The world of DevOps accelerates in a constant state of flux, embracing new technologies and working practices to enhance operations and continuously deliver the best possible software solutions.
Although speed and efficiency are the core reasons for implementing DevOps practices, a high level of security must also be established across all aspects of an organization.
With this conundrum in mind, we intend to use this blog to focus on the importance of digital certificates for automating security in CI/CD pipelines and delivering software integrity in a way that DevOps teams will find effortless.
An Introduction to Digital Certificates
In the simplest of terms, digital certificates are files or electronic passwords that prove the authenticity of a user, device, system, or server. This is achieved using cryptographic algorithms and the Public Key Infrastructure (PKI).
Their key purpose is to ensure that only trusted users and devices can access an organization’s network, providing the necessary security and data protection.
Public keys are checked against the private key of an organization’s network, which are linked cryptographically, determining if the public key is genuine and should be granted permission.
All public keys are issued by Certificate Authorities (CAs) like GlobalSign, who sign them to verify the identity of a user or device. Some public keys may also encrypt messages or files which are then decrypted by the private key using an algorithm.
A well-known example of digital certificates is Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates which are used to confirm a website’s authenticity to its users.
As well as a copy of the certificate holder’s public key, digital certificates contain identifiable information such as the username or a device’s IP address or serial number.
How Digital Certificates Are Used in DevOps
Digital certificates play a crucial role in code signing, serving as a foundational security measure that verifies the authenticity and integrity of software and applications.
Code signing involves attaching a digital signature to code or executables, ensuring that the software comes from a trusted source and has not been tampered with. This process uses a digital certificate issued by a trusted CA.
When a developer signs their code, they use a private key associated with their digital certificate to create a unique digital signature. This signature, along with the developer's public key, is bundled with the code.
Upon installation, the user’s system or application verifies this signature using the developer’s public key and the CA’s root certificate. If the signature is valid and the certificate is from a trusted CA, the code is considered secure even after the digital certificate ultimately expires.
Why Code Signing Certificates Are Needed In DevOps
Unbeknownst even to some developers, certificates that validate code signing are integral to software development as a whole, as they provide:
Legitimacy
Signing code confirms that software or an application has been deployed from a specific source/ developer so it can be deemed safe to access.
Without a digital certificate, software downloaded from the internet will be flagged with an ‘unknown publisher’ warning by the web browser. With a digital certificate, the publisher’s name will be identified and the browser will determine that the download is safe.
Integrity
Digital certificates also ensure content integrity by guaranteeing code has not been altered and is unchanged from the source.
If code has been tampered with then the digital signature becomes invalid and warnings are issued by the browser, deeming the software untrustworthy.
Integration
All major platforms such as Android, Apple iOS, Microsoft, Linux, etc require developers to adhere to code signing practices.
Therefore, any service or platform that distributes software needs to safeguard users, as such, all publishers are contractually obliged to sign code with digital certificates.
The Need For Automated Certificate Processes in DevOps
Traditionally, the certificate lifecycle can be laborious, often taking several days from the initial request to the CA, to installing it and updating the inventory.
These delays do not fit in with DevOps processes and developers can often resort to using self-signed certificates that present a significant security risk. Manual processes can also result in certificates being assigned to the wrong application due to a lack of management which can lead to non-compliance issues.
What’s more, this practice is crucial for maintaining security and compliance, especially in large-scale environments like SAP ecosystems, where sensitive business processes and data are involved.
Likewise, certificates are transferable as they are stored locally on a computer or server, meaning they can be exported and imported when needed. This can be useful during platform migration or even changing the hosting providers.
Automating Security with Digital Certificates in CI/CD Pipelines
Automation of the digital certificate lifecycle is the answer to most of the challenges we mentioned above, as it can streamline the entire process so it can be integrated into a DevOps workflow.
To implement this, you need an API that is integrated with the existing DevOps tools, or by using a dedicated certificate automation tool that can push certificates to associated applications, renew or revoke existing ones, and delete any that are unused.
Creating a centralized management system through an integrated API or a dedicated solution provides full visibility of every certificate within the organization, including each location, the assigning CA, and the ‘chain of trust’.
Furthermore, certificate automation brings strict, standardized policies regarding the usage of digital certificates within the CI/CD pipeline, including cryptographic algorithms, only using recommended CAs, and adhering to set key lengths.
Standardization is important for implementing role-based access to give organizations more control over who is permitted to use the network, regardless of whether users are accessing it on the premises or in a hybrid or multi-cloud environment.
Best Practices for Secure Certificate Management in DevOps
While the theoretical side of using digital certificates to bolster DevOps processes is clear, applying these principles is a different beast entirely. Hence, to ensure everything goes smoothly, you must pay attention to:
- Inventory: Create a comprehensive inventory of all certificates and keys used within the DevOps environment including their types, expiry dates, function, and issuing CA.
- Setting the right alerts: Automatic alerts inform DevOps teams of an impending certificate expiry, allowing them to take action before an application is marked as untrusted. However, many certificate management solutions also have built-in tools to renew certificates automatically as soon as they expire.
- Encryption: Makes sure all certificates and keys are kept safe by encrypting them while ensuring only authorized people have access to decryption keys.
- Creating secure copies: It’s recommended to regularly make copies of certificates and keys and store these copies in a secure, offline location. Physical backup forms part of an overall disaster recovery plan.
- Establishing access control: Strict rules and processes must be established to control who has visibility of certificates and keys, with further permissions required to change or use them.
Conclusion
Digital certificates inform web users of which software and applications are published by a trusted source. However, manual certificate management processes are no longer fit for purpose in modern DevOps environments.
The solution involves automated and centralized certificate lifecycle management tools that allow DevOps teams to issue self-service requests without the need for manual intervention.
Such solutions ensure digital certificates are allocated and renewed immediately, avoiding potential downtime and establishing secure policies.
Note: This blog article was written by a guest contributor for the purpose of offering a wider variety of content for our readers. The opinions expressed in this guest author article are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of GlobalSign.
