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In this On Location episode during OWASP AppSec Global 2025 in Barcelona, Aram Hovsepyan, an active contributor to the OWASP SAMM project, brings a critical perspective to how the industry approaches security metrics, especially in vulnerability management. His message is clear: the way we collect and use metrics needs a serious rethink if we want to make real progress in reducing risk.Too often, organizations rely on readily available tool-generated metrics—like vulnerability counts—without pausing to ask what those numbers actually mean in context. These metrics may look impressive in a dashboard or board report, but as Aram points out, they’re often disconnected from business goals. Worse, they can drive the wrong behaviors, such as trying to reduce raw vulnerability counts without considering exploitability or actual impact.Aram emphasizes the importance of starting with organizational goals, formulating questions that reflect progress toward those goals, and only then identifying metrics that provide meaningful answers. It’s a research-backed approach that has been known for decades but is often ignored in favor of convenience.False positives, inflated dashboards, and a lack of alignment between metrics and strategy are recurring issues. Aram notes that many tools err on the side of overreporting to avoid false negatives, which leads to overwhelming—and often irrelevant—volumes of data. In some cases, up to 80% of identified vulnerabilities may be false positives, leaving security teams drowning in noise and chasing issues that may not matter.What’s missing, he argues, is a strategic lens. Vulnerability management should be one component of a broader application security program, not the centerpiece. The OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM) offers a framework for evaluating and improving across a range of practices—strategy, risk analysis, and threat modeling among them—that collectively support better decision-making.To move forward, organizations need to stop treating vulnerability data as a performance metric and start treating it as a signal in a larger conversation about risk, impact, and architectural choices. Aram’s call to action is simple: ask better questions, use tools more purposefully, and build security strategies that actually serve the business.GUEST: Aram Hovsepyan | OWASP SAMM Project Core Team member and CEO/Founder at CODIFIC | https://www.linkedin.com/in/aramhovsep/HOST: Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | https://www.seanmartin.comSPONSORSManicode Security: https://itspm.ag/manicode-security-7q8iRESOURCESLearn more and catch more stories from OWASP AppSec Global 2025 Barcelona coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/owasp-global-appsec-barcelona-2025-application-security-event-coverage-in-catalunya-spainCatch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrfWant Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this On Location episode during OWASP AppSec Global 2025 in Barcelona, Starr Brown, Director of Open Source Projects and Programs at OWASP, unpacks the real engine behind the organization’s impact: the projects and the people driving them forward.With over 130 active projects, OWASP continues to expand its open source contributions to improve software security across the board. While the OWASP Top 10 remains its most recognized initiative, Starr points out that it’s just one among many. Other significant projects include the Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS), the Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM), and the increasingly popular security games like Cornucopia, which use gamification to bring security concepts into business conversations and development workflows.AI is playing an increasingly prominent role in OWASP’s work. Starr highlights the GenAI Security Project as a focal point, encompassing tools and guidance for LLM use, agentic AI, red teaming, and more. The scale of community engagement is equally impressive: around 33,000 people are active on Slack, and hundreds contribute to individual initiatives, reflecting the organization’s truly global and grassroots structure.Beyond tools and documentation, OWASP is influencing regulation and policy through initiatives like the AI Exchange and the Transparency Exchange. These projects connect with government entities and standards bodies such as the European Commission and CEN/CENELEC to help shape responsible governance frameworks around software, AI, and cybersecurity.Listeners also get a glimpse into what’s ahead. From upcoming events in Washington, D.C., to the OWASP Community Room at DEF CON in Las Vegas, the goal is to keep fostering connections and hands-on engagement. These gatherings not only showcase flagship tools and frameworks but create space for open dialogue, prototyping, and collaboration—whether you’re breaking things or building them.To get involved, Starr encourages exploring the OWASP Projects page and joining their Slack community. The conversation makes it clear: OWASP is not just a collection of tools—it’s a living, breathing network of contributors shaping the future of secure software.GUEST: Starr Brown | Director of Open Source Projects and Programs at OWASP | https://www.linkedin.com/in/starr-brown-8837547/HOST: Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | https://www.seanmartin.comSPONSORSManicode Security: https://itspm.ag/manicode-security-7q8iRESOURCESLearn more and catch more stories from OWASP AppSec Global 2025 Barcelona coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/owasp-global-appsec-barcelona-2025-application-security-event-coverage-in-catalunya-spainCatch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrfWant Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this On Location episode during OWASP AppSec Global 2025 in Barcelona, Sarah-Jane Madden brings a unique lens to application security, shaped by her journey from developer to security leader and CSO. Speaking at OWASP AppSec Global, she tackles one of today’s most pressing concerns: how AI is reshaping software engineering—and how we must respond without compromising core values like quality and security.Madden emphasizes that AI is only the latest in a series of major disruptions, comparing it to shifts like remote work triggered by COVID. Her message is clear: organizations must prepare for continuous change, not just chase the current trend. That means prioritizing adaptability and ensuring critical practices like application security are not sacrificed in the rush to speed up delivery.She makes the case for a layered, iterative approach to development—rejecting the outdated linear mindset. Developers, she argues, should leverage AI as an accelerator, not a replacement. Think of AI as your digital intern: handling the drudgery, automating boilerplate code, and even applying internal security standards to code before it reaches human hands. This frees developers to focus on creative problem-solving and thoughtful architecture.However, Madden cautions against blind enthusiasm. While experimentation is healthy, organizations must be discerning about outcomes. Speed is meaningless without quality, and quality includes security. She calls on developers to advocate for high standards and reminds business leaders not to fall for the allure of shortcut statistics or flashy claims that promise results without skilled labor. Her analogy of microwave dinners vs. proper cuisine illustrates the risk of prioritizing convenience over substance—especially in complex problem-solving environments.For line-of-business leaders, Madden urges realistic expectations. AI can enhance productivity, but it doesn’t eliminate the need for thoughtful development. Ultimately, customers will notice if quality drops, and reputational damage is hard to undo.In closing, Madden celebrates OWASP as more than an organization—it’s a source of support, camaraderie, and genuine community for those working to build secure, reliable systems. Her message? Embrace change, use tools wisely, protect your standards, and never forget the human side of engineering.GUEST: Sarah-Jane Madden | Global Director of Cyber Defense at Fortive | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahjanemadden/HOST: Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | https://www.seanmartin.comSPONSORSManicode Security: https://itspm.ag/manicode-security-7q8iRESOURCESLearn more and catch more stories from OWASP AppSec Global 2025 Barcelona coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/owasp-global-appsec-barcelona-2025-application-security-event-coverage-in-catalunya-spainCatch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrfWant Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When it comes to data protection, the word “immutability” often feels like it belongs in the realm of enterprise giants with complex infrastructure and massive budgets. But during this RSAC Conference conversation, Sterling Wilson, Field CTO at Object First, makes a strong case that immutability should be, and can be, for everyone.Wilson brings a grounded perspective shaped by his experience on the floor at RSAC, where Object First made its debut as a sponsor. The energy, he notes, was contagious: not just among vendors, but also from practitioners expressing serious concerns about their ability to recover data post-incident. These conversations weren’t hypothetical; they were real worries tied to rising insurance premiums, regulatory compliance, and operational survivability. And at the core of all this? Trust in the data backup process.Agentic AI, AI capable of making decisions independently, is one of the trends Wilson flags as both promising and risky. It offers potential for improving preparedness and accelerating recovery. But it also raises concerns around access and control of sensitive data, particularly if exploited by adversaries. For Sterling, the opportunity lies in combining proactive readiness with simplicity and control, especially for those who aren’t traditional security practitioners.Object First is doing just that through OOTBI: Out of the Box Immutability. And yes, there’s a mascot: OOTBI. More than just a marketing hook, OOTBI represents a shift toward making backup and recovery systems approachable, usable, and, importantly, accessible. According to Wilson, the product gets users from “box to backup” in 15 minutes... with encrypted, immutable storage that meets critical requirements for cyber insurance coverage.Cost, Wilson adds, is a key barrier that often prevents organizations from reaching data protection best practices. That’s why Object First now offers consumption-based pricing models. Whether a business is cloud-first or scaling fast, it’s a path to protection that doesn’t require breaking the budget.Ultimately, Wilson emphasizes education and community as critical drivers of progress. From field labs where teams can configure their own Opi, to on-location conference conversations, the company is building awareness, and reducing fear, by making secure storage not just a feature, but a foundation.This episode is a reminder that effective cybersecurity isn’t only about innovation; it’s about inclusion, practicality, and trust... both in your tools and your team.Learn more about Object First: https://itspm.ag/object-first-2gjlNote: This story contains promotional content. Learn more.Guest: Sterling Wilson, Field CTO, Object First | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sterling-wilson/ResourcesLearn more and catch more stories from Object First: https://www.itspmagazine.com/directory/object-firstLearn more and catch more stories from RSA Conference 2025 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/rsac25______________________Keywords:sean martin, marco ciappelli, sterling wilson, immutability, agentic, ai, backup, recovery, cybersecurity, insurance, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand story podcast______________________Catch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrfWant Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From Cassette Tapes and Phrasebooks to AI Real-Time Translations — Machines Can Now Speak for Us, But We’re Losing the Art of Understanding Each Other May 21, 2025A new transmission from Musing On Society and Technology Newsletter, by Marco CiappelliThere’s this thing I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid.No, it wasn’t flying cars. Or robot butlers (although I wouldn’t mind one to fold the laundry). It was this: having a real conversation with someone — anyone — in their own language, and actually understanding each other.And now… here we are.Reference: Google brings live translation to Meet, starting with Spanish. https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-brings-live-translation-to-meet-starting-with-spanish-174549788.htmlGoogle just rolled out live AI-powered translation in Google Meet, starting with Spanish. I watched the demo video, and for a moment, I felt like I was 16 again, staring at the future with wide eyes and messy hair.It worked. It was seamless. Flawless. Magical.And then — drumroll, please — it sucked!Like… really, existentially, beautifully sucked.Let me explain.I’m a proud member of Gen X. I grew up with cassette tapes and Walkmans, boomboxes and mixtapes, floppy disks and Commodore 64s, reel-to-reel players and VHS decks, rotary phones and answering machines. I felt language — through static, rewinds, and hiss.Yes, I had to wait FOREVER to hit Play and Record, at the exact right moment, tape songs off the radio onto a Maxell, label it by hand, and rewind it with a pencil when the player chewed it up.I memorized long-distance dialing codes. I waited weeks for a letter to arrive from a pen pal abroad, reading every word like it was a treasure map.That wasn’t just communication. That was connection.Then came the shift.I didn’t miss the digital train — I jumped on early, with curiosity in one hand and a dial-up modem in the other.Early internet. Mac OS. My first email address felt like a passport to a new dimension. I spent hours navigating the World Wide Web like a digital backpacker — discovering strange forums, pixelated cities, and text-based adventures in a binary world that felt limitless.I said goodbye to analog tools, but never to analog thinking.So what is the connection with learning languages?Well, here’s the thing: exploring the internet felt a lot like learning a new language. You weren’t just reading text — you were decoding a culture. You learned how people joked. How they argued. How they shared, paused, or replied with silence. You picked up on the tone behind a blinking cursor, or the vibe of a forum thread.Similarly, when you learn a language, you’re not just learning words — you’re decoding an entire world. It’s not about the words themselves — it’s about the world they build. You’re learning gestures. Food. Humor. Social cues. Sarcasm. The way someone raises an eyebrow, or says “sure” when they mean “no.”You’re learning a culture’s operating system, not just its interface. AI translation skips that. It gets you the data, but not the depth. It’s like getting the punchline without ever hearing the setup.And yes, I use AI to clean up my writing. To bounce translations between English and Italian when I’m juggling stories. But I still read both versions. I still feel both versions. I’m picky — I fight with my AI counterpart to get it right. To make it feel the way I feel it. To make you feel it, too. Even now.I still think in analog, even when I’m living in digital.So when I watched that Google video, I realized:We’re not just gaining a tool. We’re at risk of losing something deeply human — the messy, awkward, beautiful process of actually trying to understand someone who moves through the world in a different language — one that can’t be auto-translated.Because sometimes it’s better to speak broken English with a Japanese friend and a Danish colleague — laughing through cultural confusion — than to have a perfectly translated conversation where nothing truly connects.This isn’t just about language. It’s about every tool we create that promises to “translate” life. Every app, every platform, every shortcut that promises understanding without effort.It’s not the digital that scares me. I use it. I live in it. I am it, in many ways. It’s the illusion of completion that scares me.The moment we think the transformation is done — the moment we say “we don’t need to learn that anymore” — that’s the moment we stop being human.We don’t live in 0s and 1s. We live in the in-between. The gray. The glitch. The hybrid.So yeah, cheers to AI-powered translation, but maybe keep your Walkman nearby, your phrasebook in your bag — and your curiosity even closer.Go explore the world. Learn a few words in a new language. Mispronounce them. Get them wrong. Laugh about it. People will appreciate your effort far more than your fancy iPhone.Alla prossima,— Marco 📬 Enjoyed this transmission? Follow the newsletter here:https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7079849705156870144/New stories always incoming.🌀 Let’s keep exploring what it means to be human in this Hybrid Analog Digital Society.End of transmission. Share this newsletter and invite anyone you think would enjoy it!As always, let's keep thinking!— Marco [https://www.marcociappelli.com]_________________________________________________This story represents the results of an interactive collaboration between Human Cognition and Artificial Intelligence.Marco Ciappelli | Co-Founder, Creative Director & CMO ITSPmagazine  | Dr. in Political Science / Sociology of Communication l Branding | Content Marketing | Writer | Storyteller | My Podcasts: Redefining Society & Technology / Audio Signals / + | MarcoCiappelli.comTAPE3 is the Artificial Intelligence behind ITSPmagazine—created to be a personal assistant, writing and design collaborator, research companion, brainstorming partner… and, apparently, something new every single day.Enjoy, think, share with others, and subscribe to the "Musing On Society & Technology" newsletter on LinkedIn. 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In this On Location episode during OWASP AppSec Global 2025 in Barcelona, Josh Grossman, co-leader of the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) project, shares key updates and strategic thinking behind the release of ASVS version 5. This release, years in the making, reflects a renewed focus on making the standard more approachable, practical, and actionable for development teams and security leaders alike.ASVS is designed to provide a comprehensive and verifiable set of security requirements for building and maintaining secure applications. More than just a checklist, it offers a clear blueprint for what a secure application should look like—making it easier to benchmark progress, develop secure design requirements, and implement effective controls. Version 5 emphasizes accessibility, particularly by lowering the barrier to entry for organizations adopting Level 1 of the standard, reducing the threshold of required controls from nearly 50% to under 30%.One of the major shifts in this new version is the tighter focus on the application itself, moving away from system-level topics like backup policies that tend to fall outside the scope of app development teams. This makes the standard more relevant to software architects, developers, and QA engineers—providing requirements that fall within their sphere of influence, while still covering the full software lifecycle from design to deployment.Grossman explains how organizations can customize ASVS to include their internal controls and build out secure coding checklists, implementation guides, and requirements documents tailored to their environments. He also highlights how ASVS aligns with other OWASP projects, like the Cheat Sheet Series and SAMM, for both control-level guidance and organizational process development.For security leaders looking to improve their application security programs, ASVS v5 offers a foundation to build on—clear, community-driven, and extensible. And true to OWASP’s spirit, the project is backed by a passionate community, from project co-leads like Grossman and Elar Lang to contributors around the world. As Grossman puts it, OWASP is about connection—people tackling similar challenges, working together to make software safer.If you’re looking for a way to bring practical, standards-based security into your software lifecycle, this conversation is your starting point.GUEST: Josh Grossman | CTO of Bounce Security and co-leader of the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) project | https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshcgrossman/HOST: Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | https://www.seanmartin.comSPONSORSManicode Security: https://itspm.ag/manicode-security-7q8iRESOURCESOWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS): https://owasp.org/www-project-application-security-verification-standard/Learn more and catch more stories from OWASP AppSec Global 2025 Barcelona coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/owasp-global-appsec-barcelona-2025-application-security-event-coverage-in-catalunya-spainCatch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrfWant Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jim Manico’s passion for secure coding has always been rooted in deeply technical practices—methods that matter most to developers writing code day in and day out. At OWASP Global AppSec EU 2025 Conference in Barcelona, Manico brings that same precision and care to a broader conversation around the intersection of application security and artificial intelligence.While many are still just beginning to assess how AI impacts application development, Manico has been preparing for this moment for years. Two and a half years ago, he saw a shift—traditional low-level technical bugs were being mitigated effectively by mature organizations. The new challenge? Business logic flaws and access control issues that scanners can’t easily detect. This change signaled a new direction, prompting him to dive into AI security long before it became fashionable.Now, Manico is delivering AI-flavored AppSec training, helping developers understand the risks of insecure code generated by large language models. His research shows that even the best AI coding tools—from Claude to Copilot—still generate insecure code out of the box. That’s where his work becomes transformative: by developing detailed, framework-specific prompts grounded in decades of secure coding knowledge, he has trained these tools to write safer code, using React, Django, Vue, and more.Beyond teaching, he’s building. With 200 volunteers, he’s leading the creation of the Artificial Intelligence Security Verification Standard (AISVS), a new OWASP project inspired by the well-known Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS). Generated with both AI and human collaboration, the AISVS already has a v0.1 release and aims for a major update by summer.For Manico, this isn’t just a technical evolution—it’s a personal renaissance. His deep catalog of secure coding techniques, once used primarily for human education, is now fueling a new generation of AI-assisted development. And he’s just getting started.This episode isn’t just about where AppSec is going. It’s a call to developers and security professionals to rethink how we teach, how we build, and how we can use AI to enhance—not endanger—the software we create.Learn more about Manicode: https://itspm.ag/manicode-security-7q8iNote: This story contains promotional content. Learn more.Guest: Jim Manico, Founder and Secure Coding Educator at Manicode Security | On Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmanico/ResourcesJim's OWASP Session: https://owasp2025globalappseceu.sched.com/event/1wfpM/leveraging-ai-for-secure-react-development-with-effective-prompt-engineeringDownload the Course Catalog: https://itspm.ag/manicode-x684Learn more and catch more stories from Manicode Security: https://www.itspmagazine.com/directory/manicode-securityAre you interested in telling your story?https://www.itspmagazine.com/telling-your-storyKeywords: jim manico, sean martin, appsec, ai, owasp, securecoding, developers, aisvs, training, react, brand story, brand marketing, marketing podcast, brand story podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The introduction of the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) marks a major shift for the software industry: for the first time, manufacturers are being held accountable for the cybersecurity of their products. Olle E. Johansson, a long-time open source developer and contributor to the Asterisk PBX project, explains how this new regulation reshapes the role of software creators and introduces the need for transparency across the entire supply chain.In this episode, Johansson breaks down the complexity of today’s software supply ecosystems—where manufacturers rely heavily on open source components, and end users struggle to identify vulnerabilities buried deep in third-party dependencies. With the CRA in place, the burden now falls on manufacturers to not only track but also report on the components in their products. That includes actively communicating which vulnerabilities affect users—and which do not.To make this manageable, Johansson introduces the Transparency Exchange API (TEA), a project rooted in the OWASP CycloneDX standard. What started as a simple Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) delivery mechanism has evolved into a broader platform for sharing vulnerability information, attestations, documentation, and even cryptographic data necessary for the post-quantum transition. Standardizing this API through Ecma International is a major step toward a scalable, automated supply chain security infrastructure.The episode also highlights the importance of automation and shared data formats in enabling companies to react quickly to threats like Log4j. Johansson notes that, historically, security teams spent countless hours manually assessing whether they were affected by a specific vulnerability. The Transparency Exchange API aims to change that by automating the entire feedback loop from developer to manufacturer to end user.Although still in beta, the project is gaining traction with organizations like the Apache Foundation integrating it into their release processes. Johansson emphasizes that community feedback is essential and invites listeners to engage through GitHub to help shape the project’s future.For Johansson, OWASP stands for global knowledge and collaboration in application security. As Europe’s regulatory influence grows, initiatives like this are essential to build a stronger, more accountable software ecosystem.GUEST: Olle E Johansson | Co-Founder, SBOM Europe | https://www.linkedin.com/in/ollejohansson/HOST:Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | https://www.seanmartin.comSPONSORSManicode Security: https://itspm.ag/manicode-security-7q8iRESOURCESCycloneDX/transparency-exchange-api on GitHub: https://github.com/CycloneDX/transparency-exchange-apiVIDEO: The Cyber Resilience Act: How the EU is Reshaping Digital Product Security | With Sarah Fluchs: https://youtu.be/c30eG5kzqnYLearn more and catch more stories from OWASP AppSec Global 2025 Barcelona coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/owasp-global-appsec-barcelona-2025-application-security-event-coverage-in-catalunya-spainCatch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrfWant Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

During the upcoming OWASP Global AppSec EU in Barcelona, Spyros Gasteratos, long-time OWASP contributor and co-founder of Smithy, to explore how automation, collaboration, and community resources are shaping the future of application security. Spyros shares the foundation of his talk at OWASP AppSec Global: building a DevSecOps program from scratch using existing community tools—blending technical guidance with a celebration of open-source achievements.Spyros emphasizes that true progress in security stems not from an ever-growing stack of tools, but from aligning the humans behind them. According to him, security failures often stem from fragmented information and misaligned incentives across teams. His solution? Bring the teams together with a shared, streamlined flow of information and automate wherever possible to reduce wasted cycles and miscommunication.At the core of Spyros’ philosophy is the need to turn AppSec from a blocker into a builder. Rather than overwhelming developers with endless bug reports, or security leaders with red dashboards, programs need to reflect the actual risk appetite of the business—prioritizing issues dynamically based on impact, timing, and operational goals. He challenges the one-size-fits-all approach, advocating instead for tagging systems that defer certain risks and encode organizational priorities in automation logic.A major part of that transformation lies in Smithy, the platform he’s helping build. It’s designed to be “Zapier for security”—an automation engine rooted in open-source standards that allows for custom workflows without creating a tangle of fragile scripts. The idea is to let teams focus on what’s unique to them, while relying on battle-tested components for the rest.Looking ahead, Spyros doesn’t buy into the doom-and-gloom narrative about AI limiting developer creativity. On the contrary, he argues that AI-enabled coding frees up cognitive space for better architecture and secure design thinking. In his view, creativity doesn’t die—it just shifts from syntax to strategy.This episode is more than a discussion—it’s a blueprint for how teams can rally around a common goal, and how OWASP’s community can be the catalyst. Tune in to hear how open-source, automation, and human alignment are redefining AppSec from the ground up.GUEST: Spyros Gasteratos | OpenCRE co-lead and Founder of smithy.security | https://www.linkedin.com/in/spyr/HOST: Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | https://www.seanmartin.comSPONSORSManicode Security: https://itspm.ag/manicode-security-7q8iRESOURCESSpyros' Session: A completely pluggable DevSecOps programme, for free, using community resources (https://owasp2025globalappseceu.sched.com/event/1whCB/a-completely-pluggable-devsecops-programme-for-free-using-community-resources)Learn more and catch more stories from OWASP Global AppSec EU 2025 Conference coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/owasp-global-appsec-barcelona-2025-application-security-event-coverage-in-catalunya-spainCatch all of our event coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/technology-and-cybersecurity-conference-coverageWant to tell your Brand Story Briefing as part of our event coverage? Learn More 👉 https://itspm.ag/evtcovbrfWant Sean and Marco to be part of your event or conference? Let Us Know 👉 https://www.itspmagazine.com/contact-us Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

⬥GUESTS⬥Frida Torkelsen, PhD | AI Solution Architect at Newcode.ai | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frida-h-torkelsen/Maged Helmy, PhD | Assoc. Professor - AI at University of South-Eastern Norway and Founder & CEO of Newcode.ai | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/magedhelmy/⬥HOST⬥Host: Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/imsmartin/ | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com⬥EPISODE NOTES⬥Agentic AI is rapidly moving from theoretical promise to practical implementation, and few sectors are feeling this shift as acutely as the legal industry. In this episode of Redefining CyberSecurity, Sean Martin is joined by Frida Torkelsen, a Solution Architect, and Maged Helmy, a professor of AI, to explore how law firms and in-house counsel are applying AI agents to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and unlock strategic capabilities—while navigating critical privacy and security concerns.Frida explains how large firms are seeking to extract value from their troves of historical legal data through bespoke AI agents designed to automate workflows and improve institutional knowledge sharing. Smaller firms, on the other hand, benefit by building narrow, purpose-driven agents that automate core functions and give them a tactical edge. This democratization of capability—fueled by faster iteration and reduced development cost—could be a strategic win for niche firms that are disciplined in their focus.Maged emphasizes the architectural shift AI agents introduce. Unlike static queries to large language models with fixed knowledge, agents access tools, data, and live systems to execute tasks dynamically. This expands the use case potential—but also the risk. Because agentic systems operate probabilistically, consistent outputs aren’t guaranteed, and testing becomes more about evaluating outcomes across a range of inputs than expecting deterministic results.Security risk looms large. Maged shares how a single oversight in permissions allowed an agent to make system-wide changes that corrupted his environment. Frida cautions against over-permissive access, noting that agents tapping into shared calendars or HR databases must respect internal boundaries and compliance obligations. Both guests agree that human-in-the-loop validation is essential, especially in environments with strict data governance needs.Law firms must reassess both internal information architecture and team readiness before implementing agentic systems. Start with a clear understanding of the business problem, validate access scopes, and track outcomes for accuracy, speed, and cost. Legal tech teams are forming around these efforts, but success will depend on whether these roles stay grounded in solving specific legal problems—not chasing the latest AI trend.⬥SPONSORS⬥LevelBlue: https://itspm.ag/attcybersecurity-3jdk3ThreatLocker: https://itspm.ag/threatlocker-r974⬥RESOURCES⬥Newsletter: The Law's Great Recalibration: Inside the Tech-Driven Puzzle of Legal Firm Transformation: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/laws-great-recalibration-inside-tech-driven-puzzle-sean-martin-cissp-clnoe/⬥ADDITIONAL INFORMATION⬥✨ More Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast: 🎧 https://www.seanmartin.com/redefining-cybersecurity-podcastRedefining CyberSecurity Podcast on YouTube:📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnYu0psdcllS9aVGdiakVss9u7xgYDKYq📝 The Future of Cybersecurity Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/7108625890296614912/Interested in sponsoring this show with a podcast ad placement? Learn more:👉 https://itspm.ag/podadplc Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.