Security Curmudgeons Anonymous

Walt Conway commented on my last post to say that he was glad my break had mellowed me a little. Although the sarcasm is hard to pick up in print, I'm beginning to worry that I might be getting a reputation as yet another "security curmudgeon", following in the footsteps of great men such as shrdlu, rybolov, etc... I believe I have already referred to myself as such over on Risk Analys.is in fact. In fact I may well start a Security Curmudgeons Anonymous. The problem is, I use my real name here (yes, it really is Newby, I know it's weak for an IT specialist, but I'm used to it now. I was born before the internet was even thought of.)

So just to set the balance, before I get accused by everyone I know of being a miserable git, here are few of the things I am finding good about security right now:

The kindness of strangers.

I commented a while back that I had been able to contact several security heroes of mine through blogging, the jewel in the crown of this is Rich Mogull, who gave me half an hour of his time for free just a month ago or so. I got all nervous and must have sounded like a big girly idiot, but I was happy and got a strange buzz out of it. Not sure Rich did.

I have also had emails from the above mentioned shrdlu this week (who is this masked menace?), Walt Conway is a regular commenter now, Mike Rothman pops by, and indeed has recmmended these very pages in his Security Incite. Jon Robinson and Alex Hutton also deserve a special mention here, two of the first and most regular people who contact me.

The stupidity of others.

The fact that very few other people know anything about security means I can continue to be employed and stand out from the crowd when talking about it. I mean, it's not that difficult...
It also makes selling stuff loads easier when crowds follow each other like sheep. Really, security vendors have never had it so easy. No-one dares to question you, especially with enough acronyms thrown in.

Techdirt Insight Community.

They've paid me over $400 this week for around 20 minutes writing I did on a Sunday afternoon. A better return than blogging anyday.

My life.

I am alive and well, have a beautiful wife, no kids, live on the Costa Brava, 5 minutes from the beach. Still I have no aircon.

Bugger, I really am a curmudgeonly old killjoy.