How can in-house security experts BEST support DevSecOps in the organization?

The most effective role for security experts in a DevSecOps environment is to evolve from traditional gatekeepers into enablers. By becoming coaches and "tool smiths," they empower development teams with the knowledge and automated tools needed to build security into the software development lifecycle (SDLC) from the start. This approach scales security expertise across the organization, fosters a culture of shared responsibility, and aligns with the core DevSecOps principle of integrating security seamlessly into workflows rather than adding it as a final, separate step. This transformation is fundamental to achieving speed and security simultaneously.

B. This is too late. DevSecOps requires security involvement from the earliest stages of the SDLC (e.g., requirements, design), not just sometime before going live.
C. While important for personal development, attending training is an input to being effective, not the direct act of supporting the organization's DevSecOps adoption.
D. This describes a traditional, siloed security function. While assessments are still valuable, the best support involves enabling teams, not just auditing their work after the fact.

1. PEOPLECERT. (2021). PEOPLECERT DevSecOps Qualification Syllabus (Version 1.1). Section 3.3.1, "The DevSecOps professional must be able to explain the importance of culture in a DevSecOps environment," emphasizes the cultural shift where security becomes a shared responsibility, facilitated by security experts acting as champions and enablers.

2. Myrbakken, H., & Colomo-Palacios, R. (2017). DevSecOps: A Multivocal Literature Review. In Software Process Improvement and Capability Determination (pp. 17-29). Springer, Cham. This academic review discusses the role change of security personnel to become advisors and facilitators within development teams. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69341-92)

3. MIT OpenCourseWare. (2016). 6.857 Computer and Network Security, Fall 2016. The principles taught often highlight the need for usable security and integrating security thinking into the design phase, which aligns with the coaching and tool smith role.