Page 92 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2022

situations, organizations often double up on work, leading to a loss of productivity and difficulty
collaborating – and as organizations grow, and expectations on speedy software delivery grow steeper,
the challenges grow as well.

Organizations should seek out end-to-end solutions that have security baked into every step. By
integrating security capabilities into the development workflow, developers can be alerted immediately to
new vulnerabilities in every developed line of code. Many security professionals have been made to
believe that development velocity is the enemy of security. In some cases, this is true. But by bringing
security close to the developer, teams likely can produce more secure code even more efficiently than
sending code to a third party scanner. A single source of truth allows developers to drive their mission
forward while ensuring that security professionals have more visibility into any security risks that may
arise throughout the development process.

Enabling Telework Through Low-to-High Side Development

As the effects of the pandemic begin to slow, some agencies have pushed the intelligence community to
return to working high-side and in-person once more, despite the new level of efficiency and productivity
enabled by telework and low-to-high side development. While the widescale adoption of remote work has
been embraced by the private sector, many in the public sector have been hesitant to embrace telework
beyond the short-term.

By forcing people to return in person, organizations risk losing out on top talent for the sake of geography.
Unlike the years prior to the changes the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated, agencies could seek out the
brightest talent from all corners of the country. The return to the office could lead to turnover like that the
Great Resignation that occurred in the private sector. Government agencies are competing with all other
organizations to win talent, not just other public sector organizations.

Low-to-high side development is a proven method that allows developers to focus on work that drives
their missions forward – not managing complex toolchains or completing redundant work. But the greatest
shift of all in the next stage of remote work and development is a mindset shift.

It’s critical that government leaders prioritize a mindset of innovation, collaboration, and transparency
alongside the adoption of new development processes and technologies – including remote work. The
public sector is at a turning point – US Federal, State and Local governments can either revert to the pre-
pandemic methods of software development, or identify seamless, real-time development processes that
deliver software efficiently and securely, and allow teams to deliver truly innovative solutions.

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2022 Edition 92
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