Winning Buy-In: Mastering the Art of Communicating (the Value of) Security (Culture) to Management | An OWASP AppSec Global Lisbon 2024 Conversation with Ida Hameete | On Location Coverage with Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli

Guest: 

Ida Hameete, Application Security Consultant, Zenrosi

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

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Host: 

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

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

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Episode Notes

Join Sean Martin in this episode of "On Location" as he speaks with Ida Hameete at the OWASP Global AppSec Conference in Lisbon. Sean and Ida dive into the critical topic of creating a robust security culture within organizations. The conversation begins with an overview of the conference, emphasizing the importance of building secure applications that protect both users and businesses.

Ida, with her extensive background in product ownership and security strategy, shares her unique perspective on why a security culture is integral to an organization's overall success. She explains that fostering a security culture isn't merely about training engineers but involves a collective effort from management and executive teams to prioritize and endorse security practices.

Ida underscores the significance of aligning security culture with company culture, arguing that this alignment leads to smoother operations and fewer security breaches. She elaborates on how companies with strong security awareness often use their secure products as a marketing tool to differentiate themselves in the marketplace. This strategic approach not only enhances product safety but also provides a competitive edge.

The discussion also touches on the common issues where management's lack of understanding or support for security measures can hinder effective implementation. Sean and Ida explore how management's commitment to security, demonstrated through adequate resource allocation and strategic planning, can drive a positive security culture through the entire organization.

Ida provides practical examples from her experience, illustrating how purpose-driven business cultures can naturally incorporate security into their core values, benefiting both employees and customers. She highlights that a well-integrated security culture can lead to better workflows, reduced costs, and enhanced customer experiences.

Towards the end of their conversation, Ida reflects on the necessity of communicating the business value of security to upper management, suggesting that this approach can shift the perception of security from a fear-driven mandate to a valuable business asset. She encourages leaders to find their company's purpose and align security practices with that mission to achieve sustainable success.

Listeners are invited to attend Ida's session, "Winning Buy-In: Mastering the Art of Communicating Security to Management" at the conference, which promises to offer deeper insights into securing executive support for security initiatives.

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Follow our OWASP AppSec Global Lisbon 2024 coverage: https://www.itspmagazine.com/owasp-global-2024-lisbon-application-security-event-coverage-in-portugal

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