Event Recap: Phoenix ASPM + OWASP NYC – WTH is Reachability analysis Path to 0 real critical

Phoenix Security OWASP NYC

I recently had the pleasure of presenting at the OWASP NYC Chapter, where I delved into the all-too-common struggle with massive vulnerability backlogs and showase how ASPM technologies can help. My focus rested on reachability analysis, a method that pinpoints flaws likely to be exploited rather than forcing teams to chase every potential threat. This perspective aligns with Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) and promises a welcome reprieve from the usual avalanche of alerts.

Phoenix ASPM + OWASP NYC – WTH is Reachability analysis Path to 0 real critical
Phoenix ASPM + OWASP NYC – WTH is Reachability analysis Path to 0 real critical

During the session, I highlighted the reality that traditional scanning can’t keep up with modern container-based and cloud-centric architectures. By revealing how code, library, container, static, and runtime reachability each play a role in exploitability, I aimed to steer everyone away from perpetual patching marathons. One moment that got a hearty laugh: “Patching every reported flaw is a fool’s errand—like shoveling snow in a blizzard.” Behind the humor lurked an undeniable truth: context-driven prioritization stands far above any scattershot approach.

ASPM is the heart of unifying code and cloud – Check out the snippet below:

at the end of the post there are additional resources, videos, books, and slides:

I also showcased how ASPM tools streamline remediation by clarifying which container image or application module triggered exposure. I’ve seen whole backlogs shrink when code-to-cloud traceability takes center stage. People at the webinar shared stories of Legacy software hurdles and never-ending demands from management. Several experts confirmed that concentrating on the likelihood of exploitation and genuine impact transforms how security activities unfold.

I wrapped up the talk by reminding everyone that these concepts aren’t theoretical. Attendees could download the presentation, explore a comprehensive recording, and chat one-on-one about implementation strategies. The raffle and the book signing also were a nice plus.

Check out the recent release of the Reachability analysis

We closed the event with pizza, not the NYC one, nothing like hearty food after digging into serious security topics. Those keen to dive deeper are encouraged to watch the recording, check the slides, and experiment with reachability analysis in their own environments. The difference between tackling real threats and drowning in alerts is huge, and I’m delighted to share how this approach can lighten the workload while boosting overall security.

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Some highlights of the evening:

Download the full presentation here:

Those eager to delve deeper are encouraged to watch the recording and examine the slides. Both illustrate how application security can reach new heights by understanding which flaws pose a threat. This method often slashes the workload while enhancing a team’s ability to fix what matters. Blending real data, dynamic reachability checks, and a healthy dose of humor may well be the ultimate recipe for fending off risks and keeping the dreaded vulnerability queue short.

Links and Resources:

• OWASP NYC Chapter Details:

OWASP New York City Chapter

Francesco is an internationally renowned public speaker, with multiple interviews in high-profile publications (eg. Forbes), and an author of numerous books and articles, who utilises his platform to evangelize the importance of Cloud security and cutting-edge technologies on a global scale.

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From our Blog

The team at Phoenix Security pleased to bring you another set of new application security (ASPM) features and improvements for vulnerability management across application and cloud security engines. This release builds on top of previous releases with key additions and progress across multiple areas of the platform. Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) Enhancements • New Weighted Asset Risk Formula – Refined risk aggregation for tailored vulnerability management. • Auto-Approval of Risk Exceptions – Accelerate mitigation by automating security approvals. • Enhanced Risk Explorer & Business Unit Insights – Monitor and analyze risk exposure by business units for better prioritization. Vulnerability & Asset Management • Link Findings to Existing Tickets – Seamless GitHub, ServiceNow, and Azure DevOps integration. • Multi-Finding Ticketing for ADO – Group multiple vulnerabilities in a single ticket for better workflow management. • Filter by Business Unit, CWE, Ownership, and Deployment Environment – Target vulnerabilities with precision using advanced filtering. Cyber Threat Intelligence & Security Enhancements • Cyber Threat Intelligence Premium – Access 128,000+ exploits for better exploitability and fixability metrics. • SBOM, Container SBOM & Open Source Artifact Analysis – Conduct deep security analysis with reachability insights. • Enhanced Lacework Container Management – Fetch and analyze running container details for better security reporting. • REST API Enhancements – Use asset tags for automated deployments and streamline security processes. Other Key Updates • CVE & CWE Columns Added – Compare vulnerabilities more effectively. • Custom Status Management for Findings – Personalize security workflows with custom status configurations. • Impact & Risk Explorer Side Panel – Gain heatmap-based insights into vulnerability distribution and team risk impact. 🚀 Stay ahead of vulnerabilities, optimize risk assessment, and enhance security efficiency with Phoenix Security’s latest features! 🚀
Alfonso Eusebio
Discover CVE-2025-30066 tj-actions/changed-files GitHub Action has been compromised, exposing secrets in CI/CD pipelines and posing a major software supply chain security risk. Attackers injected malicious code into all versions (V1–V45), repointing existing tags to a compromised commit that exfiltrated credentials via GitHub Actions logs. Immediate remediation is required—organizations must scan their repositories, rotate secrets, and replace the action to mitigate risk. Learn how Phoenix Security’s ASPM can automate threat detection and enhance GitHub Actions security.
Francesco Cipollone
Tired of scrambling every time a new zero-day hits the headlines? Discover a threat-centric approach to vulnerability management that tackles root causes head-on. Dive into real-world examples—like the notorious Log4j (CVE-2021-44228)—and learn how ASPM application security, cybersecurity best practices, and frameworks (CVE → CWE → CAPEC → MITRE ATT&CK) can streamline remediation. Whether it’s ransomware or unauthorized access attempts on QNAP devices, see how focusing on broad threat categories and root cause analysis can supercharge your defense strategy and minimize patch fatigue.
Francesco Cipollone
ClearBank broke a 250-year banking tradition by becoming the UK’s first new clearing bank in centuries—a bold move that extends to their approach to cybersecurity. In partnership with Phoenix Security, ClearBank has pioneered advanced Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) techniques that go beyond merely identifying vulnerabilities. By focusing on root causes, defense in depth, and real-world context—like which services are mission-critical or shielded by a WAF—their teams prioritize what truly matters. Neil Reed, Principal AppSec Engineer, underscores the importance of targeted remediation, using Phoenix’s exception engine to intelligently downgrade or reclassify findings that pose minimal risk. This risk-based strategy is a game-changer in scaling security without overburdening engineering teams. By running structured remediation campaigns and cutting container noise by up to 91%, ClearBank’s DevSecOps workflow has evolved to be both agile and robust. Their forward-thinking stance shows how the right blend of technology, context, and collaboration can fortify an organization, keeping pace with shifting regulations and emerging threats.
Neil Reed
EPSS V4 arrives March 17 with new insights on real-world exploit likelihood. Preliminary data shows moderate score shifts, though outliers exist, including a puzzling jump for CVE-2007-4559. Binned distributions reveal minimal changes near the lower end, often tied to unverified exploits, while bug bounty activity and threat feeds help validate higher-risk flaws. Ransomware campaigns frequently target vulnerabilities with high EPSS scores, reminding security teams that a single metric rarely provides the full picture. ASPM, application security reviews, and ongoing remediation efforts round out a more comprehensive approach. This holistic method considers bug bounty reports, active scanning, and real-time intel, ensuring that unknown zero-day threats are not overlooked.
Francesco Cipollone
Executives often pose one question: “Who owns this risk, and how extensive is it?” Phoenix Security addresses that challenge with Blast Radius Analysis and Business Unit Impact Analysis. These features bring clarity to ASPM initiatives, highlight shared vulnerabilities like Log4j, and offer a path to deeper root cause discoveries. Experience streamlined accountability, minimized patch cycles, and a stronger cybersecurity posture—all in one platform.- Mapping of vulnerabilities to Installed Software – Find Assets/Vulns by Scanner – Detailed findings Location information Risk-based Posture Management – Risk and Risk Magnitude for Assets – Filter assets and vulnerabilities by source scanner Integrations – BurpSuite XML Import – Assessment Import API Other Improvements – Improved multi-selection in filters – New CVSS Score column in Vulnerabilities
Alfonso Eusebio
Derek

Derek Fisher

Head of product security at a global fintech

Derek Fisher – Head of product security at a global fintech. Speaker, instructor, and author in application security.

Derek is an award winning author of a children’s book series in cybersecurity as well as the author of “The Application Security Handbook.” He is a university instructor at Temple University where he teaches software development security to undergraduate and graduate students. He is a speaker on topics in the cybersecurity space and has led teams, large and small, at organizations in the healthcare and financial industries. He has built and matured information security teams as well as implemented organizational information security strategies to reduce the organizations risk.

Derek got his start in the hardware engineering space where he learned about designing circuits and building assemblies for commercial and military applications. He later pursued a computer science degree in order to advance a career in software development. This is where Derek was introduced to cybersecurity and soon caught the bug. He found a mentor to help him grow in cybersecurity and then pursued a graduate degree in the subject.

Since then Derek has worked in the product security space as an architect and leader. He has led teams to deliver more secure software in organizations from multiple industries. His focus has been to raise the security awareness of the engineering organization while maintaining a practice of secure code development, delivery, and operations.

In his role, Jeevan handles a range of tasks, from architecting security solutions to collaborating with Engineering Leadership to address security vulnerabilities at scale and embed security into the fabric of the organization.

Jeevan Singh

Jeevan Singh

Founder of Manicode Security

Jeevan Singh is the Director of Security Engineering at Rippling, with a background spanning various Engineering and Security leadership roles over the course of his career. He’s dedicated to the integration of security practices into software development, working to create a security-aware culture within organizations and imparting security best practices to the team.
In his role, Jeevan handles a range of tasks, from architecting security solutions to collaborating with Engineering Leadership to address security vulnerabilities at scale and embed security into the fabric of the organization.

James

James Berthoty

Founder of Latio Tech

James Berthoty has over ten years of experience across product and security domains. He founded Latio Tech to help companies find the right security tools for their needs without vendor bias.

christophe

Christophe Parisel

Senior Cloud Security Architect

Senior Cloud Security Architect

Chris

Chris Romeo

Co-Founder
Security Journey

Chris Romeo is a leading voice and thinker in application security, threat modeling, and security champions and the CEO of Devici and General Partner at Kerr Ventures. Chris hosts the award-winning “Application Security Podcast,” “The Security Table,” and “The Threat Modeling Podcast” and is a highly rated industry speaker and trainer, featured at the RSA Conference, the AppSec Village @ DefCon, OWASP Global AppSec, ISC2 Security Congress, InfoSec World and All Day DevOps. Chris founded Security Journey, a security education company, leading to an exit in 2022. Chris was the Chief Security Advocate at Cisco, spreading security knowledge through education and champion programs. Chris has twenty-six years of security experience, holding positions across the gamut, including application security, security engineering, incident response, and various Executive roles. Chris holds the CISSP and CSSLP certifications.

jim

Jim Manico

Founder of Manicode Security

Jim Manico is the founder of Manicode Security, where he trains software developers on secure coding and security engineering. Jim is also the founder of Brakeman Security, Inc. and an investor/advisor for Signal Sciences. He is the author of Iron-Clad Java: Building Secure Web Applications (McGraw-Hill), a frequent speaker on secure software practices, and a member of the JavaOne Rockstar speaker community. Jim is also a volunteer for and former board member of the OWASP foundation.

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