WebApp Sec: OWASP update and columnists wanted

[Mark Curphey <mark () curphey com>]

Hi,

Just wanted to drop you a note to say the new owasp portal is now online at 

http://www.owasp.org

The portal uses the Java portal framework oPortal which was developed initially to host the portal and was in beta for 
a month. oPortal will continue to be enhanced; in fact if you look in the CVS you will already see code for discussion 
forums and a document workflow tool called oFlow that should be done within 8 weeks. Great job David, Ben and Ingo.

I have started using the RSS news feeds as my main source of security news which is pretty cool (if you want more feeds 
added you can mail us).

http://www.owasp.org/news/

OWASP activity has dropped off quite a bit over the last few months as many of us have been involved in other projects 
or tied up with jobs. Some projects stalled and other slowed. At one point there were lots of people contributing in 
varying capacities and it simply became a case of “too many cooks spoil the soup”.  More noise than signal through no 
fault of anyone.

There is a renewed enthusiasm to get momentum back again and we are going to re-launch the project with some updates 
over the coming weeks. They include a new WebGoat with Top Ten lessons, a new Top Ten within 8 weeks and other updates 
such as the first part of the Testing project. The portal was a big thing that made updating the site and keeping up to 
date a head-ache. However now the Guide is built dynamically each Sunday and we have a framework for doing online 
surveys and other things, I think we are in good shape to move forward. You can check out the Guide version 2 working 
draft for instance online built from the CVS source. You will see the first few chapters of the Testing project online 
in the next few weeks (David Endler promises, feel free to spam him if he fails you!)

As part of the new site we are planning to have four regular columnists who will write articles on a four weekly cycle. 
So far I will write one on Web Security Management and Jeff Williams another on Java security. If there are any budding 
columnists or writers out there then please get in touch. Also if you have a one off article you would like to publish 
please drop us a line at owasp () owasp org with your details.

If you are interested in contributing to OWASP, please check the task list that will appear next Sunday and be updated 
weekly on the landing page. You can do as much or as little as you want. Just let someone know you are doing something 
to avoid duplication.

As always kind regards,

Mark and the OWASP team