Mr. Pieter Danhieux

Mr. Pieter Danhieux
CEO, Secure Code Warrior
SANs Institute

 

| BIOGRAPHY

Pieter Danhieux is the CEO of Secure Code Warrior. He is a globally recognized security expert, with over 12 years’ experience as a security consultant and 8 years as a Principal Instructor for SANS teaching offensive techniques on how to target and assess organisations, systems, and individuals for security weaknesses. In 2016, he was recognised as one of the Coolest Tech people in Australia (Business Insider), awarded Cyber Security Professional of the Year (AISA – Australian Information Security Association) and holds GSE, CISSP, GCIH, GCFA, GSEC, GPEN, GWAPT, GCIA certifications.
 

| TOPIC

Software is your colleague: A new perspective for developers to reduce the attack surface
 

| ABSTRACT

When was the last time your colleague asked you for sensitive login information, then shared it with anyone who would listen? What about your organization’s HR department, have they ever left copies of everyone’s payroll records in the break room, for anyone to browse at their leisure? Hopefully, the answer is “never”, and if not, it’s likely that there was swift action taken to ensure it never happens again.

The above might seem ridiculous, but this is exactly how software behaves when it’s misconfigured, insecure, and sharing far more information than is necessary to complete tasks. APIs are especially talkative, vastly increasing the potential attack surface and risk to the business. With Gartner predicting that in 2022, vulnerabilities involving APIs will become the most frequent attack vector across all cybersecurity categories, this cannot continue.

Developers can make a big difference when they work with a security-first mindset, utilizing verifiable secure coding skills in the creation of safer, higher-quality software. However, organizations must understand their unique challenges, forge viable learning paths, and foster a culture that helps them take responsibility for their role in securing the world’s software

In this presentation, security expert Pieter Danhieux will reveal:

    • Why we must go beyond the minimum “least-privilege” policies to see results
    • How small shifts in approach at the start of the SDLC take significant pressure off the security team later
    • Why developers struggle to build comprehensive security skills, backed by brand new research
    • How you can ignite a passion for security in the development team, and significantly improve API security and more.