DevSecOps Maturity Model

This model is designed to help organizations benchmark their current security practices across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and identify clear, actionable steps for advancement.

The model is organized into four levels of maturity across four key Dimensions of DevSecOps practice.

DevSecOps Maturity Model: Overview

Maturity Level	Focus	Description
Level 1	Manual/Ad-Hoc	Security is an isolated function. Scans are infrequent, manual, and often happen too late (pre-release), leading to high-cost remediation and friction between teams.
Level 2	Emerging/Piloting	The organization has identified its workflow, picked pilot applications, and integrated initial automated checks in the CI/CD pipeline for rapid feedback.
Level 3	Integrated/Managed	A formalized security policy is in place. The successful pilot process is standardized and being expanded to cover a growing number of applications.
Level 4	Optimized/Proactive	Security is fully automated, non-blocking, and seamlessly integrated into the developer experience. Focus shifts to advanced threat modeling, risk metrics, and security champions.

Maturity Model by Dimension

Dimension	Level 1: Manual/Ad-Hoc	Level 2: Emerging/Piloting	Level 3: Integrated/Managed	Level 4: Optimized/Proactive
1. Culture & Governance	Security is solely the responsibility of the Security Team. No formal "secure code" training.	Dev and Sec teams collaborate on initial projects. Security requirements are being identified.	A formal security policy and Definition of Done (DoD) are established, enforced via policy-as-code.	A Security Champion program is in place. Security training is mandatory and role-specific. Security goals are shared metrics between Dev, Sec, and Ops.
2. Automation & Tooling	Scans are triggered manually or in a separate tool outside the CI/CD pipeline. Only one tool (e.g., SAST) is used.	Initial automated checks (SAST/SCA) are added to the CI/CD pipeline for pilot applications.	Multiple security tools (SAST, SCA, DAST) are integrated across different phases of the pipeline. Automated suppression of non-critical findings is in place.	All security tools run automatically on every commit or PR. Advanced techniques like IAST, Secrets Detection, and IaC scanning are used.
3. Feedback & Remediation	Findings are emailed or dumped into a central dashboard. Remediation is slow and tracked manually.	Findings are delivered directly “in their flow” (IDE, PR comments, issue tracker integration).	Automated gating checks are enforced (e.g., A PR cannot merge if it introduces a Critical/High vulnerability). Time-to-Remediate (TTR) is a tracked metric.	Security findings are accompanied by contextualized, developer-focused remediation guidance (e.g., Code examples, eLearning modules).
4. Scope & Coverage	Only high-risk, production applications are scanned (if at all). Coverage is less than 10% of the portfolio.	1-2 small, low-risk applications are chosen for the initial pilot rollout.	The proven workflow is systematically expanded to all new projects and most actively maintained applications.	All new and existing applications are onboarded into the automated scanning pipeline. Scan coverage is near 100% and includes third-party, open-source, and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) components.

Security Skills & Knowledge

Level 1 (Initial) looks like

Informal, reactive training

Level 2 (Developing)

Regular onboarding for secure coding basics
Veracode Secure Code Training
Guidance begins appearing in developer workflows
Get an 80% productivity boost by transforming dev workflows

Level 3 (Managing)

Role-based learning paths (dev / lead / AppSec)
Champions program and internal knowledge base become standard

Level 4 (Optimizing)

Continuous learning embedded in the flow of work
Reduced context switching and lower developer frustration

Next actions (pick 1–2)

Publish a “secure coding essentials” checklist (top vuln patterns + secure defaults).
Add just-in-time learning/remediation guidance in dev workflows (IDE / PR / tickets).

Evidence you’ve improved

Repeat vulnerability types decrease over time.
Time-to-remediate improves because guidance is delivered in-flow.

Developer Enablement

Level 1 (Initial) looks like

High dependency on AppSec/security teams
Ownership and workflows are unclear

Level 2 (Developing)

Developers start owning fixes
Findings appear where developers already work (IDE/PR/tickets)
Scan & Fix in your IDE

Level 3 (Managing)

Clear triage ownership and consistent workflows across teams
Guardrails exist (plus a defined exception path)

Level 4 (Optimizing)

Developers operate as a scalable first line of defense
Minimal friction with consistent execution

Next actions (pick 1–2)

Define ownership: who owns triage, policy, fixes, and exceptions.
Standardize where results land (PR checks, issue tracker, dashboards).

Evidence you’ve improved

Fewer handoffs and faster remediation.
Higher fix rates without increased developer toil.

Secure Design & Threat Assessment

Level 1 (Initial) looks like

Ad hoc design reviews
Threat assessment is inconsistent

Level 2 (Developing)

Lightweight threat modeling for higher-risk changes
Security criteria begin appearing in Definition of Done

Level 3 (Managing)

Repeatable design/threat review owned by engineering with AppSec partnership

Level 4 (Optimizing)

Secure patterns are baked into templates
Requirements are monitored and enforced continuously

Next actions (pick 1–2)

Add 3–5 security items to your Definition of Done and enforce them consistently.
Create a one-page threat modeling checklist/template for new endpoints, services, or auth flows.

Evidence you’ve improved

Fewer high-severity issues found late (testing/prod).
Teams can explain intended controls before implementation begins.

Automated Security Practices

Level 1 (Initial) looks like

Manual scans late in the SDLC
Coverage is inconsistent

Level 2 (Developing)

SAST/SCA begin running in PR/build
Pipeline Scan examples
Basic CI/CD automation is in place
CI/CD integrations

Level 3 (Managing)

Policy-as-code and consistent gating patterns
DAST in staging where needed
Measurable, tracked coverage

Level 4 (Optimizing)

“Security by default” pipelines
Posture and compliance automation
Continuous improvements that reduce noise and friction

Next actions (pick 1–2)

Start with 1–2 automated checks in CI/CD (PR/build), then expand with a clear exception process.
Define gating rules (what blocks merges/releases) vs monitoring rules (what alerts but doesn’t block).

Evidence you’ve improved

Coverage increases without slowing delivery.
Security checks are consistent across teams and repos.

Software Supply Chain Security

Level 1 (Initial) looks like

Basic SCM branch protections only
SCM Code Scanning Best Practices
Limited visibility into dependencies

Level 2 (Developing)

SCA used consistently for dependency vulnerabilities and licenses
Secrets handling improves

Level 3 (Managing)

SBOM generation and artifact repository coverage
Container image scanning is standard

Level 4 (Optimizing)

Signed commits/artifacts
Traceability and provenance are default

Next actions (pick 1–2)

Generate SBOMs and define your “new CVE response” workflow (who triages, who fixes, how you communicate).
Expand SCA coverage to artifact repositories and container images (where applicable).

Evidence you’ve improved

Faster response to new dependency vulnerabilities.
Clear audit narrative: what’s in your software and how it was produced.

What to measure (outcomes, not vanity)

Delivery outcomes: lead time, deployment frequency
Security outcomes: security failure rate, testing coverage, vulnerabilities detected vs. remediated
Operational outcomes: incident response time, time-to-remediate