Check out the Security Catalyst Community
February 16, 2007
At RSA, I was made aware of the Security Catalyst blog. And though I had heard of them before, I hadn’t ever spent any time reading the blog. It has quickly gone to the top of my reading list for security blogs.
One thing to check out is that they’ve just announced the Security Catalyst Community, which is a new place for security people and those interested in security to talk about interesting topics.
I’m excited to be a member and to debate security topics on the forums over there… it’s worth checking out.
Blog Retraction: Counterpane Firesale
February 15, 2007
One of the interesting things about being a blogger is the absolute lack of accountability. Unlike being a journalist writing for an “official” news publication, there’s nobody out there who can fire me if I write something that’s untrue or slanted in a particular way. The only two methods of accountability are:
1. The people who read the blog stop reading.
2. Somebody calls bulls$@t on me directly.
The second of those things happened to me recently at the Security Bloggers Meetup at RSA. I was talking with Bruce Schneier at the party and he mentioned how wrong all of the bloggers were when they called the Counterpane sale a “fire sale”.
Given that I was among the first to call it that, I pressed Bruce for more info.
His comment was: “BT doesn’t make their acquisition numbers public. But I can tell you that everybody had it way wrong.”
We talked a little more about it, including some speculation on who was the first to post the $40M figure. I happen to agree with Bruce’s take on it, and I think it’s clear that we in the blogosphere missed the boat on this one.
Since I was out there being loud about it being a firesale, I’m going to be the first to post an official retraction – we in the blogosphere blew that story.
“Forget the Parachute” first book review…
February 15, 2007
I was pretty excited when I released my first big ebook project called Forget the Parachute, Let Me Fly the Plane. And I was even more excited when one of my favorite bloggers, Jason Alba was willing to read a pre-release copy.
When I asked him for his thoughts on the book, I never expected that he’d actually review the book on his blog. And I really never thought that Jason would like it as much as he did. From the post:
“ I knew it was coming but didn’t really know how involved it was going to be. I’m guessing he is the first IT security expert to write a book on career management, and I wasn’t sure what he’d have to say. Anything new? How to get security geeks to network? Industry specific stuff? Nothing of the sort. This was literally a book that I had a hard time putting down – I’ll tell you why.”
Go check out the rest of Jason’s review, and then go download the introduction of the book for free. The introduction is worth infinitely more than you’ll pay for it.
The Blog Father (or: Blogging and Branding)
February 14, 2007
Being a blogger is somewhat second-nature to me. Ever since I was young, writing was something I did when frustrated, excited, annoyed, happy, sad or bored. I would write to think through problems or to figure out what my opinion was on a given topic, and I still do today. (Anyone who has worked with me has been on the recieving end of a late-night email missive or a set of power-point slides).
I didn’t start this blog to create a brand as much to give myself a place to rant about the things that I need to write just to get them out of my head. But the more I ranted about certain things (like career skills), the more my thoughts here became the basis for a brand.
I was reminded of this when I read a blog post from a new blog titled: Transition from IT to Security Professional. From the post:
“In particular I was at a peer to peer session titled, “More than Just a Job: Building a rewarding and successful career in Security” this topic was led by Mike Murray. One of the things that were discussed is personal branding. The idea of setting yourself apart from others through the medium of blogging (among other things I suspect). But that got me thinking about my own situation.”
I guess in some way, this makes me his blogfather. And I’m proud of any part I had in that transition, if it helps one more person build a brand around himself that makes it easier for him to create a career that makes him happy.
I was talking about this exact topic with Mogull about this topic at the Blogger’s Meetup. As much as Rich is a well-known guy, I know that his blog made him a well-known name to hundreds or thousands of people who wouldn’t have known him through other means. The same is true of many of the security bloggers – as smart as many of the people are, it would have been significantly harder for them to get their opinions out in the world 10 years ago.
The Security Bloggers Meetup at RSA
February 14, 2007
So, I’m feeling like I’m the last one to blog about the meetup at RSA: Martin, Mike Rothman, Cutaway, Mike from Security Catalyst, Mike Farnum, Alan, Mitchell, my partner in crime Bill P, and others have all beat me to it.
It was amazing to be in the same room with all of those incredible security loud-mouths. The feeling of the room was almost exactly the same as it is to be blogging – all of these smart, opinionated people gathering together to swap stories and debate security topics.
Some moments that I won’t soon forget:
- one prominent blogger giving me a hard time about calling my website “Piss-on-me.ca“. I hadn’t heard that one before, and we got a good laugh out of it.
- Remeniscing (on my way out the door to the next party) with Robert Graham about Hiverworld and his debates with John Flowers.
- Seeing Raffy do his (uncannily good) Borat impression. (And getting video of it in case I ever need to blackmail him for any reason)
- learning about the traffic and reach of some of the popular security blogs out there, and realizing that this community actually does have a lot of readers (especially for a few of the better known names).
- meeting and sharing drinks with all of the people whose opinions I respect so much, including those above and some others who haven’t blogged about the meetup yet.
The rest of RSA really paled in comparison to the blogger’s meetup – that 3 hours (which spilled over to a couple of different bars later in the night) was worth the trip to California all by itself.
(In)secure Magazine
February 14, 2007
One of my favorite online publications is (In)Secure Magazine – it’s a PDF-formatted online magazine that comes out a few times a year. It’s always full of interesting articles, and never more so than the new issue, 1.10. It features an interview with Joanna Rutkowska (who is speaking at SecTor… check out her blog, you should), as well as an article written by me on building a career in information security.
The article is a general overview targeted more at the junior security pro, but I hope is interesting even to the most seasoned security expert out there.
Drop by (In)SecureMag.com and pick up a copy. It’s a good read.
Snow Day!!!
February 14, 2007
Like most of the midwest over the past couple of days, today the snow has arrived in New England. And I’m taking full advantage of it. With all of my in-person meetings cancelled for today, I’m hiding out on my couch with podcasts playing through the stereo and two laptopts on and providing light as I watch the snow continue to accumulate on the balcony and the skylight.
I love the snow… this winter has been a constant time of waiting for a day like this.
I love it even more because I finally have some time to clear out the inbox that accumulated during last week’s trip to San Francisco, and get some actual work done.
Free Teleseminar Series
February 10, 2007
Nope, not my own. (Though you can expect some news on the ramp up of the teleseminars and podcasts again in the next few days… I’ve podfaded over the first part of 2007, and it’s time to get it back together).
This one is being sponsored by Jason Alba of Jibber Jobber fame and Steven over at CollegeRecruiter.com, and I’m super-excited about it. I’m already signed up, because the guest is someone whose work I’ve really been admiring lately (especially since we’ve been writing on the same topic): Susan Strayer, who recently published her own book on the topic of having a rewarding and amazing career called The Right Job Right Now.
I haven’t read the book yet, but based on Kent’s glowing review, I’m not going to be waiting long. And I’m really excited to hear Susan speak on the teleseminar series.
So, head on over to the JJ website and sign up if you haven’t already. Seriously, it’s going to be, as they say up here in the northeast, wicked fun.
I’m back…
February 10, 2007
Wow. What a trip to RSA. I know that I said that I was going to blog the show, but it was so crazy busy that I didn’t end up writing. (That, and the Ramada in San Francisco has the worst wireless ever, so my internet access was less than optimal).
There’s so much going on and so much to blog about, though, that I’ll be posting a bunch in the next couple of days. Highlights include the posting of a great review on my new book, a public retraction of a rant from a few months ago, and some news on really cool things going on in the blogosphere.
Stay tuned.
It’s Live
February 5, 2007
So, after much work, writing, copy editing and many long nights, I’m excited to announce that you can finally purchase Forget the Parachute, Let Me Fly the Plane on line. I’m pretty excited about the book, because the feedback has been amazing so far – everyone who has read it has had good things to say.
I put some of the comments I’ve had about it on the website. You should check them out.
So, go download the introduction (it’s free) and drop me an email to let me know what you think.
Now that the book is out, you can expect more regular posts and content to be back here, and that starts this week. I’m at RSA this week, where I’m speaking twice and looking forward to seeing all of the vendors. I’ll be posting somewhat regularly with thoughts, impressions and pictures from the show.
If you’re at the show and you see me, come say hi.