevSecOps certifications:
- Certified DevSecOps Architect. This certification focuses on DevSecOps best practices for AWS. It's recommended candidates complete the CDP certification before attempting this exam.
- Certified DevSecOps Leader. This leadership exam helps managers learn how to influence DevSecOps practices through a business perspective.
- Certified DevSecOps Expert. This certification focuses on infrastructure as code, compliance as code, vulnerability management and more. Candidates must obtain the CDP certification to attempt this exam.
DevSecOps trainings
Many trainings are available to help those looking to expand their knowledge on integrating security into the SDLC. DevSecOps trainings and courses include the following:
- (ISC)² DevSecOps -- Integrating Security into DevOps. This online course covers a range of topics from DevOps basics to how to implement and monitor a successful DevSecOps program.
- SANS SEC534: Secure DevOps: A Practical Introduction. This two-day training course explains the fundamentals of DevOps, how to create secure software and more.
- SANS SEC540: Cloud Security and DevSecOps Automation. This five-day training program, which is the basis for the GCSA certification, teaches security professionals DevOps basics, DevOps in cloud and more.
- Coveros Implementing DevSecOps. This virtual or in-person course teaches students about security within the DevSecOps pipeline through group discussions and practical exercises.
- Udemy Ultimate DevSecOps with Real World Scenarios. This online training program covers Linux best practices for DevOps, creating ethical hacking tools using Python, continuous monitoring with Amazon CloudWatch, infrastructure as code and more.
