Introduction to DevSecOps and AWS CodeCommit

DevSecOps integrates security into DevOps practices to ensure that applications are safe from initial vulnerabilities. It automates the process of securing code without disrupting development workflows. One essential tool in this approach is AWS CodeCommit, a secure, scalable, and fully managed source control service that supports Git.

AWS CodeCommit is a central tool for cloud-native development, offering a secure and reliable repository for your code. In this guide, we’ll walk through setting up a local repository, downloading a vulnerable web application, and pushing it to AWS CodeCommit using Git, while integrating security practices.

Setting Up Your Local Repository

Before diving into AWS CodeCommit, you must set up a local Git repository on your machine. Here are the basic steps:

  1. Install Git:

After installation, confirm Git is installed by running:
git –version

  1. Configure Git:

Set up your username and email:
git config –global user.name “Your Name”

git config –global user.email “youremail@example.com”

  1. Create a Local Repository:

Create a directory for your project and navigate to it:
mkdir my-project

cd my-project

Initialize the repository:
git init

Downloading the Vulnerable Web Application

For this tutorial, we’ll download a simple, vulnerable web application to push to AWS CodeCommit. This can be any web application, but for example:

  1. Download the Application:

Clone or download the application code:
git clone https://github.com/example/vulnerable-web-app.git

  1. Move into the Directory:

After downloading, move into the project directory:
cd vulnerable-web-app

Adding and Committing the Files with Git

Once your local repository is set up and your application is downloaded, the next step is to add the files to your Git repository and commit them.

  1. Check Git Status:

To see the untracked files, run:
git status

  1. Add Files to Staging:

Add all files to the Git staging area:
git add .

  1. Commit the Changes:

Commit the added files with a meaningful message:
git commit -m “Initial commit of vulnerable web app”

Pushing Your Code to AWS CodeCommit

Now that you’ve committed your code locally, it’s time to push it to AWS CodeCommit. First, ensure you have an AWS CodeCommcreated repository created.

  1. CreatCommit Repository:
    • Navigate to the AWS CodeCommit console and create a new repository.
    • Once the repository is created, AWS will provide a Git URL for your repository.
  2. Configure Git for CodeCommit:

AWS CodeCommit requires the AWS CLI to authenticate. Install and configure the AWS CLI:
aws configure

Add the AWS CodeCommit remote to your local repository:
git remote add origin https://git-codecommit.<region>.amazonaws.com/v1/repos/<your-repository-name>

  1. Push the Code:

Finally, push your code to the CodeCommit repository:
git push -u origin master

Verifying Your Changes in AWS

After pushing your code, you can verify that everything worked correctly by checking the AWS CodeCommit console:

  1. Navigate to CodeCommit:
    • Go to the AWS Management Console and access your repository in CodeCommit.
  2. Review Commits:
    • In the Commits section, you should see the latest commit you pushed from your local repository.
  3. Check Code:
    • Browse the files to ensure that your application code was uploaded correctly.

Troubleshooting Tips and Next Steps

If you encounter issues while pushing your code to AWS CodeCommit, here are a few troubleshooting tips:

  1. Authentication Issues:

Ensure your AWS CLI is configured correctly and has the correct credentials. Test with:
aws codecommit list-repositories

  1. Push Errors:
    • If you receive errors while pushing, ensure that your remote URL is correct, and you have et it using git remote add origin <url>.
  2. Permission Denied:
    • If you get permission denied errors, double-check your IAM permissions to ensure your user WSCodeCommitFullAccess.

Next Steps

Once your code is in AWS CodeCommit, consider integrating it into an entire DevSecOps pipeline. You can set up AWS CodePipeline for continuous integration and AWS CodeBuild for building and testing your application. Additionally, leverage security tools such as Amazon Inspector to scan for vulnerabilities in your code.

References

Getting started with Git and AWS CodeCommit

Setup steps for HTTPS connections to AWS CodeCommit with git-remote-codecommit