It was T's first week in a new organisation and they went into a project meeting for a new product that was about to be released. T: Has this product been pen tested? Project manager (PM): We don't usually do pen tests on most systems, unless they're really high risk, and even then we wait … Continue reading This isn’t the place to make a name for yourself
Category: Security
The Ying Yang of Your Engine
I recently argued that I don’t really care about an aeroplane’s engine and that I only cared about the experience I have travelling on it. Some people argued with me that the engine is very important and without an engine the aeroplane won’t fly. Allow me to elaborate my thinking with the example of a … Continue reading The Ying Yang of Your Engine
Looking for security in the wrong places
It's an old economists' joke. A person out walking at night comes across a man scrabbling on the floor under a lamppost. The man on the floor says he lost his keys. When asked when he dropped them he then replies, "Oh, I dropped them over there, but the light's better here." It's an apt … Continue reading Looking for security in the wrong places
The Terminator had it all wrong
It's really easy to become complacent in security when the bad guys aren't focussing you. But when the evil eye of Cyber Sauron casts its gaze your way, you soon realise your silver bullets were only silver-plated. As lockdowns around the world ease to a degree and many organisations are welcoming staff back into the … Continue reading The Terminator had it all wrong
The Future of Cybersecurity Isn’t What We Expected
We were told that by now, we would live in a perfect world with flying cars. But that hasn't arrived yet. We also believed that cybersecurity would be a problem that would have been solved, but it just seems to be getting worse. But what if the problem isn't getting worse. What if we have … Continue reading The Future of Cybersecurity Isn’t What We Expected
Roll your own VPN and other tech advice
Like many people, over the last couple of years, my main real interaction with people outside of my immediate family and Amazon delivery drivers has been via the internet. The beauty of the internet is that you don’t need to shower, put on decent clothes, or worry about offending anyone. If anything, offending someone is … Continue reading Roll your own VPN and other tech advice
Every day is cyber security awareness month
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Delivering effective cyber security awareness is an ongoing process, and not one that can be solved in one month a year. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. Staying safe online has many similarities with staying safe on the line aka tightrope walking. It involves a delicate mix … Continue reading Every day is cyber security awareness month
What Your CISO Can Learn From Logan Paul vs Floyd Mayweather
Logan Paul and his brother Jake Paul are what you could call social media celebrities. They amassed over 20 million followers across YouTube, Vine, Instagram, and others over the years through different types of content, sketches, and pranks. To anyone over the age of 35, they probably are considered a fad, forgettable, a representation of … Continue reading What Your CISO Can Learn From Logan Paul vs Floyd Mayweather
Leaving WhatsApp – Treating the Symptom, Not the Cause
A few months ago, many people were riled up over the proposed updates to WhatsApp terms and conditions. The popular messaging service which was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $16bn, was apparently updating its Ts and Cs which users had to either accept or choose to leave. While the whole thing seems to have … Continue reading Leaving WhatsApp – Treating the Symptom, Not the Cause
Fisherian Runaway
Today I learn the phrase Fisherian Runaway, which was a term coined by mathematical biologist Ronald Fisher to account for the evolution of exaggerated male ornamentation, e.g. peacocks with their big tails. I wonder if we've fallen into the same trap within cyber security - especially when it comes to what gets researched, reported, and … Continue reading Fisherian Runaway