Product Security at Scale: From DevSec Collaboration to AI Risk - Discussion with Aftab Banth

In this episode of ProdSec Decoded, we sit down with Aftab Banth, Global Head of Enterprise Security and host of The CISO Circle Podcast. With nearly two decades of experience across Medallia, Sephora, Fortinet, and others, Aftab brings rich, real-world insights on building security programs that work at scale across industries.

In this conversation, we cover:
The evolution of security across retail, SaaS, legal, and high-tech
What good dev-sec collaboration actually looks like
Practical approaches to threat modeling, red teaming, and "empathetic" shift-left security
The real challenge of AI-generated code and why guardrails matter
Why remediation—not just detection—is key to scalable product security
How to build trust and influence when launching or growing a product security program
The value of admitting failure, especially in leadership

Whether you're starting your ProdSec journey or scaling a mature program, this conversation is full of actionable advice and honest reflection from someone who's been in the trenches.

🔗 Learn more at https://prodsec.tv

Contacts:
Pratik Roychowdhury:   / proychowdhury  
Chiradeep Vittal:   / chiradeepvittal  

00:00 Introduction to ProdSec Decoded
00:19 Meet Aftab Banth: Cybersecurity Executive
01:22 Aftab's Podcasting Journey
04:33 Aftab's Career in Cybersecurity
06:58 Defining Product Security
08:25 Proactive vs Reactive Security
13:40 AI and Security Risks
19:15 The Importance of Remediation
23:29 Building a Product Security Program
27:47 The Value of Discussing Failures
31:01 Conclusion and Final Thoughts