DevSecOps brings together development, security, and operations into a single integrated practice. Unlike traditional approaches that bolt on security at the end of the software development life cycle, DevSecOps embeds it from the very start. This is critical for financial institutions and regulated industries, where security vulnerabilities or poor controls in digital infrastructure can directly expose firms to compliance breaches and regulatory penalties.

For compliance officers, DevSecOps provides a way of ensuring that rapid innovation in technology does not outpace the governance, assurance, and resilience required by regulators. By weaving security into every stage of development and deployment, DevSecOps supports operational resilience, AML monitoring systems, and RegTech adoption that are both agile and auditable.

Definition Of DevSecOps

DevSecOps is the practice of embedding security controls, governance mechanisms, and compliance checks into the DevOps pipeline to ensure that every software release is both secure and auditable.

Whereas DevOps is primarily about speed and collaboration between developers and operations, DevSecOps expands the focus to include automated security testing, monitoring, and policy enforcement throughout the delivery process. This reduces the risk of vulnerabilities, data breaches, and operational incidents that could compromise compliance obligations.

How DevSecOps Works In Practice

At its core, DevSecOps integrates security tools and policies directly into the CI/CD pipeline. This means that instead of running manual penetration tests after a release, every build undergoes automated checks for vulnerabilities, configuration errors, and dependency risks.

Key Stages Of DevSecOps

• Code Stage: Static Application Security Testing (SAST) identifies insecure code patterns before deployment.

• Build Stage: Dependencies are scanned for vulnerabilities, ensuring compliance with patching requirements.

• Deploy Stage: Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates are validated to prevent cloud misconfigurations.

• Run Stage: Continuous monitoring tools observe applications in real time, detecting anomalies or breaches quickly.

This automation allows firms to maintain delivery velocity while creating an audit trail of security checks that regulators increasingly expect. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) emphasises integrating secure development principles into DevOps to ensure long-term resilience.

Why DevSecOps Is Important For Compliance

Regulators have become more explicit in linking technology change management to compliance outcomes. For example, the FCA has published reviews highlighting how poorly managed technology changes increase the likelihood of outages, customer harm, and compliance failures. Embedding DevSecOps mitigates these risks by ensuring every change is controlled, reviewed, and monitored.

In financial crime compliance, DevSecOps directly supports:

• AML Monitoring Tools: Platforms like FacctGuard (for transaction monitoring) rely on rapid deployment of detection logic. DevSecOps ensures these updates are safe and resilient.

• Sanctions Screening Engines: FacctList (for watchlist management) must regularly update watchlists and screening rules. DevSecOps provides assurance that these updates are deployed securely without introducing vulnerabilities.

• Customer Screening: With FacctView (for customer screening), DevSecOps helps firms continuously improve screening models while maintaining governance controls.

Key Benefits Of DevSecOps For Regulated Firms

Improved Security Posture

By integrating security tools throughout the development cycle, firms reduce the attack surface of compliance-critical applications.

Regulatory Alignment

DevSecOps creates automated evidence that can be shown to regulators during audits, demonstrating control effectiveness.

Faster Innovation With Lower Risk

Instead of delaying releases for manual checks, firms can innovate quickly while reducing compliance risks.

Operational Resilience

DevSecOps supports recovery and rollback strategies, aligning with resilience frameworks promoted by institutions like the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), which highlight the need for continuous monitoring and secure software practices.

Risks And Challenges Of DevSecOps

While DevSecOps offers clear benefits, there are risks that compliance officers and technology leaders must manage.

Cultural Resistance

Security often slows teams down, and shifting to DevSecOps requires cultural change. Without buy-in, controls may be bypassed.

Complexity Of Tooling

Integrating SAST, DAST, IaC scanning, and monitoring into pipelines adds technical complexity.

Explainability And Oversight

Regulators demand clarity on how decisions are made. Black-box automation can create gaps in explainability, especially in AML workflows.

Cost And Skills Gap

Deploying secure CI/CD infrastructure requires investment in skilled staff, cloud security, and governance frameworks.

Best Practices For DevSecOps In Compliance

• Shift Left: Run automated security scans early in the development process.

• Automate Evidence Collection: Store audit logs, approval workflows, and test reports in machine-readable formats.

• Policy As Code: Encode compliance requirements (such as encryption standards or access controls) directly into the pipeline.

• Continuous Monitoring: Detect threats in real time, reducing dwell time of breaches.

• Risk-Based Governance: Apply stricter controls for high-risk systems (e.g., payment engines) and leaner ones for lower-risk systems.

The NCSC stresses continuous education and upskilling in secure DevOps as essential for long-term resilience.

The Future Of DevSecOps In Financial Compliance

As regulators increase scrutiny on technology resilience and AML systems, DevSecOps will become the default operating model for compliance technology. Expect to see:

• Closer integration with Supervisory Technology (SupTech)frameworks.

• Regulatory expectations for evidence of automated security testing.

• Wider adoption of explainable AI within DevSecOps to meet transparency requirements in compliance tools.