Breaking the build,
enforce or embrace?

Traditional approaches to application security often alienate the very people responsible for building software: developers. When security is seen as a blocker or imposed top-down, the result isn’t better protection—it’s broken trust, broken pipelines, and ultimately, broken builds.

Participants joined Checkmarx Director of Product Growth Steve Boone for a candid virtual roundtable and whiskey tasting where we examined how security efforts often backfire when they clash with developer priorities. Steve shared real-world examples of how “getting secure” can lead to unintended consequences—and how reframing AppSec as an enabler, not an enforcer, changes the game.

We explored:

• Why even well-intentioned AppSec programs face resistance.
• How to shift developer perception from compliance to collaboration.
• The role of empathy and engagement in building secure-by-default cultures.

Participants engaged in a spirited discussion that blended practical strategies with hard-earned lessons—plus a whiskey tasting to keep things smooth.