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 definition and measurement of each capability, highlighting the creative debates and diverse perspectives that enriched the document.

They also emphasize the collaborative effort behind the document's creation. The process mirrors the successful teamwork from the Threat Modeling Manifesto, showcasing the enjoyment and effectiveness of their work together.

Finally, the team reflects on their journey from the project's start to the release of the Threat Modeling Capabilities document. They share personal stories and the collaborative spirit that led to the project's success, inviting feedback from the community to refine and improve the document further.

Links
Threat Modeling Manifesto: https://www.threatmodelingmanifesto.org/
Threat Modeling Capabilities: https://www.threatmodelingmanifesto.org/capabilities/

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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 vulnerabilities they discover in open-source components. They also examine if there is a need to threat model every third-party component and consider the implications of certain licenses for security patches. This is a discussion that needs to be had by anyone using open-source components in their code. Listen in and engage as we learn and think through this important issue together!

Links:

Bob Lord’s post about Open Source Responsibility:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lordbob_just-a-quick-thought-on-open-source-if-you-activity-7146137722095558657-z_RI

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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, Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), and the importance of teaching secure coding from high school level up. Chris, Izar, and Matt share their passion for making cybersecurity more accessible, practical, and effective through critical discussions and innovative ideas.

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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 this concept and a basic overview of how AIs are structured and trained. Sander's perspective from AI research and practice balances our security questions as we uncover where the real security threats lie and propose appropriate security responses.

Sander explains the HackAPrompt competition that challenged participants to trick AI models into saying "I have been pwned." This task proved surprisingly difficult due to AI models' resistance to specific phrases and provided an excellent framework for understanding the complexities of AI manipulation. Participants employed various creative techniques, including crafting massive input prompts to exploit the physical limitations of AI models. These insights shed light on the need to apply basic security principles to AI, ensuring that these systems are robust against manipulation and misuse.

Our discussion then shifts to more practical aspects, with Sander sharing valuable resources for those interested in becoming adept at prompt injection. We explore the ethical and security implications of AI in decision-making scenarios, such as military applications and self-driving cars, underscoring the importance of human oversight in AI operations. The episode culminates with a call to integrate lessons learned from traditional security practices into the development and deployment of AI systems, a crucial step towards ensuring the responsible use of this transformative technology.

Links:

• Learn Prompting: https://learnprompting.org/
• HackAPrompt: https://www.hackaprompt.com/
• Ignore This Title and HackAPrompt: Exposing Systemic Vulnerabilities of LLMs through a Global Scale Prompt Hacking Competition: https://paper.hackaprompt.com/

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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, offering a unique perspective on how these elements intersect in the modern world.

Chris begins by highlighting the importance of collaboration and learning within the ever-expanding security community. Shifting to broader security concerns, Izar emphasizes the value of mentoring and the potential for institutionalizing it through platforms like OWASP. Matt critiques over-relying on AI. He advocates for tool-assisted solutions rather than tool-performed ones and stresses the importance of accurately representing AI's capabilities.

In a particularly engaging segment, the panelists explore the influence of social media and technology on personal well-being. They share anecdotes and observations on the pursuit of simplicity in a tech-driven world, discussing the concept of 'social media sobriety' and social media's impact on happiness. They conclude with a collective call to action, urging viewers to engage in positive change through volunteering, mentoring, and contributing to open-source projects. This discussion is a must-watch for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, security, and societal trends.

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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.

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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 components a company is consuming and the significance of SBOM for vulnerability management and risk posture. The team concludes by stressing that while SBOM has great potential value, the value realization is still a work in progress.

Links:
Chris' LinkedIn post about the SBOM cycle: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/securityjourney_where-is-the-part-where-the-vulnerabilities-activity-7128757968740777986-0PQV

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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 critique is both insightful and humorously candid, and they will offer you a tour through the often complex world of software documentation.

Hear about topics ranging from open source dependency tree, the necessity – or not – of manual SBOM generation, and the importance of a Vulnerability Exploitability Exchange (VEX) document alongside an SBOM. You will hear why they think an SBOM with a VEX can transform and simplify risk assessment procedures by providing clear and actionable insights for threat management.

Links:

Forbes: 20 Tech Experts Share Essential Details To Look For In An SBOM
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2023/10/09/20-tech-experts-share-essential-details-to-look-for-in-an-sbom/

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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, several trends and larger conversations appear out of the individual points.

The trio delves into the nuances of system configurations, emphasizing the risks associated with default settings that expose insecure protocols. Systems should not provide options that are inherently insecure! They also touch upon the challenges of network segmentation in the era of software-defined networking and the implications of poor patch management. They highlight the importance of understanding the difference between configuration problems and design flaws, particularly in password management and storage.

The discussion provides insights into the complexities of cybersecurity and the challenges of ensuring that systems are both user-friendly and secure. The dynamic exchange underscores the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity.

Helpful Links:

NSA and CISA Red and Blue Teams Share Top Ten Cybersecurity Misconfigurations
     https://www.cisa.gov/news-events/cybersecurity-advisories/aa23-278a

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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 engineering teams in many organizations.

Many people think that security incidents have negative implications on brand reputation and value. Izar points out that, contrary to popular belief, major security breaches, such as those experienced by Sony and MGM, do not have a lasting impact on stock prices. Chris counters this by highlighting the potential for upcoming privacy legislation in the U.S., which could shift the focus and importance of security in the corporate world.

Chris envisions a future where the security team is dissolved and its functions are absorbed across various business units. This would lead to better alignment, reduced infighting, and more efficient budget allocation. Security functions need to be placed where they can have the most significant impact, without the potential conflicts that currently exist between security teams and other business units.

The second topic of discussion is the "shift left" movement in the realm of application security. There is ambiguity and potential misuse of the term. What exactly is being shifted and from where does the shift start? The term "shift left" suggests moving security considerations earlier in the development process. However, the hosts point out that the phrase has been co-opted and weaponized for marketing purposes, often without a clear understanding of its implications. For instance, they highlight that while it's easy to claim that a product or process "shifts left," it's essential to define what is being shifted, how much, and the tangible benefits of such a shift.

Matt emphasizes the idea of not just shifting left but starting left, meaning that security considerations should begin from the requirements phase of a project. Chris mentions that the concept of shifting left isn't new and cites Joe Jarzombek's late 90s initiative called "Building Security In" as a precursor to the current shift left movement. The hosts also humorously liken the shift left movement to a game of Frogger, suggesting that if one shifts too much to the left, they might miss the mark entirely. The discussion underscores the need for clarity and purpose when adopting the shift left philosophy, rather than just using it as a buzzword.

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