Current projects

A couple of people have asked me if I am working on any more of the hardening guides like what I have done in the past for the Linksys BEFW11S4 or WRT54G, or at least will be updating these. Admittedly those guides are beginning to show their age and could use an update, but unfortunately I have bigger fish to fry first.

I have just cleared a couple of SANS projects and have just started into a project on a presentation and paper currently dubbed "Botnets for Dummys". I am not sure what it will look like, or when it will be available, but hopefully before the end of November. I am also working on getting a version of the Nepenthes medium interaction honeypot and some related perl code going on CentOS as a prototype worm detection project and hopefully a paper. Unfortunately, it seems everyone in the world can get Nepenthes working except me!!! The little time I have spent on it has been frustrating, but I expect if I dedicated some time to it the obstacles would fall pretty fast.

Anyone who has any opinions or approaches for these projects please feel free to contact me.

Have a great weekend!
Rick

Symantec Internet Threat Report

The new version of the Symantec Internet Threat Report is out. While not completely unbiased, this report is one of the most thorough at documenting the state of Internet security. The executive summary should be required reading for every manager involved in security or application development for Internet facing services.

Herbie

SCADA Security Webinar - Worth a listen

I haven't had a chance to listen to this yet, but I am recording this here so I will not lose track of it. There is not a lot of practical information about SCADA security out there, and from reviews this is very good. It is the presentations from a one day workshop SANS hosted on SCADA Security...complete with synchronized slides.

https://www.sans.org/webcasts/access.php?id=90748&pid=1307647220#

Rick

Human vs bear intelligence

Compliments of Bruce Schneier...an interesting article about a bear problem in Yosemite National Park in the 1980's and the quest to build a garbage can that would deter bears and still be useful by people. The article contains one quote that is priceless. Quoting a park ranger..."There is considerable overlap between the intelligence of the smartest bears and the dumbest tourists.". Unfortunately, working in security...this is not hard to believe.

If you don't find the article interesting enough, then try reading the comments. Definitely entertaining.

Rick

I never forget a face, but in your case I'll be glad to make an exception. - Groucho Marx

New Security Blog

Raul Siles of SANS/GIAC GSE fame along with a couple of his friends, David Perez and Jorge Ortiz have started a new security blog. I have been following it for a few weeks now and these guys have some insightful things to say in the security realm.

Give it a try if you have a chance!

Raul also publishes a list of security related web pages, blogs, and podcasts that is worth a look...
http://www.raulsiles.com/resources/hackers.html

Rick
Getting older is no problem. You just have to live long enough. - Groucho Marx