4 Common Myths About DevSecOps Debunked

DevSecOps is often discussed as the solution for integrating security into rapid development cycles. Yet, misconceptions about what it is and how it works can prevent teams from adopting it. As an engineering manager, you need to balance speed with quality, and introducing a new methodology can seem disruptive.

The truth is, a well-implemented DevSecOps framework doesn’t create bottlenecks; it removes them. It empowers your team to build secure, high-quality software faster. Let’s debunk some of the most common myths and clarify how DevSecOps can streamline your workflows and reduce technical debt.

Myth 1: DevSecOps Will Slow Down Development

The most persistent myth is that adding security checks will inevitably grind development to a halt. Teams are under pressure to meet aggressive deadlines, and the fear is that security becomes another gatekeeper, another hurdle to clear before release.

The Reality: It Accelerates Secure Delivery

DevSecOps isn’t about adding more gates; it’s about embedding automated security controls into the existing CI/CD pipeline. When security is integrated from the start, developers receive feedback in real-time, directly within their IDEs and code repositories. This “shift-left” approach allows them to fix flaws as they code, which is significantly faster and more cost-effective than finding them in pre-production testing.

Consider the data: organizations that integrate security testing early can remediate flaws much faster.  A study conducted by Forrester Consulting on behalf of Veracode, found that with Veracode Fix, a customer had a 92% faster meantime to remediate security flaws and a 200% reduction in time detecting flaws compared to manual processes. Instead of discovering a critical vulnerability days before a launch, your team catches and fixes it in minutes. This proactive approach prevents costly rework and project delays, ensuring you deliver on time without accumulating security debt.

Myth 2: DevSecOps is Just Another Name for More Security Tools

Many engineering managers believe that “doing DevSecOps” means buying a dozen new, fragmented security tools and forcing developers to use them. This approach often leads to tool fatigue, alert overload, and a messy workflow that creates more problems than it solves.

The Reality: It’s About Culture and Integrated Workflows

While tools are a component, DevSecOps is fundamentally a cultural shift. It’s about fostering collaboration between development, security, and operations teams and establishing shared ownership of security. The goal is to make security an intrinsic part of the development process, not a separate function.

An effective DevSecOps strategy relies on a unified platform that integrates seamlessly with the tools your team already uses, from the IDE to the CI/CD pipeline. This provides a single source of truth for all security findings. Instead of developers sifting through alerts from multiple disconnected scanners, they get prioritized, context-aware findings in one place. For example, a platform like Veracode Risk Manager can unify findings from various sources, automate investigation, and provide clear next steps, allowing your team to focus on the most critical risks with the least effort.

Myth 3: Developers Aren’t Security Experts, and They Shouldn’t Have to Be

Another common concern is that DevSecOps places an unfair burden on developers, expecting them to become security experts overnight. You hired them to build features and innovate, not to spend their days analyzing complex vulnerability reports.

The Reality: It Empowers Developers with Actionable Guidance

DevSecOps doesn’t require every developer to become a cybersecurity professional. It equips them with the right tools and knowledge to write secure code from the start. Modern security tools provide clear, actionable guidance that helps developers understand and fix flaws without needing deep security expertise.

For instance, AI-assisted remediation tools like Veracode Fix can automatically generate secure code suggestions for identified vulnerabilities, which developers can review and apply in seconds. This not only accelerates remediation but also serves as a powerful learning tool. By seeing secure coding practices in context, developers build their skills over time. The result is a more capable, security-conscious team that produces higher-quality code and reduces the organization’s overall risk profile. This also frees up your senior engineers to focus on mentorship and architectural challenges instead of routine bug fixes.

Myth 4: We’re Too Small for DevSecOps / It’s Only for Large Enterprises

Some teams assume DevSecOps is a heavy, complex framework that only makes sense for large corporations with massive budgets and dedicated security teams. They believe their organization lacks the resources to implement it effectively.

The Reality: DevSecOps is Scalable and Benefits Teams of All Sizes

The principles of DevSecOps (automation, collaboration, and integration) are scalable and applicable to any organization, regardless of size. In fact, smaller teams can often be more agile in adopting new practices. By starting with a focused approach, you can realize significant benefits quickly.

Begin by integrating automated static analysis (SAST) into your CI pipeline. This single step can catch a significant percentage of coding flaws before they reach production. From there, you can gradually introduce other practices, like Software Composition Analysis (SCA) to manage open-source risk or Dynamic Analysis (DAST) for runtime testing. Cloud-based platforms make these capabilities accessible without a large upfront investment in infrastructure, allowing you to pay for what you use and scale as your needs grow.

Actionable Steps to Embrace DevSecOps

Moving toward a DevSecOps model doesn’t have to be a monumental undertaking. You can start with practical, incremental changes that deliver immediate value.

1. Start with Automation in Your CI/CD Pipeline: Integrate automated security scanning (like SAST and SCA) into your existing build process. This provides a foundational layer of security with minimal disruption to your team’s workflow.
2. Choose Integrated Tools: Invest in a unified security platform that integrates with your developers’ favorite tools (IDEs, Git, Jira). This ensures a seamless experience and prevents tool fatigue.
3. Prioritize and Focus on What Matters: Use tools that provide context-aware risk prioritization. This helps your team focus on fixing the vulnerabilities that pose the greatest threat to your business, rather than getting lost in a sea of low-risk findings.
4. Empower, Don’t Overwhelm: Provide developers with tools that offer clear remediation guidance and educational resources. Fostering a culture of learning helps build security skills across the team organically.

By addressing these myths and adopting a strategic approach, you can transform security from a perceived bottleneck into a genuine accelerator for innovation and quality.

Ready to build a more secure and efficient SDLC? Download the DevSecOps Best Practices 2025: Integrate Security and Speed in Your SDLC to discover the specific strategies and technologies that will transform your application security program.