Today we delve into the evolving landscape of cybersecurity hiring, debating the merits of prioritizing skills over degrees and experience. From discussing the value of critical thinking and hands-on skills to the potential role of AI in the workforce, the conversation navigates the complexities of hiring practices. We share personal anecdotes, ins…

Vibe coding, or using AI to generate code by describing what you want. We critically examine the concerns surrounding AI-generated code, including code quality, security risks, and the potential for creating numerous low-quality applications. Our discussion explores whether AI can truly provide foolproof, production-ready code, or if it should be l…

We’re discussing the complexities of saying 'yes' or 'no' in the context of security decisions in today’s episode and the enduring challenge of integrating security into software development. The conversation swerves into the intriguing idea of a trade-like progression for developers, contrasting it with current knowledge work. The episode culminat…

The Cyber Trust Mark, a new FCC program aimed at assuring the security of IoT devices is the topic of discussion today. We discuss various aspects of the Cyber Trust Mark, the history of similar initiatives like UL certification, and the challenges faced by consumers in determining the security of their devices. They also debate the merits and draw…

Hovercrafts and application security in the new year. We revisit last year's predictions on Quantum LLM, SBOMs, and whether DAST tools will make a comeback. With humor and forward-thinking, we explore what the future might hold for application security, the rise of new technologies, and even the outlandish idea of AppSec being dead. Episode mention…

What makes a conference truly valuable? Is it the unexpected connections and serendipitous meetings of minds, or the chance to break free from the "security echo chamber" by exploring diverse conference experiences? We discuss the considerations that make conferences worth attending and examine whether they are compelling enough to warrant personal…

We debate the necessity and efficiency of LLMs in finding code vulnerabilities in a C library compared to traditional static code analyzers and fuzzing techniques. The conversation explores broader topics in application security testing, including the evolving landscape of Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), fuzzing, and the potential of e…

We discuss a controversial LinkedIn post claiming "Threat Modeling is Dead." While the STRIDE methodology may need updating, it remains a valuable "gateway" tool for teaching security concepts to developers without security backgrounds. We discuss how STRIDE serves as a useful categorization system, emphasize that dogmatic approaches to threat mode…

A good discussion today covering two different articles, the first covers CISA's list of product security "bad practices", questioning whether it provides real value or is just content marketing. Then the discussion moves onto an article about Shift Left. The group debates whether it is truly more expensive to fix design flaws versus implementation…

This week we explore the multifaceted concept of obsolescence in technology, detailing its planned, unplanned, and forced forms. We delve into the security implications of outdated or unsupported devices and software, with a spotlight on cloud-connected vehicles and their vulnerabilities. We discuss architectural decisions, regulatory requirements,…

Is everything boring? Chris, Izar and Matt discuss why nothing seems interesting enough lately. Is the excitement of vulnerabilities and ransomware waning? The guys touch on Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) in corporate auditing, the impact of ransomware and the contentious role of cyber insurance, the fading novelty of AI and its influence o…

What constitutes an expert in the field of threat modeling? Today Matt, Chris and Izar explore cultural references, the intricacies of threat modeling practices, and the criteria that define an expert. The discussion touches on the evolution of threat modeling, the roles of facilitators, and the importance of experience and recognition in the field…

In this episode of the Security Table with Chris Romeo, Izar Tarandach, and Matt Coles, the team dives into the evolving landscape of modern security approaches. They discuss the shift from strategy to tactics, the impact of data breaches, and why people are becoming numb to such incidents. The episode also touches on the importance of understandin…

In this episode of the Security Table, our hosts discuss the concept of the 'Shared Fate Model' in cloud security. The conversation explores how this model builds on the shared responsibility model and the implications for cloud service providers and consumers. From robust default security measures to the historical evolution of ISPs, the discussio…

In this episode of The Security Table, hosts Chris Romeo, Izar Tarandach, and Matt Coles dive into the evolving concept of threat models, stepping beyond traditional boundaries. They explore 'Rethinking Threat Models for the Modern Age,' an article by author Evan Oslick. Focusing on user behavior, alert fatigue, and the role of psychological accept…

In this episode of The Security Table Podcast, hosts ChriS, Izar and Matt dive into the recent statement by CISA's Jen Easterly on the cybersecurity industry's software quality problem. They discuss the implications of her statement, explore the recurring themes in security guidelines, and debate whether the core issue is with people or technology.…

In this episode of The Security Table, Chris, Izar, and Matt discuss an article that discusses threat modeling in the context of hardware. They explore the intersection of hardware and software security, the importance of understanding attack surfaces, and the challenges posed by vulnerabilities in hardware components, such as speculative execution…

Join us in this episode of The Security Table as we dive into the world of cybersecurity, starting with a nostalgic discussion about our favorite security-themed movies like 'Sneakers,' 'War Games,' and 'The Matrix.' We then shift gears to explore a critical topic in modern computing: the vulnerabilities and implementation issues of Secure Boot. Di…

Join Chris, Izar, and Matt as they sit around the Security Table to dissect and discuss the different stages of dealing with security incidents. In this episode, they explore the developer's stages of grief during an incident, and discuss a recent large-scale IT incident. They share insights from their multi-decade experience in security, analyze t…

In this episode of 'The Security Table,' we are back from our midsummer break to discuss OpenSSH regression vulnerability. We dig into the nuances of this race condition leading to remote code execution, explore the chain of security updates, and the role of QA in preventing such regressions. We debate the necessity of SSH in modern cloud-native en…

In this episode Chris, Matt, and Izar discuss the current state of security conferences and gatherings for professionals in the field. They discuss the value and viability of different types of gatherings, the importance of networking and community-building at events, innovative approaches to conference formats and the need for something more engag…

In this episode of the Security Table, Chris, Izar, and Matt delve into the evolving landscape of cybersecurity. The episode has a humorous start involving t-shirts and Frogger as a metaphor for the cybersecurity journey, the conversation shifts to the significant topic of cybersecurity being at a crossroads as suggested by a CSO Online article. Th…

In this episode of 'The Security Table,' hosts Chris Romeo, Izar Tarandach, and Matt Coles are joined by Brook Schoenfield, a seasoned security professional, to share insights and stories from his extensive career. The conversation covers Brook's experience in writing books on security, lessons learned from his 40-year career, and personal anecdote…

In this episode of 'The Security Table,' hosts Chris Romeo, Matt Coles, and Izar Tarandach discuss the CISA Secure by Design Pledge, a recent initiative where various companies commit to improving software security practices. The hosts critique the pledge, arguing that many of the signatory companies have long been focused on software security, mak…

The script delves into a multifaceted discussion encompassing critiques and praises of book-to-movie adaptations like 'Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', 'Good Omens', and 'The Chronicles of Narnia'. It then transitions to a serious examination of developers' evolving role in security, advocating for 'shift left' and DevSecOps approaches. The conve…

Chris, Matt and Izar share their thoughts on an article published by Carnegie Mellon University’s Software Engineering Institute. The list from the article covers various threat modeling methodologies such as STRIDE, PASTA, LinDoN, and OCTAVE methodology for risk management. They emphasize the importance of critical thinking in the field, provide i…

Matt, Izar, and Chris delve into the complexities of open source security. They explore the topics of trust, vulnerabilities, and the potential infiltration by malicious actors. They emphasize the importance of proactive security measures, the challenges faced by maintainers, and propose solutions like improved funding models and behavior analysis …

Matt, Izar, and Chris take issue with a controversial blog post that criticizes STRIDE as being outdated, time-consuming, and does not help the right people do threat modeling. The post goes on to recommend that LLMs should handle the task. The trio counters these points by highlighting STRIDE's origin, utility, and adaptability. Like any good inst…

Chris, Matt, and Izar discuss a recent Secure by Design Alert from CISA on eliminating SQL injection (SQLi) vulnerabilities. The trio critiques the alert's lack of actionable guidance for software manufacturers, and they discuss various strategies that could effectively mitigate such vulnerabilities, including ORMs, communicating the why, and the i…

Dive into the contentious world of AI in software development, where artificial intelligence reshapes coding and application security. We spotlight the surge of AI-generated code and the incorporation of copy-pasted snippets from popular forums, focusing on their impact on code quality, security, and maintainability. The conversation critically exa…

Matt, Chris, and Izar talk about ensuring security within the developer toolset and the developer experience (DevEx). Prompted by a recent LinkedIn post by Matt Johansen, they explore the concept of "secure by default" tools. The conversation highlights the importance of not solely relying on tools but also considering the developer experience, sug…

Chris, Izar, and Matt tackle the first point of the recent White House report, "Back to the Building Blocks: a Path toward Secure and Measurable Software." They discuss the importance of memory safety in software development, particularly in the context of critical infrastructure. They also explore what memory safety means, citing examples like the…

Matt, Izar, and Chris discuss the impact of fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) within cybersecurity. FUD is a double-edged sword - while it may drive awareness among consumers, it also leads to decision paralysis or misguided actions due to information overload. The saturation of breach reports and security threats also desensitizes users and blurs…

Prompted by fan mail, Chris, Izar, and Matt engage in a role-playing scenario as a VP of engineering, a security person, and a product manager. They explore some of the challenges and competing perspectives involved in prioritizing application security. They highlight the importance of empathy, understanding business needs and language, and buildin…

Matt, Izar, and Chris have a lively discussion about how security experts perceive open-source software. Referencing a post that described open source as a 'hive of scum and villainy,' the team dissects the misconceptions about open source software and challenges the narrative around its security. They explore the complexities of the software suppl…

Threat modeling expert Adam Shostack joins Chris, Izar, and Matt in this episode of the Security Table. They look into threat actors and their place in threat modeling. There's a lively discussion on risk management, drawing the line between 'thinking like an attacker' and using current attacker data to inform a threat model. Adam also suggests tha…

Izar, Matt, and Chris discuss the effectiveness of bug bounty programs and delve into topics such as scoping challenges, the ethical considerations of selling exploits, and whether it is all just bug bounty theater. The hosts share their insights and opinions on the subject, providing a thought-provoking discussion on the current state of bug bount…

This week around the Security Table Matt, Izar and Chris discuss the recently-published Threat Modeling Capabilities document. They explore how capabilities serve as measurable goals that organizations either possess or lack, contrasting the binary nature of capabilities with the continuum of maturity. The team shares insights on the careful defini…

Chris, Izar, and Matt address the complexities of open-source component usage, vulnerability patches, civic responsibility, and licensing issues in this Security Table roundtable. Sparked by a LinkedIn post from Bob Lord, Senior Technical Advisor at CISA, they discuss whether software companies have a civic duty to distribute fixes for vulnerabilit…

Join us for the final episode of The Security Table for 2023. Chris, Izar, and Matt answer fan mail, make fun predictions for the upcoming year, discuss their resolutions for improving cybersecurity, and make a call to action to global listeners. Highlights include the reach of the podcast, explaining Large Language Models (LLMs), Quantum LLMs, Sof…

Sander Schulhoff of Learn Prompting joins us at The Security Table to discuss prompt injection and AI security. Prompt injection is a technique that manipulates AI models such as ChatGPT to produce undesired or harmful outputs, such as instructions for building a bomb or rewarding refunds on false claims. Sander provides a helpful introduction to t…

Join Izar, Matt, and Chris in a broad discussion covering the dynamics of the security community, the evolving role of technology, and the profound impact of social media on our lives. As the trio considers what they are most thankful for in security, they navigate a series of topics that blend professional insights with personal experiences, offer…

Patrick Garrity joins the Security Table to unpack CVSS 4.0, its impact on your program, and whether or not it will change the game, the rules of how the game is played, or maybe the entire game. FOLLOW OUR SOCIAL MEDIA: ➜Twitter: @SecTablePodcast ➜LinkedIn: The Security Table Podcast ➜YouTube: The Security Table YouTube Channel Thanks for Listenin…

Aditi Sharma joins Matt, Izar, and Chris around the Security Table to discuss Software Bill of Materials (SBOMs). The team discusses potential advantages as well as challenges of SBOMs in different contexts such as SaaS solutions, physical products, and internal procedures. The episode also explores the importance of knowing what software component…

Join Chris, Matt, and Izar for a lively conversation about an article that offers 20 points of "essential details" to look for in a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). They dissect and debate various points raised in the article, including generating SBOMs, the necessary components, and how to gauge the quality of this digital inventory. Their criti…

Matt, Chris, and Izar discuss the recently published "NSA and CISA Red and Blue Teams Share Top Ten Cybersecurity Misconfigurations." They review each point and critically analyze the document's content, pointing out areas where the terminology might be misleading or where the emphasis should be shifted. As they work through the top ten list, sever…

The Security Table gathers to discuss the evolving landscape of application security and its potential integration with development. Chris posits that application or product security will eventually be absorbed by the development sector, eliminating the need for separate teams. One hindrance to this vision is the friction between security and engin…

The Security Table gathers this week to discuss expectations about tooling in the Application Security industry. Matt emphasizes that tools should essentially automate tasks that humans can perform but in a faster and more efficient manner. The conversation then shifts to the overwhelming nature of communication platforms like Slack. Izar highlight…

Matt and Izar join in a debate with Chris Romeo as he challenges the paradigm of "scan and fix" in application security. Chris references a LinkedIn post he made, which sparked significant reactions, emphasizing the repetitive nature of the scan and fix process. His post critiqued the tools used in this process, noting that they often produce exten…

The Security Table gathers to discuss the upcoming ThreatModCon 2023 (https://www.threatmodelingconnect.com), the inaugural and only conference dedicated entirely to threat modeling. ThreatModCon 2023 Sunday, October 29, 2023 Marriott Marquis Washington, DC The Threat Modeling Conference will cover various aspects of threat modeling, from AI integr…