What does 'shift left security' entail?

'Shift left security' refers to the practice of incorporating security measures throughout the entire software development lifecycle, rather than treating security as a separate phase that occurs only at the end of the development process. By integrating security from the beginning, it allows developers to identify and address potential vulnerabilities early on, which can lead to less expensive fixes and a more secure product upon deployment.

This approach fosters a culture of security awareness among all team members, including developers, testers, and operations personnel, empowering them to take responsibility for security at every stage of development. As a result, security becomes a shared responsibility rather than the sole domain of a specialized team, leading to a more robust and secure application.

In contrast, the other options suggest approaches that do not align with the proactive and integrated philosophy of shift left security. Delaying security assessments or testing only after completion contributes to the risk of undiscovered vulnerabilities, while assigning security roles solely to a specialized team can lead to a bottleneck in addressing security issues and may create gaps in security awareness among the broader team.