DevOps Security Tools to Include in Your Tech Stack

The pace of software development requires that speed and security are not mutually exclusive. DevSecOps security tools embed security best practices into development workflows so teams can find and fix weaknesses early and not risk slowing down release cycles. Based on a recent market study, the worldwide DevSecOps market size is anticipated to reach USD 26.21 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 14.6% as organizations are realizing security can no longer be an afterthought.

Enterprise teams are feeling pressure from all sides: more advanced cyber threats, compliance demands, and the requirement to roll out features faster than ever. According to Cycode’s State of Product Security in the AI Era report, organizations face unprecedented security challenges as AI adoption accelerates across development teams. DevOps-focused security tools handle these requirements by automating security scans, offering real-time discovery of vulnerabilities, and integrating checks across the SDLC. From static analysis to dependency scanning, and from cloud security to secrets management, the best DevSecOps tools combine forces to form a cohesive battle plan that protects applications from code to cloud.

What Are DevSecOps Tools?

DevSecOps tools are software technologies specifically designed to implement security functions, testing, and controls within the software development lifecycle (SDLC) in a fully integrated manner, from committing initial code to its production release. These technologies automate security scanning, vulnerability detection, compliance checking, and remediation workflows to keep applications safe without impeding development speed.

The radical departure from traditional security philosophies is the automation and integration that are part of the solution. While legacy security teams created bottlenecks at the end of development, modern DevSecOps tools work iteratively with developers. They scan code as it’s written, analyze dependencies prior to merging them in, scan infrastructure configuration pre-deployment, and protect running apps immediately. This left-shifted method reduces the mean time to remediation (MTTR) of vulnerabilities by up to 85% and does so, even as they are still being released quickly in fast-moving businesses.

Types of Tools for DevSecOps

Top DevSecOps Tools: 13 Options for Enterprise Users

Cycode

Cycode offers a comprehensive AI-Native Application Security Platform that consolidates security from code to cloud, offering organizations unprecedented visibility, intelligent prioritization, and fast remediation. In addition to its ASPM solution, Cycode built its own SAST, SCA, IaC, and secrets scanning capabilities, Cycode connects with other vendor tools via a dedicated “ConnectorX” capability and MCP server support. The Risk Intelligence Graph of the platform determines relationships between code, dependencies, pipelines, and cloud infrastructure in order to identify the most important 1% of vulnerabilities that represent true business risk.

Cycode helps security teams to unify fragmented tooling into a centralized location, all without adding distracting speed bumps. Its pipeline security secures CI/CD environments, continuous compliance monitoring based on SSDF and SOC2 & ISO standards, and automated evidence collection, which eliminates the manual overhead of audits. Cycode’s AI-native capabilities, including its AI Exploitability Agent, provide code-to-runtime context that enables teams to prioritize vulnerabilities in the context of how exploitable they are, their business impact, and exact production exposure, rather than based on CVSS scores alone.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Application Security Posture Management (ASPM)
• Code Security (SAST)
• Open Source & Dependency Security (SCA)
• Infrastructure & Cloud Security (IaC, Containers)
• Secrets Management

Key Cycode Features:

• ASPM solution with proprietary scanners and ConnectorX for third-party tool integration
• Risk Intelligence Graph that correlates code, pipelines, and cloud data for context-driven prioritization
• Pipeline and build security with privilege auditing, secrets scanning, and code leak detection
• Automated compliance assurance with continuous monitoring for SSDF, SOC2, ISO, and other frameworks
• Developer-friendly remediation guidance with code owner mapping and contextual AI-fix recommendations agent.
• Reachability analysis and runtime exposure correlation to focus on exploitable vulnerabilities

Checkmarx

Checkmarx delivers a comprehensive software security platform, including SAST, SCA, IaC Scanning, and AppSec Training to developers, designed to deliver the full impact of a unified Security Coding Lab. Checkmarx One provides enterprise-class application security with consolidated risk scores, single-dashboard visibility, and integration to development frameworks. The platform integrates various analytical tools to ensure a full scope of analysis from code creation to cloud deployment.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Code Security
• Open Source & Dependency Security (SCA)
• Infrastructure & Cloud Security (Containers, IaC)

Key Checkmarx Features:

• Comprehensive AST suite with SAST, SCA, and API security in one platform
• Support for 50+ programming languages and modern development frameworks
• Custom rule definition for organization-specific security requirements
• Supply chain security with SBOM generation and software composition analysis

Checkmarx Pros and Cons:

Veracode

The Veracode application security platform uses a combination of SAST, DAST, SCA, and manual penetration testing, as well as our patented binary scanning technology, to maximize coverage with the only solution that can secure all your applications without slowing development speed. The platform serves businesses that have extensive processes in place and need access to a variety of testing technologies from within one cloud service. Veracode makes it easy to remediate with how-to video demonstrations, training resources, and guidance that ensures developers can understand and address issues as soon as possible.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Code Security 
• Open Source & Dependency Security (SCA)
• Infrastructure & Cloud Security (Containers)

Key Veracode Features:

• Cloud-based security testing that requires no on-premises infrastructure
• Multiple testing methodologies, including SAST, DAST, SCA, and penetration testing
• Policy enforcement to ensure security standards across development teams
• Developer training resources with videos and tutorials for faster remediation

Veracode Pros and Cons:

SonarQube

SonarQube is an automatic code review tool to detect bugs, vulnerabilities, and code smells in code. It can integrate with your existing workflow to enable continuous code inspection across all project branches and pull requests. The solution offers code quality analysis and security testing, enabling teams to measure technical debt and identify security hotspots. SonarQube plugs into existing CI/CD pipelines to give code analysis and quality gates that prevent insecure and vulnerable code from reaching your repository.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Code Security (SAST)

Key SonarQube Features:

• Static code analysis for 30+ languages, including Java, Python, Go, JavaScript, and C#
• Quality gates that block merges when code doesn’t meet security or quality standards
• Technical debt tracking to quantify the cost of code quality issues
• CI/CD pipeline integration with popular tools like Jenkins, GitLab, and Azure DevOps

SonarQube Pros and Cons:

ArmorCode

ArmorCode is an Application Security Posture Management platform that seeks to cut through the noise of security scanning by integrating multiple points of security data into a single, standardized interface. The platform leverages AI-powered analytics to focus attention on threats, accelerate remediation, and automate compliance across the SDLC. 

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Application Security Posture Management (ASPM)

Key ArmorCode Features:

• Multi-scanner aggregation to consolidate findings from disparate security tools
• AI-powered contextual risk scoring that filters noise and surfaces critical vulnerabilities
• End-to-end workflow automation for triage, ticketing, assignment, and tracking
• Tool orchestration capabilities that make existing security investments more effective

ArmorCode Pros and Cons:

Mend.io

Mend.io (formerly known as WhiteSource) offers Software Composition Analysis with real-time alerts for open-source security vulnerabilities and license compliance risks. The company has built a platform to help development teams address the security and legal risks that come with deploying third-party and open-source code. Mend.io offers native tight integration with CI/CD pipelines to enforce monitoring and policies throughout the development process.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Open Source & Dependency Security (SCA)

Key Mend.io Features:

• Real-time alerts when new vulnerabilities are discovered in project dependencies
• Automated remediation suggestions with version recommendations and patches
• Policy enforcement to block builds containing vulnerabilities or license violations
• SBOM generation for regulatory compliance and vendor risk assessments

Mend.io Pros and Cons:

Snyk

Snyk provides application security for developers with SAST, SCA, container, and IaC scanning directly into the IDEs and developer workflows. Snyk also offers continuous vulnerability scanning and automated fix instructions. As code is written and committed, the platform scans it in-line to deliver instant feedback without obstructing development velocity.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Code Security (SAST)
• Open Source & Dependency Security (SCA)
• Infrastructure & Cloud Security (Containers, IaC)

Key Snyk Features:

• Developer-centric design with IDE plugins for real-time scanning during coding
• Automated fix pull requests with one-click remediation for vulnerabilities
• Comprehensive dependency graphs showing direct and transitive vulnerabilities
• Fast scan times with no compilation requirements for immediate feedback

Snyk Pros and Cons:

Black Duck

Synopsys’ Black Duck delivers the most powerful software composition analysis built on the most complete open-source vulnerability database. Black Duck features binary analysis, snippet detection, and deep code scanning to discover open-source components overlooked by package managers. Black Duck detects components that package managers do not capture (including partial code snippets and modified open-source code) to provide a complete view of your application composition.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Open Source & Dependency Security (SCA)

Key Black Duck Features:

• Component and version verification for dynamic and transitive dependencies
• License risk management with policy compliance for open-source licenses
• SBOM import and export in SPDX and CycloneDX formats for supply chain transparency
• Deep file system scanning that identifies undeclared, modified, and partial code

Black Duck Pros and Cons:

Wiz

Wiz is a leading Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP) delivering agentless security across multi-cloud environments, highly accurate risk prioritization, automated attack path analysis, and intelligent workload protection. It integrates CSPM, KSPM, CWPP, vulnerability management, IaC scanning, CIEM, DSPM, and container security within one integrated solution. Wiz reads entire cloud environments in just a few minutes, without agents, to deliver instant visibility into security posture, risky combinations, and potential attack paths.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Infrastructure & Cloud Security (CNAPP, Containers, IaC)

Key Wiz Features:

• Agentless cloud scanning that provides complete visibility without performance impact
• Kubernetes Security Posture Management with container and orchestration protection
• Cloud Data Security with sensitive data discovery and classification
• Risk-based prioritization that correlates vulnerabilities with exposure and business impact

Wiz Pros and Cons:

Aqua Security

Aqua Security enables organizations to secure their cloud-native applications from development to production, whether they run using containers, serverless, or virtual machines. The platform secures the full software supply chain with image scanning, runtime protection, and enforces security policies across containerized and cloud-native applications. Aqua Security augments security across CI/CD pipelines and runtime protection that secures applications in production.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Infrastructure & Cloud Security (CNAPP, Containers)

Key Aqua Security Features:

• Container security with vulnerability scanning, secrets detection, and malware analysis
• Kubernetes security with admission control, runtime protection, and compliance enforcement
• Serverless security for AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, and Google Cloud Functions
• Policy-based enforcement with automated remediation and compliance reporting

Aqua Security Pros and Cons:

Prisma Cloud

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks is the industry’s most comprehensive Cloud-Native Application Protection Platform (CNAPP). It enables you to secure cloud native applications from code to cloud on any cloud. The platform combines CSPM, CWPP, CIEM, and network security as a converged solution to secure applications, data, and infrastructure. Prisma Cloud delivers complete lifecycle security and full-stack protection from development to runtime with intelligent compliance checking and threat discovery.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Infrastructure & Cloud Security (CNAPP, Containers, IaC)
• Code Security (SAST)
• Open Source & Dependency Security (SCA)

Key Prisma Cloud Features:

• Multi-cloud security supporting AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and hybrid environments
• Cloud Workload Protection with host security, container defense, and serverless protection
• Identity and access security with CIEM for least privilege enforcement
• Network security with micro-segmentation and cloud network firewall capabilities

Prisma Cloud Pros and Cons:

HashiCorp Vault

HashiCorp Vault provides identity-based secrets management with secure access control for human and machine identities, plus an audit log of every operation. The platform provides a single place to manage the lifecycle of dynamic secrets (secrets generated upon request). It enforces access controls, provides secure storage with encryption at rest and in transit, and offers encryption as a service. Vault is designed to be a cloud-agnostic solution that spans on-premises, multi-cloud, and hybrid environments with a consistent API and workflow.

Type of DevSecOps Tool:

• Secrets Management

Key HashiCorp Vault Features:

• Centralized secrets storage with encryption at rest and in transit
• Dynamic secrets generation that creates short-lived credentials on demand
• Encryption as a service for protecting sensitive data without managing keys
• Multi-cloud support with consistent workflows across AWS, Azure, GCP, and on-premises

HashiCorp Vault Pros and Cons:

How to Create a Strong DevSecOps Stack

The tools that go into a DevSecOps stack should be the outcome of strategic thinking about coverage, integration, and operational efficiency, not a random collection of point solutions. The best security programs combine comprehensive protection with developer productivity by carefully choosing complementary tools that work in concert. Organizations should focus on the essential security domains, such as code security, dependency analysis, infrastructure protection, secrets management, and posture management, to provide seamless integration of SDLC tools that do not add friction points.

Before we dive into the current best practices in building a solid DevSecOps stack, it is imperative that you understand these: your own risk profile, compliance requirements, and development practices. For example, a financial services company will care about capabilities that differ from a SaaS startup, and a microservices-based team will require different tools than a monolith-based team. Assess your current security gaps, identify where vulnerabilities are being introduced, and determine how much security coverage is missing at each stage of the SDLC.

Cover the Full Software Lifecycle

Comprehensive security coverage requires tools that protect every phase of the software development lifecycle from design through deployment and runtime. Start with code security solutions that provide SAST capabilities to catch vulnerabilities as developers write code, ideally integrated into IDEs for immediate feedback. Add SCA tools to identify risks in open-source dependencies and third-party libraries, ensuring you understand the security posture of every component entering your applications. Don’t forget infrastructure security with IaC scanning to catch cloud misconfigurations before deployment and CNAPP solutions for runtime protection.

The key is ensuring no phase of development operates without security oversight. Design and architecture reviews should include threat modeling, development should include automated code scanning, build processes should verify dependencies, deployment should validate infrastructure configurations, and production should maintain continuous monitoring. This layered approach creates defense in depth, where failures at one stage can be caught at another. Organizations that cover the full lifecycle reduce the risk of vulnerabilities slipping through gaps between security checkpoints.

Integrate with Developer Workflows

Security tools should fit into the developer’s existing tools, not force a context switch that destroys productivity. Organizations can integrate security scanning into IDEs where developers write code, source control management systems where they commit their changes, and CI/CD pipelines where the builds get created. Top DevSecOps tools offer plugins for major IDEs like VS Code, IntelliJ, and Visual Studio, integrate with Git platforms, including GitHub and GitLab, and support CI/CD systems such as Jenkins, CircleCI, and GitHub Actions.

Friction is an enemy to security adoption. If developers are forced to leave their workflow to run security scans, upload code to different platforms, or piece together complex security reports by hand, they will find workarounds or ignore security altogether. Modern DevSecOps tools deliver findings right in the pull requests, have one-click fix suggestions, and show security information in the context of the code you are writing.

Automate Policies and Remediation

In the modern era of development, teams deploy code multiple times a day, and manual security processes are unable to keep up. Automation is a key element in enforcing security policies uniformly, initiating scans at the right times, and orchestrating workflows for remediation. Enforce policy-as-code that defines security controls and policies in a machine-readable format, enabling automated systems to validate compliance and prevent risky changes from reaching production.

Automated remediation, when possible, is part of an advanced DevSecOps stack that goes beyond detection to enable fixes. Tools that automatically create fix pull requests, upgrade vulnerable dependencies to healthy versions, and apply security patches offload much of the manual burden on development teams. At a minimum, for vulnerabilities requiring manual judgment, automation should route findings to the appropriate code owners, create tickets in issue tracking systems, and monitor remediation activity. The aim is automation-based, scalable security so that security teams focus on complex threats, while automation takes care of the routine issues.

Centralize Visibility and Reporting

Tool sprawl leads to its own blind spots, as major vulnerabilities hide in fragmented dashboards and disjointed reporting systems. One source of truth for your application security risk comes from a centralized view in ASPM platforms or security data aggregation tools. These platforms correlate multiple tools, remove duplicate alerts, and give you a single reporting system to understand your real security posture.

Successful centralization is more than just aggregating information; it means correlating it and prioritizing (and re-prioritizing) that data. The best platforms map vulnerabilities to the business context, such as which applications are exposed to the internet, have sensitive data, and support critical business functions. Such a context-driven approach enables security teams to concentrate on the risks that count, instead of being overwhelmed by alerts. Further, centralized reporting helps facilitate compliance initiatives by delivering audit-ready evidence of security controls, vulnerability trends, and remediation actions for the entire application portfolio.

Prioritize Scalability and Flexibility

The DevSecOps stack needs to grow with the organization as teams, applications, and infrastructure multiply. Select tools built for enterprise scale that can support thousands of repositories, perform frequent scans, and manage large amounts of security data with no performance degradation. Cloud tools often come with better scaling capabilities compared to on-prem, but verify that your compliance needs allow for cloud deployment.

Adaptability is equally critical as development techniques change and new technologies emerge. Choose flexible tools that work across programming languages and with a range of cloud providers to fit your preferred development approach. A DevSecOps stack should support legacy applications as well as modern cloud native architectures. Avoid vendor lock-in. Choose platforms with open APIs, industry-standard formats such as SBOM, and the option to integrate or replace components. With a flexible stack, you can grow and change with your organization instead of having to throw it all away and start over again.

Enhance Your Workflows with DevSecOps Security Tools from Cycode

Cycode’s AI-Native Application Security Platform provides consolidated visibility, intelligent prioritization, and developer-friendly remediation that helps modern enterprises protect software delivery pipelines.

• Comprehensive code-to-cloud coverage: Cycode provides proprietary scanning for SAST, SCA, IaC, secrets, and containers while integrating third-party tools through ConnectorX for complete visibility across your entire security stack.
• Risk Intelligence Graph prioritization: Advanced correlation engine analyzes code, pipelines, and cloud infrastructure to identify the critical 1% of vulnerabilities that pose genuine business risk based on exploitability and production exposure.
• Pipeline and build security: Protect your CI/CD environments with privilege auditing, secrets detection, and code leak prevention that stops vulnerabilities before they reach production environments while maintaining development velocity.
• Automated compliance assurance: Continuous monitoring and evidence collection for SSDF, SOC2, ISO 27001, and other frameworks eliminates manual audit overhead while proving security posture to stakeholders and regulators.
• Developer-centric remediation: Contextual fix guidance ties vulnerabilities to code owners and provides LLM-enriched recommendations that improve mean time to remediate significantly without disrupting workflows.

Book a demo today and discover why enterprises choose DevSecOps tools from Cycode to protect their SDLC.