What's in the SOSS? An OpenSSF Podcast
What's in the SOSS? is a podcast from the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) that explores the challenges and opportunities involved in making software more secure. Hosted by Christopher Robinson (CRob), it features security experts discussing trends at the intersection of AI and security, vulnerability management, and threat assessments. Each episode offers insights into the ingredients that make up secure open source software and aims to foster collaboration and stronger security practices. The show is designed for the open source software community and those interested in improving software security.
Episodes
Big Thoughts, Open Sources: From Upstream to Downstream: Managing Open Source Risk in a Changing Regulatory Era with Vincent Danen
In this episode of What's in the SOSS’s “Big Thoughts, Open Sources,” host CRob sits down with Vincent Danen, Vice President of Product Security at Red Hat, for a deep dive into the evolving landscape of open source vulnerability disclosure. Drawing on over two decades of open source security experience, Vincent reflects on the history and critical role of the CVE program while addressing mod
Building the Agentic Future with Angie Jones
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS?, host Sally Cooper interviews Angie Jones, VP of Developer Experience at the Agentic AI Foundation (AAIF). Angie shares her career journey from software engineering and holding 27 patents at IBM to leading open source protocol and developer relations initiatives. She details the mission of the Agentic AI Foundation as a neutral home for governing open source
Securing the Source: Navigating AI Velocity, CRA Compliance, and Dependency Debt with Abby Kearns
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, host Sally Cooper sits down with technology executive and ActiveState CEO Abby Kearns to break down the rapidly evolving open source security landscape. Together, they dissect why reactive post-build scanning fails to prevent dependency debt, how machine-speed AI ingestion is overwhelming human maintainers, and what the impending EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
Balancing AI's Double-Edged Sword: Software Engineering, Unlearning, and Ecosystem Sustainability with Mark Russinovich
In this episode of What's in the SOSS?, host CRob sits down with Mark Russinovich – CTO and Deputy CISO of Azure, as well as Board Chair for the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) – for a wide-ranging conversation on the changing landscape of software security. Mark shares insights from his journey from Sysinternals to Azure leadership, exploring how generative AI is delivering dramati
Navigating the New Era: The EU Cyber Resilience Act Explained with Madalin Neag
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, host Sally Cooper is joined by Madalin Neag, EU Policy Advisor at the OpenSSF, to demystify the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). As the tech industry shifts from treating open source as a free buffet to navigating a new era of regulatory liability, Madalin explains how the CRA establishes a horizontal cybersecurity baseline for digital products. T
Private Forks, CRA Deadlines, and the True Cost of Open Source Compliance with Dave Russo
In this episode of What's in the SOSS, host Sally Cooper sits down with returning champion Dave Russo, Policy and Standards Lead at Red Hat’s Open Source and AI Program Office, to unpack the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). Together, they explore the stark realities of the 2026 CRA Awareness and Readiness Report, exposing why three-quarters of North American tech companies remain
Watering the Community Garden: Navigating the EU CRA for Open Source with Roman Zhukov
The clock is ticking toward the European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) deadlines, yet a staggering 66% of organizations remain completely unaware of what is coming. In this episode of What’s in the SOSS? host Sally sits down with Roman Zhukov, co-chair of the OpenSSF Global Cyber Policy Working Group and Security Communities Lead at Red Hat, to demystify this sweeping regulation. Using a bril
CRA Readiness: Practical Strategies for Open Source Communities with Megan Knight
In this episode of What's in the SOSS, host Sally sits down with Megan Knight, Director of Software Communities at ARM, OpenSSF Board Member, and Chair of the Awareness SIG within the Global Cyber Policy Working Group. Together, they break down the upcoming European Union Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and address the persistent gap in ecosystem awareness. Megan outlines concrete, practical strat
Funding the Future: Community Collaboration and the Spirit of Open Source with Mila Zhou
Join host Yesenia as she sits down with Mila Zhou, Open Source Program Manager at AWS, to explore the fascinating intersection of finance, strategy, and security in the open source ecosystem. Mila shares her unique journey from forensic auditing to spearheading AWS funding initiatives, breaking down how strategic financial backing transforms vulnerable "long tail" projects and empowers d
Turning AI into the Ultimate Open Source Maintainer Power Tool with Michael Winser
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS?, host CRob welcomes back open source security champion Michael Winser to reflect on Alpha-Omega’s spectacular milestone of surpassing $20 million in security grants. Michael breaks down how their mission has evolved from simply chasing bugs to acting as a catalyst for sustainable, long-term security culture across critical projects. The two dive deep into the
Signing the Future: Securing AI and ML Artifacts with Mihai Maruseac
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS?, host Yesenia Yser sits down with Mihai Maruseac, the lead of the OpenSSF AI/ML Working Group and Security and Privacy expert at OpenAI, to dive deep into the unique security challenges facing artificial intelligence. Unlike traditional software packages, AI models cannot simply be inspected for malware by looking at their weights – malicious code only expose
The Heartbeat of the Kernel: Why Upstream is the Ultimate Security Strategy with Greg Kroah-Hartman
What does it feel like to wake up and realize your weekend passion project is now the critical infrastructure powering the planet? In this episode of What’s in the SOSS?, CRob sits down with Linux kernel maintainer and open source icon Greg Kroah-Hartman. Greg takes us on a journey from his early days writing firmware for printer and hospital ATMs to managing the relentless, everyday engineering t
Consuming with Intent: Driving Enterprise Security and Career Growth Through Open Source with Jamie Thomas (IBM)
In this episode of Big Thoughts, Open Sources, host CRob sits down with Jamie Thomas, IBM Enterprise Security Executive and OpenSSF Governing Board Member (former Chair!), to tackle the vital shifting dynamics of enterprise open source engagement. From IBM's historical "billion-dollar bet" on Linux to modern supply chain wake-up calls like SolarWinds and Log4j, Jamie pulls back the
The Ghost in the Dependency Tree: Navigating Open Source End-of-Life with HeroDevs
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, host CRob sits down with Isaac Wuest, Product Line Leader at HeroDevs, to explore the critical and often overlooked "gray area" of the software supply chain: End-of-Life (EOL) software. While the industry heavily relies on CVEs to track vulnerabilities, Isaac explains how maintainer abandonment creates a vacuum where risks are present but remain und
Beginner to Builder: Shaping the Conversation in Open Source Security
In this episode of What's in the SOSS, Yesenia Yser interviews cybersecurity analyst Ejiro Oghenekome about her journey from UI/UX design to becoming a key contributor to the OpenSSF. Ejiro shares the inspiration behind her public "100 Days of Cybersecurity" challenge, which has helped her maintain discipline and consistency while making the field less intimidating for beginners. Sh
Packaging, Transferring, and Deploying Software in Air-Gapped Environments with Zarf
Host Sally Cooper is joined by Brandt Keller, a staff software engineer at Defense Unicorns and maintainer of the OpenSSF sandbox project, Zarf. Brandt discusses Zarf's origins as a tool designed to reliably package, transfer, and deploy software components (like container images and Helm charts) specifically for critical, air-gapped environments that lack internet connectivity. The conversat
Big Thoughts, Open Sources Inaugural Episode: Beyond the Hype: Brian Fox on Securing the Agentic Future of Open Source
In this inaugural episode of Big Thoughts and Open Sources, host Crob sits down with Brian Fox, Co-founder and CTO of Sonatype, to dissect the friction between rapid AI adoption and foundational software security. Brian shares insights from the 11th annual State of the Software Supply Chain Report, revealing the emergence of "slop squatting" and the high frequency of AI models recommendi
From Noise to Signal: Security Expertise and Kusari Inspector with Mike Lieberman
In this episode, CRob talks with Mike Lieberman from Kusari about the current state of open source security. They discuss the growing burden on maintainers from the "deluge" of noisy, low-quality vulnerability reports, often generated by AI tools, and the vital role of "a human in the loop." Mike introduces Kusari's tool, Inspector, explaining how it uses codified security
Empowering New Maintainers: Inside the OpenSSF Mentorship Program
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS? host Sally Cooper sits down with Yesenia Yser, co-lead of the OpenSSF Mentorship Program and the BEAR Working Group, and Kairo De Araujo, Open Source Software Engineer and mentor for rstuf. They dive into the success of the OpenSSF Mentorship Program, which focuses on bringing underrepresented voices into software security. Kairo shares an incredible outcome
The Gemara Project: GRC Engineering Model for Automated Risk Assessment
Hannah Braswell and Jenn Power, security engineers from Red Hat and contributors to the OpenSSF, join host Sally Cooper to discuss the Gemara project. Gemara, an acronym for GRC Engineering Model for Automated Risk Assessment, is a seven-layer logical model that aims to solve the problem of incompatibility in the GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) stack. By outlining a separation of concerns,
AIxCC Part 4 – Cyber Reasoning Systems: The Real-World Journey After AIxCC
In this final episode of our AI Cyber Challenge (AIxCC) series, CRob and Jeff Diecks wrap-up the journey from DARPA's groundbreaking two-year competition to the exciting collaborative phase happening now. Discover how winning teams are taking their AI-powered vulnerability detection systems into the real world, finding actual bugs in projects like the Linux kernel and CUPS. Learn about the in
AIxCC Part 3 - Buttercup's Hybrid Approach: Trail of Bits' Journey to Second Place in AIxCC
In the final episode of our AI Cyber Challenge (AIxCC) series, CRob sits down with Michael Brown, Principal Security Engineer at Trail of Bits, to discuss their runner-up cybersecurity reasoning system, Buttercup. Michael shares how their team took a hybrid approach - combining large language models with conventional software analysis tools like fuzzers - to create a system that exceeded even thei
AIxCC Part 2 - From Skeptics to Believers: How Team Atlanta Won AIxCC by Combining Traditional Security with LLMs
In this 2nd episode in our series on DARPA's AI Cyber Challenge (AIxCC), CRob sits down with Professor Taesoo Kim from Georgia Tech to discuss Team Atlanta's journey to victory. Kim shares how his team - comprised of academics, world-class hackers, and Samsung engineers - initially skeptical of AI tools, underwent a complete mindset shift during the competition. He shares how they succes
AIxCC Part 1 - From Skepticism to Success: The AI Cyber Challenge (AIxCC) with Andrew Carney
This episode of What’s in the SOSS features Andrew Carney from DARPA and ARPA-H, discussing the groundbreaking AI Cyber Challenge (AIxCC). The competition was designed to create autonomous systems capable of finding and patching vulnerabilities in open source software, a crucial effort given the pervasive nature of open source in the tech ecosystem. Carney shares insights into the two-year journey
Demystifying the CFP Process with KubeCon North America Keynote Speakers
Ever wondered what it takes to get your talk accepted at a major open source tech conference – or even land a keynote slot? Join What’s in the Sauce new co-host Sally Cooper, as she sits down with Stacey Potter and Adolfo “Puerco” García Veytia, fresh off their viral KubeCon keynote "Supply Chain Reaction." In this episode, they pull back the curtain on the CFP review process, share what
Why Marketing Matters in Open Source: Introducing Co-Host Sally Cooper
In this special episode, the What's in the SOSS podcast welcomes Sally Cooper as an official co-host. Sally, who leads OpenSSF's marketing efforts, shares her journey from hands-on technical roles in training and documentation to becoming a bridge between complex technology and everyday understanding. The conversation explores why marketing matters in open source, how personal branding c
2025 Year End Wrap Up: Celebrating 5 Years of Open Source Security Impact!
Join co-hosts CRob and Yesenia for a special season finale celebrating OpenSSF's fifth anniversary and recapping an incredible year of innovation in open source security! From launching three free educational courses on the EU Cyber Resilience Act, AI/ML security, and security for software development managers, to the groundbreaking DARPA AI Cyber Challenge where competitors achieved over 90%
Teaching the Next Generation: Software Supply Chain Security in Academia with Justin Cappos
On this episode of "What's in the SoSS," Yesenia Yser sits down with Justin Cappos, NYU professor and self-described "OG software supply chain guy" who's been working in this space since 2002. Justin reveals why most universities fail to teach fundamental security practices—from MFA to code signing—and how his groundbreaking software supply chain security course is cr
Securing the Future: AI, Open Source, and Collaboration with Jay White (Microsoft)
Jay White, a leader in the open source ecosystem at Microsoft, discusses his journey into open source, focusing on AI and machine learning. He highlights his role in the Azure office of the CTO, working on open source, security, and AI standards. White emphasizes the importance of model signing and transparency in AI development, mentioning ongoing work in the OpenSSF and Coalition for Secure AI (
SBOM Chaos and Software Sovereignty: The Hidden Challenges Facing Open Source with Stephanie Domas (Canonical)
Stephanie Domas, Canonical's Chief Security Officer, returns to What's in the SOSS to discuss critical open source challenges. She addresses the issues of third-party security patch versioning, the rise of software sovereignty, and how custom patches break SBOMs. Domas also explains why geographic code restrictions contradict open source principles and what the EU's Cyber Resilience
A Deep Dive into the Open Source Project Security (OSPS) Baseline
In this episode of "What's in the SOSS," CRob, Ben Cotton, and Eddie Knight discuss the Open Source Project Security Baseline. This baseline provides a common language and control catalog for software security, enabling maintainers to demonstrate their project's security posture and fostering confidence in open source projects. They explore its integration with other OpenSSF pr
Building Trust in Open Source: Seth Larson's Journey from Maintainer to Security Leader
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, host Yesenia Yser sits down with Seth Larson, Security Developer in Residence at the Python Software Foundation, as he shares his unique perspective on open source security. From his Minneapolis base, Seth discusses his journey from urllib3 maintainer to leading security initiatives across the Python ecosystem. In this episode, we explore how public documenta
New Education Course: Secure AI/ML-Driven Software Development (LFEL1012) with David A. Wheeler
In this episode of “What’s In The SOSS,” Yesenia interviews David A. Wheeler, the Director of Open Source Supply Chain Security at the Linux Foundation. They discuss the importance of secure software development, particularly in the context of AI and machine learning. David shares insights from his extensive experience in the field, emphasizing the need for both education and tools to ensure secur
The Remediation Revolution: How AI Agents Are Transforming Open Source Security with John Amaral of Root.io
In this episode of What's in the SOSS, CRob sits down with John Amaral from Root.io to explore the evolving landscape of open source security and vulnerability management. They discuss how AI and LLM technologies are revolutionizing the way we approach security challenges, from the shift away from traditional "scan and triage" methodologies to an emerging "fix first" appro
From Manager to Open Source Security Pioneer: Kate Stewart's Journey Through SBOM, Safety, and the Zephyr Project
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, CRob has an inspiring conversation with Kate Stewart, a Linux Foundation veteran who took an unconventional path into open source as a manager rather than a developer, navigating complex legal challenges to get Motorola's contributions upstream. Now a decade into her tenure at the Linux Foundation, Kate leads critical initiatives in safety-critical open
Racing Against Quantum: The Urgent Migration to Post-Quantum Cryptography with KeyFactor's Crypto Experts
The quantum threat is real, and the clock is ticking. With government deadlines set for 2030, organizations have just five years to migrate their cryptographic infrastructure before quantum computers can break current RSA and elliptic curve systems. In this episode of "What's in the SOSS," join host Yesenia Yser as she sits down with David Hook (VP Software Engineering) and Tomas Gu
Securing AI: A Conversation with Sarah Evans on OpenSSF's AI/ML Initiatives
In this episode of "What's in the SOSS," we welcome back Sarah Evans, Distinguished Engineer at Dell Technologies and a key figure in the OpenSSF's AI/ML working group. Sarah discusses the critical work being done to extend secure software development practices to the rapidly evolving field of AI. She dives into the AI Model Signing project, the groundbreaking MLOps white paper
Open Source Security: OSTIF's 10-Year Journey of Collaborative Audits
In this episode of "What's in the SOSS," Derek Zimmer and Amir Montezari from the Open Source Technology Improvement Fund (OSTIF) discuss their decade-long mission of providing security resources to open source projects. They focus on collaborative, maintainer-centric security audits that help projects improve their security posture through expert third-party reviews, without creati
From Compliance to Community: Meeting CRA Requirements Together
In this episode of 'What's in the SOSS” CRob dives deep into the Erlang ecosystem with Jonatan Männchen (CISO, Erlang Ecosystem Foundation), Ulf (Product Owner, Herrmann Ultraschall), and Michael Winser (Alpha Omega). This episode explores the critical importance of security in open source, particularly in light of regulations like the CRA. Hear how the Erlang community is proactively ad
Building India's Open Source Security Community: From Developer Nation to Security Champions
Join CRob as he sits down with Ram Iyengar, OpenSSF's India community representative, to explore the unique challenges and opportunities of promoting open source security in one of the world's largest developer communities. Ram shares his journey from computer science professor to developer evangelist, discusses the launch of LF India, and reveals why getting developers excited about sec
From Lockpicking to Leadership: Tabatha DiDomenico on Security, Open Source, and Building Community
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS? host Yesenia Yser sits down with open source security engineer and community leader Tabatha DiDomenico for an inspiring conversation about her unexpected path into open source, the vibrant communities behind security, and her role as president of BSides Orlando.From discovering Netscape in the early days to shaping security strategy at G-Research and OpenSSF,
Bridging DevOps and Security: Tracy Reagan on the Future of Open Source
In this episode of What's in the SOSS, we sit down with longtime open source leader and DevOps champion Tracy Ragan. From her early days with the Eclipse Foundation to her current work with Ortelius, the Continuous Delivery Foundation, and the OpenSSF, Tracy shares her journey through the ever-evolving world of open source security.We dig into the importance of configuration management, what
Yoda, DEI, and the Jedi Council: A Conversation with Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes
In this enlightening and entertaining episode of What's in the SOSS, host Yesenia Yser sits down with DEI strategist, social psychologist, and Star Wars superfan Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes. From her academic roots to her entrepreneurial journey, Dr. Hayes shares how diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) drive sustainable growth—and how she found inspiration for her TED Talk in the
Cybersecurity Framework Launch
In this episode of What's in the SOSS, host CRob interviews Clyde Seepersad from the LF Education Department. They discuss Clyde's journey into open source, the role of LF Education in supporting the community, and the importance of cybersecurity education. They also delve into the development of the Global IT Cyber Skills Framework, emphasizing the need for continuous learning and commu
Scaling Security: Inside the GitHub Securing Open Source Software Fund
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS?, CRob sits down with Kevin Crosby and Xavier Rene-Corail from GitHub to unpack the GitHub Secure Open Source Fund - an innovative program that combines funding, education, and community to strengthen open source security. Learn how this unique initiative connects maintainers with training, resources, and a $10K stipend to scale security best practices. The tr
Showing Up Fully: Meet OpenSSF’s new Community Manager, Stacey Potter
In this special episode of What’s in the SoSS?, we welcome Stacey Potter, the new Community Manager at the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF). Stacey shares her winding journey from managing operations at a vitamin company to becoming a powerful advocate and connector in the open source world. We explore her community-first mindset, her work with CNCF and Platform Engineering Day, and her p
Secure Software Starts with Awareness: Education & Open Source with the Council of Daves
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, host CRob is joined by the “Council of Daves” - Dr. David Wheeler of the OpenSSF and Dave Russo from Red Hat — for a deep dive into the intersection of secure software development and education. From their open source origin stories to the challenges of educating developers and managers alike, this conversation covers key initiatives like the LFD121 course, u
Enterprise to Open Source: Steve Fernandez’s Journey to the OpenSSF
In this episode of What’s in the SOSS, we sit down with the OpenSSF’s new General Manager, Steve Fernandez — a seasoned enterprise tech leader whose resumé spans giants like L’Oréal, Coca-Cola, AIG, and Ford. Steve shares his “origin story,” what drew him into the world of open source, and how his decades of experience as a consumer of open source software are shaping his vision for the Foundation
JavaScript's Big Footprint: Robin Bender Ginn on Leading OpenJS and Open Source at Scale
Robin Bender Ginn, Executive Director of the OpenJS Foundation, joins us to talk about JavaScript’s massive footprint, the challenges of sustaining critical open source projects, and the importance of security in the web ecosystem. She shares her journey, insights on community-led development, and how OpenJS is building a healthier future for the JavaScript ecosystem.Learn more and register for JS
Empowering Security: Yesenia Yser on Open Source, AI, and Personal Branding
In this inspiring episode of "What's in the SOSS?", we welcome our new Co-Host, cybersecurity expert and open source advocate Yesenia Yser. Join hosts CRob and Yesenia as they delve into her compelling journey from discovering open source at Red Hat to pioneering AI security at Microsoft. Learn how Yesenia blends her passion for cybersecurity, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and empowering com
OpenSSF 2025 MVVSR Overview
CRob is joined by Arun Gupta, Vice President and General Manager of Developer Programs at Intel and OpenSSF Governing Board Chair, and Zach Steindler, Principal Engineer at Github, a member of the OpenSSF TAC and co-chairs the OpenSSF Security Packages Repository Working Group to discuss the key lessons learned from open source security in 2024, the importance of the MVVSR (Mission, Vision, Values
Kusari’s Michael Lieberman Talks GUAC, SLSA and Securing the Open Source Supply Chain
CRob is joined by Michael Lieberman, CTO and co-founder of Kusari, about the importance of supply chain security in the open source ecosystem. They discuss Michael's journey in open source, his contributions to projects like SLSA and GUAC and the future of supply chain security. 01:56 - Michael explains how he got into open source04:10 - The challenges of being a startup within the open sourc
Sovereign Tech Agency’s Tara Tarakiyee and Funding Important Open Source Projects
In this episode, CRob talks to Tara Tarakiyee, FOSS technologist at the Sovereign Tech Agency, which supports the development, improvement and maintenance of open digital infrastructure. The Sovereign Tech Agency’s goal is to sustainably strengthen the open source ecosystem, focusing on security, resilience, technological diversity and the people behind the code.01:42 - Why the Sovereign Tech Fund
Alpha-Omega’s Michael Winser and Catalyzing Sustainable Improvements in Open Source Security
In this episode, CRob talks to Michael Winser, Technical Strategist for Alpha-Omega, an associated project of the OpenSSF that with open source software project maintainers to systematically find new, as-yet-undiscovered vulnerabilities in open source code – and get them fixed – to improve global software supply chain security. 01:00 - Michael shares his origin story into open source 02:09 - How A
Jack Cable of CISA and Zach Steindler of GitHub Dig Into Package Repository Security
CRob discusses package repository security with two people who know a lot about the topic. Zach Steindler is a principal engineer at Github, a member of the OpenSSF TAC and co-chairs the OpenSSF Security Packages Repository Working Group. Jack Cable is a senior technical advisor at CISA. Earlier this year, Zach and Jack published a helpful guide of best practices called “Principles for Package Rep
Red Hat's Rodrigo Freire and the Impact of High-Profile Security Incidents
In this episode, CRob talks to Rodrigo Freire, Red Hat's chief architect. They discuss high-profile incidents and vulnerability management in the open source community. Rodrigo has a distinguished track record of success and experience in several industries, especially high-performance and mission-critical environments in financial services. 01:08 - Rodrigo shares his entry into open source02
Canonical’s Stephanie Domas and Security Insight from a Self-Described “Tinkerer”
In this episode, CRob talks to Stephanie Domas, CISO at Canonical, the creators of the popular operating system Ubuntu. Having started her career with over 10 years of ethical hacking, reverse engineering and advanced vulnerability analysis, Stephanie has a deep knowledge and passion for the hacker mindset. 01:14: Stephanie shares how she got her start in security05:41 Interesting things Stephani
Intel’s Katherine Druckman and the Impact of Developer Relations
In this episode, CRob discusses the finer points of developer relations (DevRel) with Katherine Druckman, Open Source Evangelist at Intel and co-chair of the OpenSSF Marketing Advisory Council and DevRel Community. Katherine enjoys sharing her passion for a variety of open source topics and is a long-time open source advocate, developer and podcaster. She’s currently the host of Open at Intel and
Dell's Sarah Evans and Lisa Bradley and Ensuring Secure Open Source Software at the Enterprise Level
In this episode, CRob sits down with Sarah Evans, security research technologist at Dell and Lisa Bradley, senior director of product and application security at Dell. They dig into the challenges of implementing secure open software at a complex enterprise. Sarah sits on the OpenSSF Technical Advisory Council and at Dell’s she has been instrumental in cybersecurity innovation, conducting researc
Bidding Adieu to Omkhar Arasaratnam
In this episode, CRob chats with Omkhar Arasaratnam, who has served as the general manager of the OpenSSF and was co-host of What’s in the SOSS? As Omkhar moves on to the next chapter of his occupational journey, he reflects on his tenure with the OpenSSF, shares his open source origin story and highlights the achievements of the OpenSSF and the tactics he used to engage different stakeholders. Om
CoSAI, OpenSSF and the Interesting Intersection of Secure AI and Open Source
Omkhar is joined by Dave LaBianca, security engineering director at Google, Mihai Maruseac, member of the Google Open Source Security Team, and Jay White, security principal program manager at Microsoft. David and Jay are on the Project Governing Board for the Coalition for Secure AI (CoSAI), an alliance of industry leaders, researchers and developers dedicated to enhancing the security of AI impl
GitHub’s Mike Hanley and Transforming the “Dept. of No” Into the "Dept. of Yes, And…”
In this episode, Omkhar chats with Mike Hanley, Chief Security Officer and SVP of Engineering at GitHub. Prior to GitHub, Mike was the Vice President of Security at Duo Security, where he built and led the security research, development, and operations functions. After Duo’s acquisition by Cisco for $2.35 billion in 2018, Mike led the transformation of Cisco’s cloud security framework and later se
CISA's Aeva Black and the Public Sector View of Open Source Security
In this episode, Omkhar Arasaratnam visits with Aeva Black, who currently serves as the Section Chief for Open Source Security at CISA, and is an open source hacker and international public speaker with 25 years of experience building open source software projects at large technology companies. She previously led open source security strategy within the Microsoft Azure Office of the CTO, and serve
Google’s Andrew Pollock and Addressing Open Source Vulnerabilities
Episode description: Andrew Pollock is a Senior Software Engineer at Google, currently working on https://osv.dev. With a background as an Enterprise Security Engineer, he has extensive experience in large-scale Linux Systems Administration and GCP Security. Andrew is passionate about the human factors in security, focusing on scalable solutions, great user experiences and self-service opportuniti
Rust Foundation’s Bec Rumbul and Succeeding as a “Non-Techie” in a Tech-Heavy Industry
Bec Rumbul is the Executive Director and CEO of the Rust Foundation, a global non-profit that stewards the Rust language, supports maintainers, and ensures that Rust is safe, secure, and sustainable for the future. She holds a PhD in Politics and Governance and has worked as a consultant and researcher with governments, parliaments and development agencies all over the world, advocating for openne
Sonatype’s Brian Fox and the Perplexing Phenomenon of Downloading Known Vulnerabilities
Brian Fox is Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Sonatype, bringing over 28 years of hands-on experience driving software development for organizations of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises. A recognized figure in the Apache Maven ecosystem and a longstanding member of the Apache Software Foundation, Brian has played a crucial role in creating popular plugins like the maven-depen
Arun Gupta and Giving Back to Security Communities
Arun Gupta is vice president and general manager of Open Ecosystem Initiatives at Intel Corporation and the OpenSSF Governing Board Chair. Arun has been an open source strategist, advocate, and practitioner for nearly two decades. He has taken companies such as Apple, Amazon, and Sun Microsystems through systemic changes to embrace open source principles, contribute, and collaborate effectively.On
Stacklok's Adolfo García Veytia Digs Into SBOMs and VEX
The world of software bill of materials (SBOMs) is both complex and fascinating. And few people know the SBOM community better than Adolfo García Veytia — aka Puerco — Staff Software Engineer at Stacklok. Puerco is also a Technical Lead with Kubernetes SIG Release specializing in supply chain improvements to the software that drives the automation behind the release process. Puerco is one of the o
A Man Called CRob: Introducing the Newest Co-host of What’s in the SOSS?
Christopher Robinson (aka CRob) is the Director of Security Communications at Intel Product Assurance and Security. He also serves as the Open SSF’s Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Chair. And soon, CRob will step into another role: co-host of What’s in the SOSS? With 25 years of enterprise-class engineering, architectural, operational and leadership experience, Chris has worked at several Fortu
OpenAI’s Matt Knight and Exploring the Intersection of AI and Open Source Security
Matt Knight is Head of Security at OpenAI, where he builds IT, privacy and security programs. His teams also collaborate on security research with teams across OpenAI and with the broader security research community. Their goal is to explore the frontier of AI, understand its impacts and maximize its benefits, especially in the cybersecurity domain. 00:40 - Matt’s duties at OpenAI01:52 - Matt’s ac
Eric Brewer and the Future of Open Source Security
In this episode, Omkhar talks to Eric Brewer, professor emeritus of computer science at the University of California, Berkeley and vice president of infrastructure at Google. He’s also on the Governing Board of the OpenSSF. His research interests include operating systems and distributed computing. He is known for formulating the CAP theorem about distributed network applications in the late 1990s
Mark Russinovich and AI’s Impact on Software Engineering and Open Source Software Security
In this episode, Omkhar talks to Mark Russinovich, CTO of Microsoft Azure. Mark oversees the technical strategy and architecture of Microsoft’s cloud computing platform. Mark is also on the Governing Board of the OpenSSF. He’s a widely recognized expert in distributed systems, operating system internals, and cybersecurity. Mark’s also the author of the Jeff Aiken cyberthriller novels Zero Day, Tro
Christoph Kern and the Challenge of Keeping Google Secure
In this episode, Omkhar talks to Christoph Kern, Principal Software Engineer in Google’s Information Security Engineering organization. Christoph helps to keep Google’s products secure and users safe. His main focus is on developing scalable, principled approaches to software security.00:42 - Christoph offers a rundown of his duties at Google01:38 - Google’s general approach to security03:02 - Wha
Vincent Danen and the Art of Vulnerability Management
Omkhar talks to Vincent Danen, Vice President of Product Security at Red Hat, which is responsible for security and compliance activities for all Red Hat products and services. He’s also on the Governing Board of the OpenSSF. Vincent has been involved with open source and software security for over 20 years, leading security teams and participating in open source communities and development.Links:
What's in the SOSS? Preview
Omkhar Arasaratnam is the General Manager of the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) and a veteran cybersecurity and technical risk management executive. Before joining the OpenSSF, he led security organizations at financial and technology institutions, such as Google, JPMorgan Chase, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, TD Bank Group, and IBM. As a seasoned technology leader, Omkhar has revolution
