Smashing the Stack; All Good Things | Exploring Software Lifecycles from Secure By Design to End of Life | An RSA Conference 2024 Conversation with Allan Friedman and Bob Lord | On Location Coverage with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

ITSPmagazine Podcast Network

Guests:

Allan Friedman, Senior Advisor and Strategist, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) [@CISAgov]

On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/allanafriedman/

At RSAC | https://www.rsaconference.com/experts/allan-friedman

Bob Lord, Senior Technical Advisor, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) [@CISAgov]

On LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lordbob/

On Twitter | https://twitter.com/boblord

At RSAC | https://www.rsaconference.com/experts/Bob%20Lord

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Hosts:

Sean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast [@RedefiningCyber]

On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/sean-martin

Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine [@ITSPmagazine] and Host of Redefining Society Podcast

On ITSPmagazine | https://www.itspmagazine.com/itspmagazine-podcast-radio-hosts/marco-ciappelli

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Episode Notes

In this new On Location episode, Sean Martin hosted a conversation with Allan Friedman and Bob Lord from the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) as part of the Chats on the Road to the RSA Conference series. The discussion centered around key topics such as securing software by design, navigating the intricacies of managing end-of-life (EOL) software, and emphasizing the crucial role of transparency in the software supply chain.

Allan Friedman, a vocal advocate for the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) — he has the t-shirt to prove it! — explored the increasing competitiveness of getting accepted to speak at renowned conferences like RSA, reflecting the growing awareness and urgency around cybersecurity topics. His upcoming RSA presentation is set to delve into the looming challenge of end-of-life and end-of-support software—a topic that, while not new, demands innovative technical and policy-level responses to mitigate emerging threats effectively.

Bob Lord's discussion highlighted an area often overlooked yet critical for software security: memory safety. By sharing his experiences and underscoring the prevalence of vulnerabilities traced back to memory safety issues, Lord emphasized the necessity for developers and companies to adopt a more proactive and transparent approach in their software development practices. This call to action is not just about developing new solutions but also about ensuring that existing software is resilient against current and future threats.

One of the key takeaways from this episode is the imperative of transparency in the software supply chain. As Friedman notes, the path to a more secure digital infrastructure lies in the ability to have clear visibility into the software components businesses rely on—including their age, vulnerabilities, and update requirements. This clarity is essential not only for building trust between software manufacturers and their customers but also for enabling a proactive stance on cybersecurity, which can significantly reduce the risks associated with outdated or unsupported software.

Moreover, the conversation underscored the evolutionary nature of cybersecurity. As threats evolve, so too must our strategies and tools to combat them. The dialogue between Martin, Friedman, and Lord brought to light the importance of continuous learning, adaptation, and collaboration within the cybersecurity community to address these ongoing challenges.

The episode represents a microcosm of the larger conversations happening within the fields of cybersecurity and software development. As we move forward, the insights shared by Allan Friedman and Bob Lord remind us of the critical importance of design security, comprehensive policies, and, above all, the need for a collective belief in the possibility of creating safer software solutions for the future.

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Resources

Smashing the Stack: Let’s Make It Less Fun And Unprofitable!: https://www.rsaconference.com/USA/agenda/session/Smashing%20the%20Stack%20Lets%20Make%20It%20Less%20Fun%20And%20Unprofitable

All Good Things: End of Life and End of Support in Policy and Practice: https://www.rsaconference.com/USA/agenda/session/All%20Good%20Things%20End%20of%20Life%20and%20End%20of%20Support%20in%20Policy%20and%20Practice

Unforgivable Vulnerabilities: https://cwe.mitre.org/documents/unforgivable_vulns/unforgivable.pdf

Learn more about RSA Conference USA 2024: https://itspm.ag/rsa-cordbw

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