Writing

Security Blog

  • Infosec – Failing or Succeeding?
    Infosec – Failing or Succeeding?

    Noam Eppel from Vivica contends that Information Security is a complete failure, citing alarming statistics on security breaches and cybercrime. While his article highlights the risks, many dissent from his conclusion, considering it a collection of gloomy statistics often seen in security vendor pitches.

  • False Positives
    False Positives

    During my morning commute, I encountered an interesting flaw in an alerting system. My car’s weight sensor triggers an alarm if it detects a possible passenger without a seatbelt. However, this car’s system escalates from a dinging sound to a rapid alarm. My immediate thought was to disable the alarm, highlighting a common security system…

  • Sledgehammers
    Sledgehammers

    Achieving perfect data security involves elaborate measures such as encryption, one-time passwords, asymmetric identifiers, and physical access controls. However, the ultimate level of security must align with the data’s value and potential threats, avoiding the extreme sledgehammer argument while striking a balance in risk management.

  • Usenix Security Symposium
    Usenix Security Symposium

    The upcoming USENIX security symposium in Vancouver during the first week of August promises an impressive lineup of invited talks. While I may not attend, I highly recommend catching Matt Blaze’s presentation on wiretapping, previously acclaimed as one of the most exceptional research talks at ICNS 2006.

  • Pseudonymity
    Pseudonymity

    Pseudonymity refers to adopting a semi-permanent, yet incomplete or false identity, commonly observed in online communities. It allows individuals to use distinctive pseudonyms to establish their unique presence while avoiding full anonymity. This practice fosters better community engagement by promoting courteous interactions. However, the challenge lies in identifying instances where a single person assumes multiple…

  • Disclosure Laws
    Disclosure Laws

    During a recent conference, a panelist expressed their belief that the California Disclosure Law (SB-1386) was an exceedingly inadequate information security regulation. However, I hold a different perspective. In my view, SB-1386 stands as the epitome of information security regulations, surpassing even the esteemed GLBA. While most regulations focus on prescribing specific controls for safeguarding…

Leadership Newsletter

  • What’s Next, and What Not to Do
    What’s Next, and What Not to Do

    Update: Departed YL Ventures I’ve now officially left YL Ventures. Technically, I was done on June 27th, but I wanted to wait until after July 1st (the company’s annual vesting date for carry, in case there was a change of heart on the other side) to give the update about what I’ll be doing next.… Read this …

  • Leadership’s Trolley Problem: Choices and Consequences
    Leadership’s Trolley Problem: Choices and Consequences

    Leadership Moment: Don’t Re-Blame the Victims As hostages are (finally) being released from Gaza, a friend noted the terms of the deal (30-50 convicted terrorists freed from prison for each hostage), and asked, “But won’t the hostages feel guilty about that exchange rate?” Let me first lay my bias out: I dislike almost everything about… Read this …

  • Leaping from one horse to another
    Leaping from one horse to another

    Leadership Moment: Switching Leaders The New England Patriots ended their season, and within hours had terminated their first-year head coach, Jerod Mayo. Days later, they’d hired Mike Vrabel, the former head coach of the Tennessee Titans. While there are a lot of nuances to this transition, today we’ll simply focus on the dangers of setting… Read this …

Fiction