Christoph Kern and the Challenge of Keeping Google Secure Artwork

What's in the SOSS? An OpenSSF Podcast

What's in the SOSS? features the sharpest minds in security as they dig into the challenges and opportunities that create a recipe for success in making software more secure.

Get a taste of all the ingredients that make up secure open source software (SOSS) and explore the latest trends at the intersection of AI and security, vulnerability management, and threat assessments.

Each episode of What's in the SOSS? is packed with valuable insight designed to foster collaboration and promote stronger security practices for the open source software community.

About Christopher Robinson (aka CRob), host
CRob is a 43rd level Dungeon Master and a 26th level Securityologist. He is a leader within several Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) efforts and is a frequent speaker on cyber, application, and open source security. He enjoys hats, herding cats, and moonlit walks on the beach.

All Episodes

What's in the SOSS? An OpenSSF Podcast

Christoph Kern and the Challenge of Keeping Google Secure

April 23, 2024 • Omkhar Arasaratnam, OpenSSF

In this episode, Omkhar talks to Christoph Kern, Principal Software Engineer in Google’s Information Security Engineering organization. Christoph helps to keep Google’s products secure and users safe. His main focus is on developing scalable, principled approaches to software security.

00:42 - Christoph offers a rundown of his duties at Google
01:38 - Google’s general approach to security
03:02 - What Christoph describes as “stubborn vulnerabilities” and how to stop them
06:42 - An overview of Google’s security ecosystem
10:00 - Why memory safety is so important
12:23 - Solving memory safety problems via languages
16:23 - Omkhar’s rapid-fire questions
18:28 - Why Christoph thinks this may be a great time for young professionals to enter the cybersecurity industry

Episode links: