You secure CI/CD pipelines and build servers by controlling who can change them, keeping secrets out of code, protecting and patching the build infrastructure, and monitoring it. Your pipeline builds and ships your product, so a compromise there could affect every customer. That makes it one of the most important things in a software firm to lock down properly.
Build infrastructure is powerful and often overlooked in security. Here’s how to protect it.
1. Control who can change the pipeline
Only trusted, named people should be able to change build and deployment configuration, protected by MFA. Tight control here stops an attacker, or a careless change, from slipping something into your product.
2. Keep secrets out of the pipeline code
Build pipelines often need keys and credentials. These belong in a secure secrets store, not in scripts or repositories, so they cannot leak through your source code.
3. Protect and patch the build servers
The servers that run your builds need the same care as any critical system: endpoint protection, patching, restricted access and monitoring. A neglected build server is an easy target with a big payoff for an attacker.
4. Monitor and back up the infrastructure
Monitoring your build infrastructure catches problems and unusual activity early, and good backups mean you can rebuild quickly if something goes wrong. Keeping the pipeline healthy keeps your releases flowing.
A real example: build infrastructure kept healthy
We supported a software company serving financial trading firms where we kept the build and continuous-integration infrastructure running and monitored, including the email notifications its build process relied on, so releases kept flowing and the servers stayed healthy and protected.
For a software, technology or financial trading firm, this is part of managed IT and security that usually costs about £45 to £100 per user per month, scaling with your headcount, your security needs and how much uptime the business depends on.
Why technology and trading firms choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including software and technology companies and firms that serve financial markets. We know the systems these teams depend on: secure VPN and remote access, source control and build pipelines, virtual dev and test environments, Microsoft 365 and Teams, and the security that banks and regulators expect, from multi-factor authentication and endpoint protection to application allowlisting and email security. We work with technology and trading firms in London and across Essex and Hertfordshire. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we’ve been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including Harlow and Bishop’s Stortford.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want your build pipeline locked down? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT and we’ll secure it.