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As John Mosquera, how did you ensure that the AzDO CI/CD yaml pipelines you designed and deployed at MMT Digital were secure, efficient, and compliant with industry best practices?
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Security, efficiency, and compliance are non-negotiable for CI/CD pipelines, especially when you're dealing with client data. At MMT Digital, from August 2022 to August 2024, I approached this by implementing a multi-layered security strategy. The idea was to have security fully implemented at every aspect of the project.I used Azure DevOps' built-in security features, such as role-based access control and branch policies, to restrict access to the pipelines and prevent unauthorized changes. Also implemented approvals, so that a code deployment would require review and sign off by management, to ensure the standards were maintained.I integrated static code analysis tools into the pipelines to automatically identify security vulnerabilities in the code. This included tools like SonarQube and Snyk, which can detect common security flaws such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and hardcoded credentials. Also incorporated regular external penetration tests to ensure that there were no issues or problems.I implemented automated testing at various stages of the pipeline to ensure that the code was secure, functional, and reliable. This included unit tests, integration tests, and security tests. It meant using secure code to ensure the safety and security of the systems. It is always difficult because there is the added pressure to deliver code on time, whilst at the same time to adhere to all of the security processes.I also configured the pipelines to automatically scan container images for vulnerabilities. This helped to identify and address potential security risks in the container images before they were deployed to production. You also should know how to harden the server. If you don't harden the server, then it means it could be exposed to security attacks.Finally, I ensured that the pipelines were compliant with industry best practices, such as the CIS benchmarks and the OWASP Top 10. It is important to follow the best standards to ensure the system is robust.Always keep up to date with the latest security measures, and keep re-checking and ensuring that security is the top most thing.  I ensured secure, efficient, and compliant AzDO CI/CD yaml pipelines at MMT Digital by using Azure DevOps' built-in security features, integrating static code analysis tools (SonarQube, Snyk), implementing automated testing at various stages, scanning container images for vulnerabilities, and ensuring compliance with industry best practices like CIS benchmarks and OWASP Top 10.