Integrating DevSecOps Practices into Serverless Architectures

title: Integrating DevSecOps Practices into Serverless Architectures
description: This rule provides best practices for embedding security measures throughout the development lifecycle of serverless applications, ensuring compliance and mitigating risks in a serverless environment.
category: DevOps
rules:
  - id: serverless-least-privilege
    description: Ensure each serverless function operates with the minimum necessary permissions to perform its tasks.
    severity: high
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Review the IAM roles and policies associated with this function to confirm they adhere to the principle of least privilege. Each function should have a dedicated role with permissions strictly limited to its operational requirements. [Reference](https://devops.com/running-serverless-in-production-7-best-practices-for-devops/)

  - id: serverless-dependency-management
    description: Regularly update and monitor third-party dependencies to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
    severity: medium
    pattern: |
      import\s+.*\s+from\s+['"].*['"];
    action: |
      Implement automated tools to scan for vulnerabilities in third-party libraries and ensure dependencies are updated to their latest secure versions. [Reference](https://www.techtarget.com/searchcloudcomputing/tip/Serverless-security-best-practices-for-cloud-dev-and-ops-teams)

  - id: serverless-input-validation
    description: Validate and sanitize all input data to prevent injection attacks.
    severity: high
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Incorporate input validation mechanisms to ensure that all incoming data is properly sanitized, reducing the risk of injection attacks such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). [Reference](https://dev.to/iskender83/serverless-security-best-practices-13fm)

  - id: serverless-monitoring-logging
    description: Implement comprehensive monitoring and logging to detect and respond to security incidents.
    severity: medium
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Utilize monitoring tools designed for serverless environments to gain visibility into function executions and set up alerts for anomalous behavior. Ensure logs are centralized and analyzed regularly. [Reference](https://www.altexsoft.com/blog/serverless-security/)

  - id: serverless-api-gateway-security
    description: Secure API endpoints using API gateways to manage and protect incoming traffic.
    severity: high
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Configure API gateways to enforce authentication and authorization mechanisms, such as OAuth, to control access to serverless functions. Implement rate limiting and request filtering to prevent overloading and protect against denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. [Reference](https://sysdig.com/learn-cloud-native/serverless-security-risks-and-best-practices/)

  - id: serverless-data-encryption
    description: Encrypt sensitive data both in transit and at rest to protect against unauthorized access.
    severity: high
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Utilize encryption services provided by your cloud provider to secure data stored in databases and other storage systems. Ensure that data transmitted between different parts of the serverless architecture is encrypted using protocols like HTTPS. [Reference](https://www.techtarget.com/searchapparchitecture/tip/4-fundamental-practices-for-serverless-architecture-security)

  - id: serverless-timeout-configuration
    description: Configure appropriate timeouts for functions to prevent denial-of-service attacks.
    severity: medium
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Set function timeouts to the minimum necessary duration to complete their tasks, reducing the risk of resource exhaustion and mitigating the impact of potential attacks. [Reference](https://dev.to/iskender83/serverless-security-best-practices-13fm)

  - id: serverless-environment-variable-security
    description: Secure environment variables to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
    severity: high
    pattern: |
      process\.env\.\w+
    action: |
      Store sensitive information such as API keys and database connection strings in secure storage solutions like AWS Secrets Manager or Azure Key Vault, rather than directly in environment variables. Ensure that access to these secrets is restricted to only those functions that require them. [Reference](https://dev.to/ikoh_sylva/serverless-security-best-practices-5g0j)

  - id: serverless-ci-cd-security
    description: Integrate security checks into the CI/CD pipeline to identify vulnerabilities early.
    severity: medium
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Implement automated security testing tools within the CI/CD pipeline to scan for vulnerabilities in code and dependencies before deployment. This ensures that security issues are addressed early in the development lifecycle. [Reference](https://www.abhaybhargav.com/serverless-devsecops-pipelines/)

  - id: serverless-zero-trust-model
    description: Adopt a zero-trust security model to enforce strict access controls.
    severity: high
    pattern: |
      function\s+\w+\s*\(.*\)\s*{\s*.*\s*}
    action: |
      Implement a zero-trust security model that requires verification for every request, assuming no implicit trust. This includes enforcing authentication and authorization for all interactions within the serverless architecture. [Reference](https://dev.to/iskender83/serverless-security-best-practices-13fm)