How to Align Your DevSecOps Framework with Software Supply Chain Security

A strong DevSecOps framework integrates security into every stage of the software development lifecycle (SDLC). But as development accelerates, reliance on third-party and open-source code grows, introducing significant risks from the software supply chain. Aligning your DevSecOps framework to address these specific threats is no longer optional. It’s essential for building resilient and secure applications.

Many organizations struggle to extend their security practices beyond first-party code, leaving them exposed to vulnerabilities hidden deep within their software dependencies. In fact, data from the 2025 State of Software Security report shows that 70% of critical security debt comes from third-party code. By integrating software supply chain security directly into your existing DevSecOps framework, you can gain complete visibility, manage risk proactively, and empower your developers to build secure software without sacrificing speed.

What is a DevSecOps Framework?

A DevSecOps framework is a structured approach that embeds security practices, tools, and cultural principles directly into the DevOps pipeline. It transforms security from a final, often disruptive, step into a continuous and collaborative responsibility shared by development, security, and operations teams. This “shift-left” approach ensures security is built-in from the start, not bolted on at the end.

The core benefits of a well-implemented DevSecOps framework include:

• Secure Coding: Developers are empowered with tools and knowledge to write more secure code from the initial commit.
• Continuous Risk Mitigation: Automated scanning and analysis identify and address vulnerabilities throughout the SDLC.
• Improved Developer Experience: Integrating security tools into developer workflows reduces friction and eliminates the need for context switching.
• Business Resilience: Building secure applications reduces the risk of breaches, downtime, and costly remediation efforts.

The Escalating Risks in the Software Supply Chain

Your software supply chain encompasses every component, library, and tool used to build and run your applications. While open-source software offers immense benefits for innovation and speed, it has also become a primary target for attackers. Breaches exploiting vulnerabilities in third-party code increased by 180% in 2024, according to the 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report.

These risks are not always obvious. Malicious actors are increasingly injecting malware into open-source repositories, creating typo-squatted packages that mimic legitimate ones, and exploiting vulnerabilities in transitive dependencies (the dependencies of your dependencies). Without deep visibility, your applications could be using compromised code without your knowledge. You can learn more about managing these risks in our CISO Guide to the Secure Software Supply Chain.

3 Steps to Align Your DevSecOps Framework with Supply Chain Security

Integrating supply chain security requires a deliberate enhancement of your existing DevSecOps framework. Here are three actionable steps to bridge the gap.

1. Embed Proactive Controls Early in the SDLC

The first principle of DevSecOps is to shift security left. For supply chain security, this means preventing risky components from ever entering your pipeline.

• Establish Prevention Methods: Use tools like a package firewall to block the download of malicious or non-compliant open-source packages based on predefined policies. This is your first line of defense, stopping threats before a developer even writes a line of code.
• Automate Security Scans: Integrate Software Composition Analysis (SCA) directly into IDEs and CI/CD pipelines. These scans should automatically map all direct and transitive dependencies to identify known vulnerabilities (CVEs) and license risks.

2. Focus on What’s Truly Exploitable with Vulnerable Methods Detection

Not all vulnerabilities present an equal level of risk. A common challenge is “alert fatigue,” where developers and security teams are overwhelmed by a long list of potential flaws. A mature DevSecOps framework prioritizes findings based on actual risk. This is where vulnerable methods detection becomes critical.

An application is not vulnerable simply because it includes a library with a known flaw. It is only vulnerable if the application’s code actually calls the specific, afflicted part of that library.

Vulnerable methods detection traces the execution path from your first-party code into the open-source dependency. By confirming that your code invokes the vulnerable method, it distinguishes a real, exploitable threat from a theoretical one. This allows your team to:

• Prioritize with Precision: Focus remediation efforts on the flaws that pose an immediate danger.
• Reduce False Positives: Eliminate the noise from vulnerabilities that exist in a library but are never called by your application.
• Accelerate Remediation: An advanced solution can provide developers with clear evidence of possible exploitation, so they can fix what matters most.

3. Automate Remediation and Governance

Finding vulnerabilities is only half the battle. Your DevSecOps framework must also accelerate the fix.

• Automate Fixes: Leverage AI-driven remediation tools that provide developers with expert-designed code fixes. These tools can automatically suggest secure package versions or generate code patches that can be applied directly from the IDE, drastically reducing the time and effort needed for remediation.
• Generate an SBOM: The ability to produce a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is now a critical requirement for regulatory compliance and customer trust. Integrate SBOM generation into your CI/CD pipeline to maintain an accurate, up-to-date inventory of all components in your applications.
• Enforce Clear Policies: Define and automate application security policies based on risk tolerance and regulatory needs. An integrated platform helps enforce these policies consistently across your entire application portfolio.

Build a Resilient and Secure Future

Aligning your DevSecOps framework with software supply chain security is a journey, not a destination. It involves adopting the right tools, refining your processes, and fostering a culture of shared security responsibility. Common DevSecOps adoption challenges often stem from disconnected tools and a lack of clear guidance, but a unified platform can overcome these hurdles.

By embedding proactive controls, focusing on truly exploitable vulnerabilities, and automating remediation, you can build a security program that enables innovation instead of hindering it.

Ready to build a more robust DevSecOps framework? Download our DevSecOps ebook to get a six-step framework for securing your SDLC.

Need to secure your dependencies? Download the Blueprint for a Secure Software Supply Chain eBook for detailed guidance on protecting your applications from third-party risk.