Question $4$

Scenario:

ShopSmart is a leading e$-$commerce company known for its wide range of products and exceptional customer service. As the company continues to grow, it faces increasing pressure to deliver new features and updates quickly while maintaining high security standards. To address these challenges, ShopSmart has decided to adopt SecDevOps, a methodology that integrates security practices into the DevOps process, ensuring that security is considered at every stage of the software development lifecycle. The decision to implement SecDevOps comes after a series of security incidents that highlighted the need for a more proactive approach to security. ShopSmart's IT team has been tasked with overhauling their development practices to incorporate security measures without compromising the speed and efficiency of their operations. This involves close collaboration between development, operations, and security teams to create a seamless and secure development environment.

Questions:

$($a$)$ Define SecDevOps and explain its significance in modern software development practices, particularly in the context of ShopSmart. $[1$ mark$]$

$($b$)$ Discuss at least three key principles or practices that are integral to SecDevOps, and evaluate how they could enhance both security and operational efficiency in the development lifecycle at ShopSmart. $[2$ marks$]$