Why I Am Transitioning from DevOps to DevSecOps: A Career Evolution

Introduction

Security has become critical as cyber attacks grow more sophisticated and frequent across businesses of all sizes. Security must be integrated into every step of software development and deployment.

As a DevOps engineer experienced with automation, CI/CD, and cloud technologies, I’ve implemented various security measures but noticed gaps when teams rush to meet deadlines. This is why I’m transitioning from DevOps to DevSecOps, to better align with industry needs and my interest in cybersecurity.

To support this transition, I’m pursuing a master’s in Cybersecurity. This will help me understand security principles and threat landscapes to build resilient systems. Beyond credentials, this education will enable me to improve how organizations approach security.

Why DevSecOps?

Working in Nepal’s tech industry, I’ve seen our digital transformation firsthand. Here’s why security matters:

• Our tech sector is expanding rapidly with digital wallets and e-government services, bringing new responsibilities.
• Recent cyber attacks on local banks have highlighted the risks of rushing deployment without proper security.
• With limited security expertise locally, we must prioritize security from the start rather than retrofitting it later.

Here in Kathmandu, I’ve seen how our tech community is embracing modern DevOps practices. But there’s still this tendency to treat security as something we’ll deal with “later”, which can be dangerous when we’re digitizing so many essential services.

By embracing DevSecOps, we can:

• Keep our systems compliant with some guidelines (and avoid those stressful last-minute fixes)
• Show our users that they can trust our digital services
• Build systems that work reliably despite our unique challenges like power outages and internet instability

I believe we need to stop thinking about security as just another box to tick at the end of our projects. This is especially true for teams like ours who often work with tight budgets, catching security issues early is much more cost-effective than fixing them after they become problems.

Why I Am Planning to Transition to DevSecOps

1. Integrating Security from the Start

Organizations often postpone security until later, leading to costly emergency fixes and missed vulnerabilities.

IBM research shows catching security issues early costs six times less than fixing them post-deployment. This is why the shift-left approach matters—integrating security from the start, not as an afterthought.

I’m not just making this shift because it sounds good on paper, I genuinely want to bake security into every part of my work. My goal is to weave security naturally into our CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure code, and cloud setups so we catch issues early, reduce headaches later, and make compliance less of a scramble before deadlines.

2. Bridging the Gap Between Development, Security, and Operations

One of the main challenges in traditional DevOps is the disconnect between development, security, and operations teams. Security is often seen as a roadblock rather than a collaborative effort.

I read one DevSecOps Report, I forgot where it was but it states that 70% of developers admit to skipping security processes to meet deadlines. This is a serious issue, as it creates vulnerabilities that could be exploited later.

By moving into DevSecOps, I want to foster a culture of collaboration where security is seamlessly integrated into development workflows, making applications more resilient without slowing down innovation.

3. Preparing for the Increasing Demand for DevSecOps Professionals

The demand for professionals with expertise in both DevOps and security is growing rapidly.

• LinkedIn’s 2024 Emerging Jobs Report highlights that DevSecOps engineer roles have grown by 40% over the past two years.
• Companies across industries, from finance to healthcare, are actively seeking security-conscious DevOps professionals.

By planning my transition into DevSecOps, I am preparing myself for long-term career growth in a field that is becoming increasingly critical.

4. Strengthening My Skills Through a Master’s in Cybersecurity

To further enhance my expertise, I am planning to pursue a master’s degree in Cybersecurity. This will allow me to:

• Gain a deeper understanding of security principles – Covering areas such as cryptography, ethical hacking, and network security.
• Develop expertise in compliance and risk management – Learning several security frameworks.
• Enhance my ability to design secure systems – Studying threat modeling, and penetration testing.
• Stay ahead of evolving cyber threats – Understanding modern attack vectors and how to build proactive defenses.

A master’s degree will provide me with the technical depth and strategic knowledge to successfully transition into DevSecOps and contribute to building secure, scalable, and efficient software systems.

5. Expanding My Expertise in Security Automation

Automation is a fundamental aspect of DevOps, and it should extend to security as well. Security tasks such as vulnerability scanning, compliance checks, and access management can be automated within CI/CD pipelines.

A Puppet report found that organizations adopting DevSecOps practices deploy software 200 times faster and recover from security incidents 96 times quicker than those relying on traditional security models.

As I transition into DevSecOps, I am focusing on learning security automation tools such as:

• Checkmarx and OWASP Dependency-Check for static code analysis.
• Snyk and SonarQube for automated security testing.
• Aqua Security and Prisma Cloud for container security.

By integrating security automation into my DevOps skill set, I aim to build robust and secure CI/CD pipelines that minimize vulnerabilities while maintaining development speed.

How I Am Preparing for the Transition

To make this transition successful, I have started focusing on:

• Self-study and certifications – Exploring cybersecurity courses and obtaining relevant certifications.
• Hands-on experience with security tools – Experimenting with DevSecOps tools in real-world projects.
• Networking with professionals in the field – Engaging with the cybersecurity and DevSecOps communities through webinars, conferences, and online forums.
• Academic preparation for my master’s degree – Looking for perusing Master Degree form one of the top universities .

At Glance

My journey into DevSecOps is still in its early stages, but I’m taking meaningful steps forward each day. This isn’t just another career move for me, it’s about doing work that truly matters in our increasingly digital world. Coming from Nepal, where digital transformation is rapidly changing how people live and work, I feel a deep responsibility to help build software that people can truly trust.

Working in DevOps has taught me an important lesson: security can’t be an afterthought. That’s why I’m excited about pursuing my master’s in Cybersecurity. I want to understand not just the tools, but the fundamental principles that make systems secure. Every time I learn something new about security, I see more clearly how it can protect our users and their data.

For me, this transition represents something bigger than just career growth. It’s about being part of a movement to create technology that people can depend on technology that protects their privacy, safeguards their data, and earns their trust in these challenging times.