Farcical Recognition

It was bound to happen - welcome to the future! Mom took her daughter to see a show. AI facial recognition software recognizes her and she’s unceremoniously escorted out by security. Her offence? Her employer, a huge law firm (not her) is in protracted litigation with the owner MSG Entertainment, and MSG has a policy … Continue reading Farcical Recognition →

BH EU 2022 and BSides London

As I wandered through the psychedelic chaos of Black Hat Europe 2022, I couldn't help but feel like I had stumbled into the belly of the beast. The vendor area was a tacky nightmare of flashing lights and buzzword-laden sales pitches, but I knew there was something deeper lurking beneath the surface. And then, like … Continue reading BH EU 2022 and BSides London →

Security Through Complexity

I saw this picture somewhere on social media of these many locks securing the bolt. However, upon closer inspection, you can see that by simply removing any one of the locks, you unlock the whole thing. I hope you'll allow me the opportunity of dragging this out into a cybersecurity analogy. But, sometimes the sheer … Continue reading Security Through Complexity →

$1200 for acceleration on a Merc

Mercedes is one of the latest car companies to think, "hey, what do we do in a global downturn when new sales are low... I know, let's limit some features on our car, then when people buy them, charge them extra to unlock it via a subscription model. If it's worked for SaaS, it can … Continue reading $1200 for acceleration on a Merc →

BSides Tallinn 2022

I love myself a good Security BSides, and I've never been to Tallin in Estonia. So when I saw the CFP was open I submitted and was delighted to be selected. View of Riga, Latvia Unable to find a reliable direct flight to Tallin, and horrendously long connecting flights - I opted for the scenic … Continue reading BSides Tallinn 2022 →

Fingerprints are awesome, until they’re not

I'm filing this one under I'm a bit cynical about it. According to this story there have been a bunch of people who have paid to have their fingerprints surgically altered. Some of the people were workers in Kuwait who had been deported for criminal activity. By having their fingerprints altered, and a new identity created … Continue reading Fingerprints are awesome, until they’re not →

Honey Trapping Baddies (or just nosey people)

I was recently reminded of this headline from a few years ago where a couple left their bikes unlocked to lure thieves and then proceeded to beat them up with baseball bats. I don't advocate violence, and nor do I approve of vigilante behaviour. But police around the world use this trick all the time. … Continue reading Honey Trapping Baddies (or just nosey people) →

Smart thermostats, Rabbits, and TV Pickup

In a paper titled Unintended consequences of smart thermostats in the transition to electrified heating, researchers discovered that most people don't bother changing the default heating times on these thermostats. As a result at 6am, the strain on the electricity grid peaks as every thermostat clicks on. Akin to launching an inadvertent DDoS attack. Of … Continue reading Smart thermostats, Rabbits, and TV Pickup →

Writing the perfect resignation letter

Over here in the UK we've had dozens of MPs (members of parliament) tender their resignation over the last day or so. While I'm not interested in politics, seeing so many resignation letters did provide me with the template to create the perfect letter. It consists of a few steps. 1. Yellow paper (not the … Continue reading Writing the perfect resignation letter →

The Million Dollar Homepage

Back in the olden times (in 2005) a website was setup called the Million Dollar Homepage. A brainchild of student Alex Tew who wanted to raise some money for university. The concept was simple, get a webpage composed of a million pixels and sell them all for $1 each. They were sold in 10 x … Continue reading The Million Dollar Homepage →