Secure Software Starts with Awareness: Education & Open Source with the Council of Daves

In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, host CRob is joined by the “Council of Daves” - Dr. David Wheeler of the OpenSSF and Dave Russo from Red Hat — for a deep dive into the intersection of secure software development and education. From their open source origin stories to the challenges of educating developers and managers alike, this conversation covers key initiatives like the LFD121 course, upcoming resources on the EU Cyber Resilience Act, and how AI is shifting the landscape.

Whether you're a developer, manager, or just open source curious, this is your crash course in why security training matters more than ever.

📚 Episode Chapters:

• Intro & Meet the Council of Daves (0:16)
• Open Source Origin Stories (1:22)
• The Role of the Education SIG (4:05)
• Why Secure Software Education Is Critical (6:30)
• Inside the LFD121 Secure Development Course (8:01)
• Training Managers on Secure SDLC Practices (12:24)
• Why AI Makes Education More Important, Not Less (13:53)
• What’s Next in Security Education: CRA 101 and More (16:04)
• Rapid Fire Round: VI vs. EMACS, Tabs or Spaces & Mascots (20:20)
• Final Thoughts & Call to Action (22:04)

Episode links:

• Dave Russo LinkedIn
• David Wheeler LinkedIn
• OpenSSF Free Training:
  • LFD121: Developing Secure Software
  • LFD125: Security for Software Development Managers
  • LFEL1001: Understanding the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
• Get involved with the OpenSSF
• Subscribe to the OpenSSF Newsletter
• Follow the OpenSSF on LinkedIn