Application security posture management (ASPM) solutions have become a crucial aspect of the security marketplace due to developers’ challenges in producing high-quality code quickly. In this episode, John Leon, VP of Partnerships at Apiiro, talks about where ASPM fits into the evolving security landscape, its benefits, and how Apiiro is establishing itself as the diamond standard for ASPM. Apiiro has announced  its new integration program called SHINE that enables the company to build any new security integration a customer requests within a few weeks. He says, “Code equals revenue equals success for the business, making sure that our security posture within that code base, understanding the risk in that code base, and addressing that risk before we get into production is so important.”

App security posture management, including definition of diamond standard and state of the industry

• Leon explains that Apiiro is an ASPM company focused on helping customers identify and remediate risks in the codebase throughout the development process.
• Apiiro wants to establish itself as the “diamond standard” for ASPM due to being enterprise-ready, seamlessly integrating with existing technologies, and prioritizing user experience for effective collaboration within organizations.
• Leon explains how ASPM has become a crucial aspect of the security marketplace and part of CISOs’ security strategy, in response to increasing pressure on developers to produce high-quality code quickly.
• Customers utilize many different technologies and environments and it is crucial to integrate seamlessly into those technologies to provide contextual value around them.

Integrating security tools with existing technologies to improve security posture

• The Apiiro Partner Program was launched two years ago, focusing on its reseller and referral partners, and consulting partners. Leon explains that their new Integration Program will focus on technology partners.
• Leon encourages customers and clients to talk to resellers, consulting partners, or solution providers about integration requirements. He highlights Apiiro’s new catalog on their website and an online form interested parties can fill out.
• Integrating Apiiro ASPM into customer environments can be done quickly and effectively taking around two to six weeks. Leon emphasizes ongoing roadmapping, enhancement, and expansion based on customer requirements.
• Apiiro’s solution can be incorporated into customers’ existing environments regardless of their current technologies to identify application inventory, enhance visibility, prioritize risk, and automate remediation processes.

Importance of partnerships in security industry

• Incorporating new applications can be complex and carry security risks. Leon explains that to manage the manual information overload you need to make sense of the data and prioritize actions effectively, which ASPM can help with.
• Leon emphasizes the importance of partnerships in the security ecosystem, citing the collaborative nature of the industry. He discusses Apiiro’s success in cultivating partnerships driven by customer needs.
• Automation is being driven by the need to address the growing number of manual tasks in the rapid pace of development. Leon discusses how it can be used to help quickly identify and address risks in the codebase.  
• Leon anticipates pressures from outside agencies around compliance mandates and industry-specific requirements highlighting the importance of enabling AppSec teams that utilize ASPM to effectively address these concerns.
• Leon feels that it was difficult to put DevOps and DevSecOps culture into practice due to disparities in tooling and capabilities across teams. Leon explains how ASPM can help address these challenges, enabling greater efficiencies.
• Leon talks about the tools security engineers typically prefer saying they appreciate tools that bring ease of use, sophistication, and effective remediation.

Guest: John Leon (LinkedIn)
Company: Apiiro (Twitter)
Show: Let’s Talk

This summary was written by Emily Nicholls.