Bridging the gap between security professionals and developers is crucial for effective software security, requiring positive discussions and sharing of security principles.
Understanding risk in the security industry is challenging, emphasizing the importance of contextualizing risk within business goals and objectives rather than solely focusing on vulnerabilities and severity ratings.
Deep dives
The Importance of Bridging the Gap between Security and Developers
In this podcast episode, Frank discusses the importance of bridging the gap between security professionals and developers. He emphasizes the need for security to be integrated into the development process, rather than being a separate entity. Frank acknowledges that while developers may not have deep knowledge of security, it is essential for security professionals to engage in positive discussions with developers and share security principles. By involving the business requirements and risk perspective, Frank believes that the security and development communities can work together more effectively.
The Challenge of Defining and Understanding Risk in Security
The podcast delves into the challenge of defining and understanding risk in the security industry. Frank and the hosts discuss how risk is often misunderstood and miscommunicated, leading to a lack of clarity and cohesion between security and development teams. They highlight the need to move away from a focus on vulnerabilities and severity ratings, and instead focus on contextualizing risk within the business goals and objectives. This approach empowers the business side to better understand the risks and make informed decisions.
The Complicated Nature of Application Security Testing
The episode explores the complicated nature of application security testing. Frank acknowledges that while testing at various stages of development is essential, there are challenges in determining the right approach. He emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between tech debt and new development, and tailoring security testing to fit the specific requirements and reachability of an application. Frank also discusses the impact of regulations that often require fixing all vulnerabilities, regardless of their actual risk.
The Need for Collaboration and Automation in DevSecOps
The podcast underscores the need for collaboration and automation in the DevSecOps process. Frank points out the importance of engaging development, security, and business teams in meaningful conversations about security requirements and risk management. He advocates for incorporating security into the entire software development life cycle (SDLC) and highlights the value of automating security testing and risk calculations. Frank believes that bridging the gap between security, development, and business can lead to more secure and efficient software development processes.
TL;DR This week's episode goes down the AppSec rabbit hole with Francesco Cipollone (call him "Frank") as we discuss some of the ins and outs of the modern software security challenge. We're all over the place on topics, but the message, in the end, is sane.