Oil & Gas Giant Boosts Development Security with Sonatype

The Challenge

A leading oil and gas company encountered challenges with its semi-automated and reactive security processes, which resulted in critical vulnerabilities remaining undetected and delaying application development. This inefficiency increased the risk of breaches and strained security and development teams.

The Solution

The adoption of Sonatype Lifecycle provided real-time visibility into vulnerabilities, empowering developers to address issues early in the development cycle. Seamlessly integrated with the organization’s CI/CD pipelines, developer tools, and monitoring systems, Sonatype enables the automation of security checks and streamlining workflows for a proactive security approach.

The Results

The company achieved a 75% reduction in mean time to repair (MTTR) and saved an estimated $1.6 billion by preventing security breaches. They also reduced critical open source security risks by 50% and achieved a 40% faster time-to-market for new applications, while strengthening their overall security posture.

Improved Efficiency and Cost Savings

With Sonatype Lifecycle, the company reduced security assessment time by 70%, enabling developers to dedicate more energy toward innovation instead of reactive fixes. This efficiency also shaved significant time off development cycles, with applications released 40% faster than before. Their proactive open source management strategy prevented major security breaches, saving the company an estimated $1.6 billion in potential losses.

Developers saw improvements in their workflows with actionable insights integrated directly into their tools. This fostered a sense of ownership and accountability within the engineering team, as they became key contributors to the company’s security success. Additionally, initiatives include a training program that enhances skills across teams and builds a culture of security-conscious development.

While their strategy emphasized automation and innovation, the human element also played a key role. Teams across development, operations, and security broke down silos and adopted a shared mindset to develop and deliver secure applications faster and more efficiently.

Leadership in Predictive Security

One of the company’s most significant achievements lies in its use of predictive strategies. Harnessing data from Sonatype Repository Firewall and AI technologies, they developed tools capable of forecasting potential risks before they materialized. AI-powered processes prioritized vulnerabilities based on severity, enabling targeted remediation efforts. The resulting proactive approach reduced overall security incidents by 9% and established the company as a thought leader in risk prevention.

Their approach to supply chain security reinforced this position further. By centralizing component metadata and enriching it with real-time threat intelligence from Sonatype Lifecycle, they identified and mitigated supply chain risks before they could impact operations. The company also implemented robust open source governance policies based on leading frameworks, further advancing its security posture.

Pioneering Collaborative Efforts

A shift-left security strategy, combined with rigorous collaboration across teams, ensured security was embedded at every SDLC stage. With preemptive measures in place, developers, DevOps, and security teams worked together on common goals. Automated vulnerability testing and remediation capabilities created a “self-healing” ecosystem, transforming processes that were once manual and error-prone into seamless, forward-thinking practices.

The company’s approach also extended beyond tools and processes. By building a collaborative culture, they empowered teams to innovate while safeguarding the integrity of their applications. This holistic strategy enabled them to balance agility with rigorous security measures, making them a role model for others driving forward DevSecOps initiatives.

A Model for Success

The integration of Sonatype Lifecycle sparked a significant evolution in how the company approached software development and security. Time savings, cost avoidance, and enhanced efficiency reinforced the value of this transformation. From automating workflows to leading with predictive security measures, the company set new standards in the oil and gas sector for secure and efficient software development.

Their achievements, supported by cutting-edge AI/ML technologies and seamless collaboration across teams, serve as an inspiration for enterprises seeking to meet the demands of fast-paced, high-stakes industries. Their efforts not only strengthened their operations but also ensured they remain resilient and prepared for the security challenges of the future.