SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE CHALLENGES IN CLOUD-NATIVE CI/CD PIPELINES FOR ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE DELIVERY

Dahir Hashi Sheed

SECURITY AND COMPLIANCE CHALLENGES IN CLOUD-NATIVE CI/CD PIPELINES FOR ENTERPRISE SOFTWARE DELIVERY

Authors

Dahir Hashi Sheed

Enterprise DevSecOps Specialist, Russia.

Keywords:

Cloud-native, CI/CD Pipelines, Security, Compliance, Enterprise Software Delivery, Data Protection, Vulnerability Management, Access Control\

Synopsis

Purpose: This paper investigates the emerging security and compliance risks associated with cloud-native Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines in enterprise software delivery. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of how cloud-native transformation impacts data protection, access control, vulnerability management, and auditability within CI/CD environments.

Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts a qualitative, analytical approach by synthesizing current research, industry practices, and regulatory requirements. It examines case studies from enterprise environments and maps CI/CD workflows against prominent compliance frameworks (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2, HIPAA) to identify critical vulnerabilities and control gaps.

Findings: The research reveals that while cloud-native CI/CD pipelines enhance agility and scalability, they introduce significant security risks if not properly governed. Key findings include a lack of integrated access controls in pipeline tools, poor visibility into vulnerability propagation during automated deployments, and audit challenges due to decentralized cloud infrastructure.

Practical implications: Organizations must realign their CI/CD practices with security and compliance requirements to mitigate potential breaches and regulatory penalties. The paper outlines practical strategies for embedding security controls and audit mechanisms into CI/CD workflows, ensuring resilience and trustworthiness in enterprise software delivery.

Originality/value: This work provides one of the first in-depth examinations of the intersection between cloud-native CI/CD pipelines and enterprise-grade security/compliance. It offers actionable insights for DevSecOps professionals, compliance teams, and enterprise architects aiming to build secure, compliant, and audit-ready delivery pipelines in a cloud-native context.

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