Security isn't a feature you bolt on at the end. It's a hygiene practice that should be embedded into every release. Build verification, environment checks, and basic security audits reduce risk and protect your users.

"Security is not a product, but a process." - Bruce Schneier

1. Build Verification

Before deploying anywhere, verify the build integrity. Check that dependencies haven't been tampered with, that secrets aren't hardcoded, and that environment variables are correctly set. Automated scripts catch these issues before they reach production.

2. Environment Checks

Staging should mirror production as closely as possible. Before releasing, verify that SSL certificates are valid, firewall rules are correctly configured, and database credentials are rotated. A misconfigured environment can be as dangerous as a code bug.

3. Basic Security Hygiene

Run static analysis tools like SonarQube or Snyk to catch common vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS, hardcoded secrets). Automate dependency updates to patch known CVEs. Security isn't about perfection—it's about reducing attack surface.

Hardening releases means building a culture where security is everyone's responsibility, not just the security team's.