Lessons That The XZ Utils Backdoor Spells Out - Farshad Abasi - ASW #280 Application Security Weekly (Audio) podcast

39:06

The recent popularity of MCPs is surpassed only by the recent examples deficiencies of their secure design. The most obvious challenge is how MCPs, and many more general LLM use cases, have erased two decades of security principles behind separating code and data. We take a look at how developers are using LLMs to generate code and continue our search for where LLMs are providing value to appsec. We also consider what indicators we'd look for as signs of success. For example, are LLMs driving useful commits to overburdened open source developers? Are LLMs climbing the ranks of bug bounty platforms? In the news, more examples of prompt injection techniques against LLM features in GitLab and GitHub, the value (and tradeoffs) in rewriting code, secure design lessons from a history of iOS exploitation, checking for all the ways to root, and NIST's approach to (maybe) measuring likely exploited vulns. Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-333…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
AI in AppSec: Agentic Tools, Vibe Coding Risks & Securing Non-Human Identities - Mo Aboul-Magd, Shahar Man, Brian Fox, Mark Lambert - ASW #332 1:04:35

9 days ago1:04:35

1:04:35

ArmorCode unveils Anya—the first agentic AI virtual security champion designed specifically for AppSec and product security teams. Anya brings together conversation and context to help AppSec, developers and security teams cut through the noise, prioritize risks, and make faster, smarter decisions across code, cloud, and infrastructure. Built into the ArmorCode ASPM Platform and backed by 25B findings, 285+ integrations, natural language intelligence, and role-aware insights, Anya turns complexity into clarity, helping teams scale securely and close the security skills gap. Anya is now generally available and included as part of the ArmorCode ASPM Platform. Visit https://securityweekly.com/armorcodersac to request a demo! As 'vibe coding", the practice of using AI tools with specialized coding LLMs to develop software, is making waves, what are the implications for security teams? How can this new way of developing applications be made secure? Or have the horses already left the stable? Segment Resources: https://www.backslash.security/press-releases/backslash-security-reveals-in-new-research-that-gpt-4-1-other-popular-llms-generate-insecure-code-unless-explicitly-prompted https://www.backslash.security/blog/vibe-securing-4-1-pillars-of-appsec-for-vibe-coding This segment is sponsored by Backslash. Visit https://securityweekly.com/backslashrsac to learn more about them! The rise of AI has largely mirrored the early days of open source software. With rapid adoption amongst developers who are trying to do more with less time, unmanaged open source AI presents serious risks to organizations. Brian Fox, CTO & Co-founder of Sonatype, will dive into the risks associated with open source AI and best practices to secure it. Segment Resources: https://www.sonatype.com/solutions/open-source-ai https://www.sonatype.com/blog/beyond-open-vs.-closed-understanding-the-spectrum-of-ai-transparency https://www.sonatype.com/resources/whitepapers/modern-development-in-ai-era This segment is sponsored by Sonatype. Visit https://securityweekly.com/sonatypersac to learn more about Sonatype's AI SCA solutions! The surge in AI agents is creating a vast new cyber attack surface with Non-Human Identities (NHIs) becoming a prime target. This segment will explore how SandboxAQ's AQtive Guard Discover platform addresses this challenge by providing real-time vulnerability detection and mitigation for NHIs and cryptographic assets. We'll discuss the platform's AI-driven approach to inventory, threat detection, and automated remediation, and its crucial role in helping enterprises secure their AI-driven future. To take control of your NHI security and proactively address the escalating threats posed by AI agents, visit https://securityweekly.com/sandboxaqrsac to schedule an early deployment and risk assessment. Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-332…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Appsec News & Interviews from RSAC on Identity and AI - Rami Saas, Charlotte Wylie - ASW #331 1:01:48

16 days ago1:01:48

1:01:48

In the news, Coinbase deals with bribes and insider threat, the NCSC notes the cross-cutting problem of incentivizing secure design, we cover some research that notes the multitude of definitions for secure design, and discuss the new Cybersecurity Skills Framework from the OpenSSF and Linux Foundation. Then we share two more sponsored interviews from this year's RSAC Conference. With more types of identities, machines, and agents trying to access increasingly critical data and resources, across larger numbers of devices, organizations will be faced with managing this added complexity and identity sprawl. Now more than ever, organizations need to make sure security is not an afterthought, implementing comprehensive solutions for securing, managing, and governing both non-human and human identities across ecosystems at scale. This segment is sponsored by Okta. Visit https://securityweekly.com/oktarsac to learn more about them! At Mend.io, we believe that securing AI-powered applications requires more than just scanning for vulnerabilities in AI-generated code—it demands a comprehensive, enterprise-level strategy. While many AppSec vendors offer limited, point-in-time solutions focused solely on AI code, Mend.io takes a broader and more integrated approach. Our platform is designed to secure not just the code, but the full spectrum of AI components embedded within modern applications. By leveraging existing risk management strategies, processes, and tools, we uncover the unique risks that AI introduces—without forcing organizations to reinvent their workflows. Mend.io’s solution ensures that AI security is embedded into the software development lifecycle, enabling teams to assess and mitigate risks proactively and at scale. Unlike isolated AI security startups, Mend.io delivers a single, unified platform that secures an organization’s entire codebase—including its AI-driven elements. This approach maximizes efficiency, minimizes disruption, and empowers enterprises to embrace AI innovation with confidence and control. This segment is sponsored by Mend.io. Visit https://securityweekly.com/mendrsac to book a live demo! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-331…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Secure Code Reviews, LLM Coding Assistants, and Trusting Code - Rey Bango, Karim Toubba, Gal Elbaz - ASW #330 1:09:38

23 days ago1:09:38

1:09:38

Developers are relying on LLMs as coding assistants, so where are the LLM assistants for appsec? The principles behind secure code reviews don't really change based on who write the code, whether human or AI. But more code means more reasons for appsec to scale its practices and figure out how to establish trust in code, packages, and designs. Rey Bango shares his experience with secure code reviews and where developer education fits in among the adoption of LLMs. As businesses rapidly embrace SaaS and AI-powered applications at an unprecedented rate, many small-to-medium sized businesses (SMBs) struggle to keep up due to complex tech stacks and limited visibility into the skyrocketing app sprawl. These modern challenges demand a smarter, more streamlined approach to identity and access management. Learn how LastPass is reimagining access control through “Secure Access Experiences” - starting with the introduction of SaaS Monitoring capabilities designed to bring clarity to even the most chaotic environments. Secure Access Experiences - https://www.lastpass.com/solutions/secure-access This segment is sponsored by LastPass. Visit https://securityweekly.com/lastpassrsac to learn more about them! Cloud Application Detection and Response (CADR) has burst onto the scene as one of the hottest categories in security, with numerous vendors touting a variety of capabilities and making promises on how bringing detection and response to the application-level will be a game changer. In this segment, Gal Elbaz, co-founder and CTO of Oligo Security, will dive into what CADR is, who it helps, and what the future will look like for this game changing technology. Segment Resources - https://www.oligo.security/company/whyoligo To see Oligo in action, please visit https://securityweekly.com/oligorsac Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-330…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
AI Era, New Risks: How Data-Centric Security Reduces Emerging AppSec Threats - Vishal Gupta, Idan Plotnik - ASW #329 1:03:03

30 days ago1:03:03

1:03:03

We catch up on news after a week of BSidesSF and RSAC Conference. Unsurprisingly, AI in all its flavors, from agentic to gen, was inescapable. But perhaps more surprising (and more unfortunate) is how much the adoption of LLMs has increased the attack surface within orgs. The news is heavy on security issues from MCPs and a novel alignment bypass against LLMs. Not everything is genAI as we cover some secure design topics from the Airborne attack against Apple's AirPlay to more calls for companies to show how they're embracing secure design principles and practices. Apiiro CEO & Co-Founder, Idan Plotnik discusses the AI problem in AppSec. This segment is sponsored by Apiiro. Visit https://securityweekly.com/apiirorsac to learn more about them! Gen AI is being adopted faster than company’s policy and data security can keep up, and as LLM’s become more integrated into company systems and uses leverage more AI enabled applications, they essentially become unintentional data exfiltration points. These tools do not differentiate between what data is sensitive and proprietary and what is not. This interview will examine how the rapid adoption of Gen AI is putting sensitive company data at risk, and the data security considerations and policies organizations should implement before, if, and when their employees may seek to adopt a Gen AI tools to leverage some of their undeniable workplace benefits. Customer case studies: https://www.seclore.com/resources/customer-case-studies/ Seclore Blog: https://www.seclore.com/blog/ This segment is sponsored by Seclore. Visit https://securityweekly.com/seclorersac to learn more about them! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-329…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Secure Designs, UX Dragons, Vuln Dungeons - Jack Cable - ASW #328 44:08

5 weeks ago44:08

44:08

In this live recording from BSidesSF we explore the factors that influence a secure design, talk about how to avoid the bite of UX dragons, and why designs should put classes of vulns into dungeons. But we can't threat model a secure design forever and we can't oversimplify guidance for a design to be "more secure". Kalyani Pawar and Jack Cable join the discussion to provide advice on evaluating secure designs through examples of strong and weak designs we've seen over the years. We highlight the importance of designing systems to serve users and consider what it means to have a secure design with a poor UX. As we talk about the strategy and tactics of secure design, we share why framing this as a challenge in preventing dangerous errors can help devs make practical engineering decisions that improve appsec for everyone. Resources https://owasp.org/Top10/A04 2021-Insecure Design/ https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/1251421.1251435 https://www.threatmodelingmanifesto.org https://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc9700.html https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/secure-by-design Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-328…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Managing Secrets - Vlad Matsiiako - ASW #327 1:03:03

6 weeks ago1:03:03

1:03:03

Secrets end up everywhere, from dev systems to CI/CD pipelines to services, certificates, and cloud environments. Vlad Matsiiako shares some of the tactics that make managing secrets more secure as we discuss the distinctions between secure architectures, good policies, and developer friendly tools. We've thankfully moved on from forced 90-day user password rotations, but that doesn't mean there isn't a place for rotating secrets. It means that the tooling and processes for ephemeral secrets should be based on secure, efficient mechanisms rather than putting all the burden on users. And it also means that managing secrets shouldn't become an unmanaged risk with new attack surfaces or new points of failure. Segment Resources: https://infisical.com/blog/solving-secret-zero-problem https://infisical.com/blog/gitops-secrets-management Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-327…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
More WAFs in Blocking Mode and More Security Headaches from LLMs - Sandy Carielli, Janet Worthington - ASW #326 1:14:45

7 weeks ago1:14:45

1:14:45

The breaches will continue until appsec improves. Janet Worthington and Sandy Carielli share their latest research on breaches from 2024, WAFs in 2025, and where secure by design fits into all this. WAFs are delivering value in a way that orgs are relying on them more for bot management and fraud detection. But adopting phishing-resistant authentication solutions like passkeys and deploying WAFs still seem peripheral to secure by design principles. We discuss what's necessary for establishing a secure environment and why so many orgs still look to tools. And with LLMs writing so much code, we continue to look for ways LLMs can help appsec in addition to all the ways LLMs keep recreating appsec problems. Resources https://www.forrester.com/blogs/breaches-and-lawsuits-and-fines-oh-my-what-we-learned-the-hard-way-from-2024/ https://www.forrester.com/blogs/wafs-are-now-the-center-of-application-protection-suites/ https://www.forrester.com/blogs/are-you-making-these-devsecops-mistakes-the-four-phases-you-need-to-know-before-your-code-becomes-your-vulnerability/ In the news, crates.io logging mistake shows the errors of missing redactions, LLMs give us slopsquatting as a variation on typosquatting, CaMeL kicks sand on prompt injection attacks, using NTLM flaws as lessons for authentication designs, tradeoffs between containers and WebAssembly, research gaps in the world of Programmable Logic Controllers, and more! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-326…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
In Search of Secure Design - ASW #325 1:07:36

8 weeks ago1:07:36

1:07:36

We have a top ten list entry for Insecure Design, pledges to CISA's Secure by Design principles, and tons of CVEs that fall into familiar categories of flaws. But what does it mean to have a secure design and how do we get there? There are plenty of secure practices that orgs should implement are supply chains, authentication, and the SDLC. Those practices address important areas of risk, but only indirectly influence a secure design. We look at tactics from coding styles to design councils as we search for guidance that makes software more secure. Segment resources https://owasp.org/Top10/A04 2021-Insecure Design/ https://www.cisa.gov/securebydesign/pledge https://www.cisa.gov/securebydesign https://kccnceu2025.sched.com/event/1xBJR/keynote-rust-in-the-linux-kernel-a-new-era-for-cloud-native-performance-and-security-greg-kroah-hartman-linux-kernel-maintainer-fellow-the-linux-foundation https://newsletter.pragmaticengineer.com/p/how-linux-is-built-with-greg-kroah https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2025/04/07/writing-c-for-curl/ Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-325…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Avoiding Appsec's Worst Practices - ASW #324 1:11:19

9 weeks ago1:11:19

1:11:19

We take advantage of April Fools to look at some of appsec's myths, mistakes, and behaviors that lead to bad practices. It's easy to get trapped in a status quo of chasing CVEs or discussing which direction to shift security. But scrutinizing decimal points in CVSS scores or rearranging tools misses the opportunity for more strategic thinking. We satirize some worst practices in order to have a more serious discussion about a future where more software is based on secure designs. Segment resources: https://bsidessf2025.sched.com/event/1x8ST/secure-designs-ux-dragons-vuln-dungeons-application-security-weekly https://bsidessf2025.sched.com/event/1x8TU/preparing-for-dragons-dont-sharpen-swords-set-traps-gather-supplies https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc3514.html https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1149.html Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-324…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Finding a Use for GenAI in AppSec - Keith Hoodlet - ASW #323 54:08

10 weeks ago54:08

54:08

LLMs are helping devs write code, but is it secure code? How are LLMs helping appsec teams? Keith Hoodlet returns to talk about where he's seen value from genAI, where it fits in with tools like source code analysis and fuzzers, and where its limitations mean we'll be relying on humans for a while. Those limitations don't mean appsec should dismiss LLMs as a tool. It means appsec should understand how things like context windows might limit a tool's security analysis to a few files, leaving a security architecture review to humans. Segment resources: https://securing.dev/posts/ai-security-reasoning-and-bias/ https://seclists.org/dailydave/2025/q1/0 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2409.16165 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2410.05229 https://nicholas.carlini.com/writing/2025/thoughts-on-future-ai.html Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-323…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Redlining the Smart Contract Top 10 - Shashank . - ASW #322 53:01

11 weeks ago53:01

53:01

The crypto world is rife with smart contracts that have been outsmarted by attackers, with consequences in the millions of dollars (and more!). Shashank shares his research into scanning contracts for flaws, how the classes of contract flaws have changed in the last few years, and how optimistic we can be about the future of this space. Segment Resources: https://scs.owasp.org https://scs.owasp.org/sctop10/ https://solidityscan.com/web3hackhub https://www.web3isgoinggreat.com Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-322…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
CISA's Secure by Design Principles, Pledge, and Progress - Jack Cable - ASW #321 1:13:50

12 weeks ago1:13:50

1:13:50

Just three months into 2025 and we already have several hundred CVEs for XSS and SQL injection. Appsec has known about these vulns since the late 90s. Common defenses have been known since the early 2000s. Jack Cable talks about CISA's Secure by Design principles and how they're trying to refocus businesses on addressing vuln classes and prioritizing software quality -- with security one of those important dimensions of quality. Segment Resources: https://www.cisa.gov/securebydesign https://www.cisa.gov/securebydesign/pledge https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/product-security-bad-practices https://www.lawfaremedia.org/projects-series/reviews-essays/security-by-design https://corridor.dev Skype hangs up for good, over a million cheap Android devices may be backdoored, parallels between jailbreak research and XSS, impersonating AirTags, network reconnaissance via a memory disclosure vuln in the GFW, and more! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-321…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Keeping Curl Successful and Secure Over the Decades - Daniel Stenberg - ASW #320 1:09:02

13 weeks ago1:09:02

1:09:02

Curl and libcurl are everywhere. Not only has the project maintained success for almost three decades now, but it's done that while being written in C. Daniel Stenberg talks about the challenges in dealing with appsec, the design philosophies that keep it secure, and fostering a community to create one of the most recognizable open source projects in the world. Segment Resources: https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2025/01/23/cvss-is-dead-to-us/ https://daniel.haxx.se/blog/2024/01/02/the-i-in-llm-stands-for-intelligence/ https://thenewstack.io/curls-daniel-stenberg-on-securing-180000-lines-of-c-code/ Google replacing SMS with QR codes for authentication, MS pulls a VSCode extension due to red flags, threat modeling with TRAIL, threat modeling the Bybit hack, malicious models and malicious AMIs, and more! Visit https://www.securityweekly.com/asw for all the latest episodes! Show Notes: https://securityweekly.com/asw-320…

Application Security Weekly (Audio)

1
Developer Environments, Developer Experience, and Security - Dan Moore - ASW #319 1:10:21

14 weeks ago1:10:21