Introduction

Let's face it: software development security can no longer be treated as the final stage of the game. Waiting to review vulnerabilities only at the last minute is like checking the car brakes after hitting the road. The shift-left approach is born precisely to avoid this scenario by bringing security to the beginning of the conversation, when the code is still fresh in the dev's mind, in the flow. But the question that always echoes in the board is the same: does it pay off? 

Spoiler: yes. And it's not just a matter of preventing attacks. It's real savings!

Fixing early is cheaper. Literally.

NIST has already made it clear: fixing a flaw in production can cost up to 30x more than resolving it during development. And if you want an easier picture: remember the cake recipe that went wrong because you confused salt with sugar? Now imagine this mistake in a banking system in production. Well, it just needed a test before going into the oven.

Now put this into perspective with real data: the IBM report in 2024 showed that the average cost of a data breach in Brazil hit R$ 6.75 million. Only in the healthcare sector, over 10 million. The difference between detecting a flaw and fixing it in 1 quarter versus in 1 year is over 2.5 million, have you thought about this value being invested in improvements and functionalities?

Examples that are worth more than a spreadsheet

Microsoft: the SDL in practice

Since the 2000s, Microsoft realized that security was not a final phase. With the Security Development Lifecycle (SDL), they started to model threats before the code was born. In 2025, they reinforced this approach by heavily investing in AI with Veeam, anticipating risks. The result? Fewer emergency patches, more predictability in deliveries. 

Aetna: health and security (for real)

The American insurer Aetna fully implemented DevSecOps. Result? A savings of US$ 21 million a year. And the detail: fixing flaws at the beginning of the cycle was four times cheaper. And productivity skyrocketed, the team stopped going back 6 months just to put out fires.

European bank: goodbye eternal manual pentest

With automated tests directly in CI/CD, the European bank:

• Reduced  40% of costs with external pentests

• Saved 100 hours per developer, per year

• Accelerated deliveries with less rework — and without compromising security
  
  
  

The metrics don’t lie

• MTTR drops: elite teams fix flaws up to 6,570 times faster, according to the DORA report.

• Rework? Why? Shift-left reduces unnecessary back and forth. You gain time and efficiency.

• Real productivity: fewer fires to put out, more time to build new functionalities. Simple as that.

• Proven ROI: well-implemented DevSecOps platforms generated 232% return in just 3 years, according to Forrester. With payback in less than 12 months.
  
  
  

It's not just technical, it's cultural

Of course, it’s not just about plugging tools and thinking that the security issue is resolved. Shift-left, just like DevOps, goes far beyond tools and requires a change in behavior, alignment, and preparation of the team: 

• Mindset shift: security doesn’t delay deliveries, it anticipates problems.

• Real integration: false positives become noise. Endless reports tire, confuse, and delay decisions.

• Team training: secure code doesn’t come from magic, it comes from prepared developers.

Final tip: Start small, measure well, and show results. The culture comes when the team practically feels that it is possible to deliver quickly and securely.

Conclusion

The shift-left is the famous smart investment. Fixing earlier costs less, prevents costly failures, and also improves the speed and predictability of deliveries. Security, when done right, becomes an ally of delivery. And at the end of the day, this impacts where it matters most: in the pocket.

References

1. IBM Security. (2024). Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024.

2. Microsoft. (2024). Testing strategy for reliability.

3. Fortinet. (2025). O que é segurança Shift Left?

4. NIST. (2022). Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF).

5. Forrester. (2023). Total Economic Impact™ of DevSecOps Platforms.

6. Google Cloud. (2023). State of DevOps – DORA Report.

7. Security Compass. (2024). ROI of Secure Design.