Steve Poole - Independent Consultant
Technical security leadership and expertise through the innovative REFLEX Framework
Meet Steve Poole
Technical security leader with expertise spanning the entire technology stack, offering consultancy, training workshops, and conference presentations.
REFLEX Framework
A comprehensive security methodology making protection second nature through reconnaissance, fortification, alerting, and continuous examination.
Meet Steve Poole: Technical Security Leader
Java Champion & OSS Leader
Past contributor to Apache, Eclipse, and OpenJDK projects. Regular international speaker on software security.
Leader of the London Java Community
Security Expert
Specialising in software supply chain security, AI protection, and secure development practices - including legislation and regulation
Technical Leadership
Former Director at Sonatype, DevOps and Technical Leader at IBM, Community Manager at Red Hat.
Engineer & Occasional Mad Scientist
Runtimes and OS expert, Esp32 to Quantum, Robot builder and tinkerer
Author & Advocate
Creator of the REFLEX security methodology and published technical author across multiple platforms.
Technical Expertise That Spans the Stack
Languages
C, C++, Java, Python, Node, C#, Assembler, Ruby, Rust, Go and more
Platforms
Cloud-native, Docker, Kubernetes, Windows, Linux, AIX, OS390
Security
Software supply chain, AI security, cybercrime prevention
Edge to Enterprise
From ESP32 microcontrollers to mainframes and quantum computing
REFLEX Framework: Making Software Security Second Nature
Transform your development team with the REFLEX methodology - a revolutionary approach to embedding security into your software engineering DNA. Created by Java Champion Steve Poole, REFLEX helps teams stop reacting and start defending.
The Security Problem: Why We're Vulnerable
Security as an afterthought
Not integrated into core development practices
Communication divide
Developers and security teams speak different languages
Inadequate vulnerability information
CVEs often lack context developers need
Reactive approaches
Focusing on patching rather than prevention
Our current development landscape creates a dangerous separation between developers and security professionals, turning security into a checkbox exercise rather than a fundamental engineering principle.
Today's Security Landscape
AI-Amplified Threats
Attackers leverage AI to create more sophisticated attacks, automate exploits, and discover new vulnerabilities at unprecedented speeds. This dramatically changes the threat landscape for development teams.
Regulatory Pressure
New legislation worldwide is requiring stricter security measures, creating compliance challenges for development teams unprepared for security-by-design requirements.
Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Organizations are increasingly compromised not through their own code, but through their dependencies and tools, creating complex attack surfaces that traditional security approaches struggle to address.
The REFLEX Framework: Security as a Habit
Recon
Understand the attacker mindset
Evaluate
Identify system vulnerabilities
Fortify
Strengthen the entire ecosystem
aLert
Detect and report threats
Escalate
Respond and contain incidents
eXamine
build security into the development process
REFLEX transforms security from an external requirement into a core development instinct through practical, hands-on learning and real-world scenarios.
RECON & EVALUATE: Think Like an Attacker
Attacker Mindset
Explore attacker motivations, goals, and methods through hands-on exercises
Threat Mapping
Connect abstract threats to your specific systems and workflows
Vulnerability Assessment
Critically evaluate code, infrastructure, and workflows to identify weaknesses
AI Risk Analysis
Assess how AI components create new attack surfaces in your systems
FORTIFY: Build Resilient Systems
Secure By Design
Implement security from the start with proper architecture and design patterns that resist common attack vectors and provide defence in depth.
Secure Build Pipelines
Protect your entire software supply chain, from code repositories to deployment environments, against increasingly sophisticated attacks.
Data Protection
Implement robust encryption, access controls, and sanitisation techniques to safeguard sensitive information throughout its lifecycle.
AI Component Security
Apply specialised techniques for securing AI models against poisoning, prompt injection, and other emerging threats in intelligent systems.
ALERT & ESCALATE: Detect and Respond
Monitoring Implementation
- Strategic logging of security-relevant events
- Anomaly detection systems
- Real-time alerting mechanisms
Incident Response Planning
- Clear escalation paths
- Role-based response procedures
- Containment strategies
Recovery Mechanisms
- Safe rollback capabilities
- Component isolation techniques
- System resilience patterns
EXAMINE: Embed Security in Everything
Security Mindset
Transform security thinking from reactive to proactive, making it a natural part of every development decision.
Continuous Learning
Stay ahead of emerging threats through ongoing education and community engagement.
Secure Coding Habits
Apply principles like least privilege, input validation, and proper error handling in daily development work.
Security Reviews
Incorporate security-focused code reviews and assessments throughout the development lifecycle.
Get Started with REFLEX
Ready to transform your team's approach to security? Contact Steve Poole for consultancy, workshops, and training on implementing the REFLEX methodology in your organisation. Whether you're dealing with emerging AI security challenges or strengthening your software supply chain, REFLEX provides a practical framework for making security second nature.
Contact Steve Poole
Reach out directly to discuss your security challenges and how REFLEX can transform your approach.
Schedule a tailored security workshop for your development team to master REFLEX methodology.
Follow Steve on LinkedIn for the latest insights on software security best practices.
Join the conversation about emerging security threats and practical solutions.
Let's make security second nature in your organisation. Whether you need consultancy, training or a speaker for your next event, I'm here to help.
More by Steve
Technical Publications
Steve's articles on secure development practices and emerging threats appear in leading industry journals and technical blogs.
Conference Speaking
Regular speaker at major tech conferences delivering actionable security insights.
Host of the 10x Insights Podcast and newsletter
Creator of practical security tutorials and thought leadership videos with thousands of views across technical platforms.
More About Steve
Technical Leader | Software & AI Security Expert | Developer Advocate
Security Expertise
Expert in software engineering, DevOps, and AI with focus on securing software supply chains against emerging threats.
Creator of REFLEX methodology, equipping developers with practical defense strategies that integrate into workflows.
Thought Leadership
Internationally recognized speaker delivering high-impact presentations to startups, enterprises, and major projects.
Technical knowledge spans from edge devices to cloud infrastructure, specializing in cloud-native technologies and AI security.
Leadership & Innovation
Drives product innovation by optimizing development processes and energizing open-source communities.
Guides cross-functional teams while embedding security practices throughout the development lifecycle.
Developer Advocacy
Builds Developer Advocacy programs creating synergies between marketing, sales, and engineering teams.
Communicates effectively at all organizational levels, from executive strategy to technical implementation details.
Conference Scorecard
Java Ecosystem
- JavaOne
- JavaCon
- JavaZone
- JFokus
- JNation
- JSpring
- JCON
- JVM Language Summit
- Geecon
Devoxx Family
- Devoxx UK
- Devoxx France
- Devoxx Belgium
- Devoxx Greece
- Devoxx Poland
- Devoxx US
- Voxxed Days Amsterdam
- Voxxed Days Bucharest
- Voxxed Days Cluj
- Voxxed Days Luxenburg
- Voxxed Days Thessoliki
DevOps & Development
- DevOpsDays *
- DevOpsDays Singapore
- 0redev
- AllDayDevOps
- DevBCN
- Devnexus
- DevTalks
- CodeMotion
Major Tech Events
- FOSDEM
- GIDS
- IBM Think
- IOT North America
- JAX, JAX London, JAX-W
- Jazoon
- KCDC
- NDC
- Oracle OpenWorld
- OSCON
- QCON