Building Security Culture With Dustin Lehr

The Secure Developer

Episode Summary

Security is more than just a checklist—it’s a cultural movement. In this episode, Dustin Lehr, Co-founder of Katilyst, joins Danny Allan to explore the intersection of security, engineering, and culture. They discuss how to foster security champions, scale security programs, and build a culture where developers naturally integrate security into their workflows. Dustin shares insights from his extensive career, offering practical strategies for creating lasting change in security practices.

Show Notes

Security isn’t just about tools—it’s about people. In this episode of The Secure Developer, Dustin Lehr, Co-founder of Katilyst, joins Danny Allan to discuss the importance of building a strong security culture within engineering teams.

Dustin shares his journey from software engineering to security leadership, emphasizing how security should be an extension of software quality. He highlights how security champions programs can empower developers to take ownership of security without disrupting their workflow.

Key topics include:

• The evolution of software development and how security fits in
• Best practices for launching and sustaining a security champions program
• The psychology of change and how to influence developer behavior
• The role of AI in security culture—what works and what doesn’t
• Metrics and strategies for measuring the success of security initiatives

With real-world insights and actionable advice, this episode is a must-listen for security and engineering leaders looking to scale security through culture, not just technology.

Links

• Katilyst – Dustin Lehr’s company focused on security culture
• Security Champion Program Success Guide – A free resource for building effective security champion programs
• Snyk - The Developer Security Company

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