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

  • Smooth Power Differentials
    Smooth Power Differentials

    Leadership Moment: Asymmetric Communication Checking into hotels has become increasingly automated. For a recent hotel stay, I received a WhatsApp message from the hotel asking me to provide some pre-checkin information, to smooth the check-in process (reading between the lines: reduce the cost to the hotel to check me in with a human). After a… Read this …

  • Keep the door open
    Keep the door open

    Leadership Moment: Product-Led Growth Via SwiftonSecurity (who else), we’re reminded of Bloomberg’s fascinating “get fired” perk: paying customers who lose their job can request a free Bloomberg terminal to bridge them over and maintain currency in the trading network while they seek a new job. In addition to the brilliance of this move (ensuring brand… Read this …

  • Preparing for Surprise
    Preparing for Surprise

    Leadership Moment: Firing At the Student Last week, police in Burlington, VT surprised students in a forensic class with a mock mass-shooting simulation. Unsurprisingly, students and parents were decidedly unamused with this event, which was poorly thought through (although the pedagogical goals are interesting: an aim to demonstrate to the students after the event how… Read this …

Fiction