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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.

  • 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…

  • 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.

  • 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

  • You’re behind

    “You’re behind.”Legacies are complicated. Sometimes a catchphrase so oversimplifies an interaction that, in filling in the missing pieces, we create a false caricature, and do disservice to the person we would honor.Danny Lewin was murdered a score of years ago today.   He left behind a family, friends, colleagues, and the company he’d founded; a… Read this …

  • Leading to Representation

    It’s a trope among managers and executives that making significant inroads on building a more representatively diverse workforce is almost impossible.  Moving the needle by even a fraction of a percentage point in a normal year is considered a massive success worth celebrating. That’s a cop-out.  It’s not easy, but it isn’t impossible.  And here’s… Read this …

  • Kremlinology

    Never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity.  Sometimes, your own!  There is a natural human tendency towards kremlinology – that is, the attempt to impute motives by observing only a few characteristics or outputs.  In one application, it is called Fundamental Attribution Error, when we assert that someone has ill motives just because… Read this …

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