The Expanding Attack Surface of CI/CD Pipelines

The Expanding Attack Surface of CI/CD Pipelines

CI/CD pipelines have evolved into complex ecosystems incorporating numerous tools, integrations, and access points. Each component in this ecosystem represents a potential vulnerability that attackers can exploit. Source code repositories, build servers, artifact registries, testing environments, and deployment systems all require careful security consideration. The interconnected nature of these components means that compromising one element can provide attackers with access to the entire software delivery chain.

Modern pipelines often span multiple environments and cloud providers, further expanding the attack surface. Hybrid deployments combining on-premises and cloud infrastructure create additional complexity in securing communications and access controls. Each environment transition represents a potential security boundary that must be properly protected. The dynamic nature of cloud resources, with instances spinning up and down automatically, adds another layer of security challenges.

Third-party integrations have become essential for modern CI/CD pipelines, but each integration introduces new security considerations. Whether connecting to security scanning tools, notification systems, or deployment platforms, every integration point must be secured against unauthorized access and data leakage. API keys, webhooks, and service accounts used for these integrations become high-value targets for attackers seeking to compromise the pipeline.