February 18, 2016 Purpose unclear. Why are the FBI *really* trying to subvert encryption? Tim cook says Apple will fight a federal order to help the FBI hack an iPhone. An earlier version of this page has…
December 30, 2013 Former Head Of Airport Security: ‘The TSA Couldn’t Save You From http://www.businessinsider.com/problems-with-tsa-2013-12 Based on the demonstrated persistence of their enemies, I have a lot of respect for what Israeli security achieves. Back to Verb vs…
November 2, 2013 Canada’s counter terrorism strategy https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/trrrst-thrt-cnd/index-eng.aspx Here in Kanukistaniland, Vic Toews (remember him? Check back to February of last year to see an example of him being idiotic in…
August 31, 2013 On ‘paranoia’ – revisiting “Paid to be paraoid” My fellow CISSP and author Walter Jon Williams observed that Paranoia is not a part of any mindset. It is an illness. Ah, Walter…
September 14, 2012 Learning to Counter Threats – Skills or Ethics? Fellow CISSP Cragin Shelton made this very pertinent observation and gave me permission to quote him. The long thread about the appropriateness of learning…
August 8, 2012 A cautionary tale about the dangers of keeping everything in the Cloud http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/digital-life/consumer-security/apple-cloud-burst-how-hacker-wiped-mats-life-20120806-23orv.html “Once the hacker gained access to Honan’s iCloud account, he or she was able to reset his password, before sending the confirmation email…
August 8, 2012 Identity Management in the extreme! http://www.abcactionnews.com/dpp/news/region_pasco/fantasy-or-criminal-mind-police-find-stash-of-fake-ids-and-uniforms Investigators say Antigua tried to pass himself off as an Air Force veteran, a member of NASA’s Space Shuttle crew, even a doctor…
April 5, 2012 An OP-ED by Richard Clarke on China http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/03/opinion/how-china-steals-our-secrets.html This is better written than most ‘chicken little’ pieces, but please can we have ‘history’ of how most nations, including the USA, have…
March 6, 2012 Naval War College uses Russian software for iPad course material http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20120305_6368.php The Navy’s premier institution for developing senior strategic and operational leaders started issuing students Apple iPad tablet computers equipped with GoodReader software in…
February 10, 2012 Please Realize That Piracy is a Service Problem. http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2012/02/03/you-will-never-kill-piracy-and-piracy-will-never-kill-you/ The full article is a bit wordy, and manages to avoid lecturing about how the media industry failed at “service” when it came…
January 25, 2012 “Cybercrime” is still Crime and “Cyberfraud” is still Fraud http://www.techsecuritytoday.com/index.php/our-contributors/michael-vizard/entry/lifting-the-veil-on-cybercrime This says it all: At the end of the day, cybercriminal activity is not all that different from more traditional forms of organized…
November 30, 2011 Doubts about “Defense in Depth” So to have great (subjective) protection your layered protection and controls have to be “bubbled” as opposed to linear (to slow down or impede…
September 8, 2011 Warning – they are out to get you. McAfee has released a new study on malware in cars: http://www.mcafee.com/autoreport Now you may think that this is scaremongering on the part of McAfee…
August 9, 2011 His Bipolar made him do it http://compliancesearch.com/compliancex/current-affairs/his-bipolar-made-him-do-it/ An accused hedge fund fraudster’s mother is showing support, by claiming her son is not to blame for defrauding investors out of over…
July 1, 2011 Sony backs U.S. ineffective cybersecurity legislation http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Sony+backs+cybersecurity+legislation/5030033/story.html “If nothing else, perhaps the frequency, audacity and harmfulness of these attacks will help encourage Congress to enact new legislation to make the…
June 28, 2011 A large scale failure of information security http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/attacks/231000472 Does LulzSec’s nonstop hacking campaign, and apparent success at taking down everyone from Sony to the U.S. Senate, point to fundamental flaws in…
January 6, 2011 Risk due to network administrators Someone on a forum I subscribe to suggested that there is a major risk of network administrators misusing their privileges. Why admins rather than…
December 14, 2010 Cell phone risks Image by Getty Images via @daylife I hope somebody’s thinking seriously about the implications of this: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/12/14/us_army_smartphones_4_all/ Israel has already seen some consequences of…
March 5, 2010 White House Cyber Czar: ‘There Is No Cyberwar’ Thank you Howard! This has long needed to be said by someone in authority! Yes, crime and espionage will cripple us all economically. We…
February 28, 2010 The FBI risk equation It seems that to make better cybersecurity-related decisions a senior FBI official recommends considering a simple algebraic equation: risk = threat x vulnerability x…