With the increasing demand for code security and quality control in modern DevSecOps teams, tools like SonarQube have become essential. SonarQube 9.9 introduces an improved system of roles and permissions, allowing for flexible access distribution among team members. A clear understanding and correct management of roles can enhance both security and transparency, ensuring DevSecOps teams have the right levels of access to project settings and data without compromising confidentiality or quality profile integrity.

Key Roles and Their Capabilities

SonarQube offers multiple access levels, from basic project result viewing to full control over profiles and projects. Here’s a breakdown of the key roles and their specific capabilities.

1. Project Viewer

   • Role Purpose: Designed for team members needing access to scan results and code quality insights without the ability to alter project settings.

   • Capabilities:

     • View project analysis reports and metrics.

     • Access the assigned Quality Profiles and rules applied to the project.

   • Limitations:

     • No ability to modify project settings, change Quality Profiles, or manage Quality Gates.

   • Ideal Use Case: Suitable for stakeholders or auditors who need visibility into project status without altering configurations.

2. Project Admin

   • Role Purpose: Suitable for users responsible for managing specific projects, including setting quality and performance metrics.

   • Capabilities:

     • Full access to project settings, including the selection of Quality Profiles and Quality Gates.

     • Ability to include or exclude files from analysis.

     • Configure project-specific thresholds and acceptable metric values.

   • Limitations:

     • Cannot alter Quality Profiles directly (rule activation requires Quality Profile Admin rights).

   • Ideal Use Case: For managing individual projects that require custom analysis setup to meet particular standards (e.g., projects with strict regulatory requirements).

3. Quality Profile Admin

   • Role Purpose: Designed for users responsible for creating and maintaining custom Quality Profiles shared across multiple projects.

   • Capabilities:

     • Create, edit, and delete Quality Profiles.

     • Activate or deactivate rules within profiles.

     • Develop specialized profiles for different languages to meet specific security or coding style standards.

   • Limitations:

     • No access to individual project settings.

   • Ideal Use Case: Managing corporate code quality standards aligned with DevSecOps policies. For instance, creating a profile that aligns with OWASP standards for Java and applying it to multiple projects.

4. Admin System

   • Role Purpose: Assigned to system administrators who require full control over the entire SonarQube installation.

   • Capabilities:

     • Full access to all settings, projects, and profiles.

     • User management and role assignment.

     • Configuration of system-wide parameters, such as security policies and audit settings.

   • Limitations: No limitations; this role requires high trust.

   • Ideal Use Case: For overall SonarQube infrastructure management, including deployment, monitoring, and maintenance tasks, as well as license management and scalability configurations.

Role Distribution in DevSecOps

For DevSecOps teams, a well-organized role distribution can streamline project management and improve security, reducing the risk of unauthorized changes to quality profiles or critical security rules.

1. Adhering to the Principle of Least Privilege. Assign team members only the access they need for their roles. This minimizes the risk of accidental profile changes or rule deletions.

2. Using Custom Quality Profiles for Different Teams and Projects. Separating profiles by task allows DevSecOps teams to implement specific standards and apply updates quickly across related projects.

3. Regular Auditing of Roles. Periodically review which users hold administrative rights and adjust as projects or teams evolve.

4. Leveraging Quality Gates for DevSecOps Goals. Quality Gates are particularly useful for checking security and quality compliance. For example, set threshold levels for vulnerabilities and test coverage so projects can only progress in CI/CD if they meet the gate’s criteria.

Conclusion

Roles in SonarQube 9.9 enable flexible responsibility distribution and strong project governance for DevSecOps teams. By following the principles of least privilege and regular role auditing, organizations can maintain a high level of security and transparency, adapting the development process to meet specific code quality and data protection needs.