Stilgherrian · All publication is a political act. All communication is propaganda. All art is pornography. All business is personal. All hail Eris. Vive les poissons rouges sauvages!

The 9pm End of the World, But More So

21 September 2017 in The 9pm Edict by Stilgherrian | No comments

Kim Jong-Un celebrating after the successful launch of the missile. Reuters/KCNA

The 9pm Edict cover art version 2, 150 pixels Do you think we’re close to a nuclear war breaking out? That’s just one of the trivial questions addressed in this podcast.

There’s also talk of gay marriage, racism, British tourists, more racism, and Senator Malcolm Roberts. And of course Nicholas Fryer takes a look through The Arch Window.

You can listen to the podcast above or below. But if you want all of the episodes, now and in the future, subscribe to the podcast feed, or subscribe automatically in iTunes, or go to SoundCloud or Spreaker.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:41 — 31.4MB)

Read the rest of this entry »

Weekly Wrap 381: Hasn’t everything been lovely! No?

17 September 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | No comments

This Weekly Wrap covers two weeks, Monday 4 to Sunday 17 September 2017. Thank the gods, spring is rolling on, and I’ll be back to weekly posting soon.

The fortnight’s achievements included wrapping up work on that SEKRIT editorial project — I’ll post separately about that on Monday — and the news that I probably don’t have skin cancer.

“Say what?”

So yeah, a spot on my leg that’s been there for years had recently started growing. I did what all of you should do. Rather than ignoring it, I showed it to my GP. He was fairly sure it was nothing to worry about, but to be sure, we sought specialist advice.

A lovely dermatologist chappie quickly identified it as a traumatised angioma, as shown in figures 16 and 17. Mine isn’t as visually prominent as that one, and only half the length.

My GP’s response was dismissive. “Oh, so it’s a scratch,” he said.

He’s been my GP for more than 20 years. He takes liberties. Like eating sandwiches during consultations.

Anyway, on with the show… such that it is.

Articles, Podcasts, Corporate Largesse

None, but see below.

Media Appearances

On Tuesday 5 September, I spoke about the fragility of the internet on ABC Adelaide. As has been usual lately, I probably won’t post the audio.
On Thursday 14 September, Tim Burrowes and I spoke about Facebooks’s new advertising policies on ABC Radio’s The World Today.

The Week Ahead

The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will finally be recorded this Thursday 21 September at 2100 AEST. No really. As has become traditional, it’ll be streamed live via stilgherrian.com/edict/live/. You still have time to support this podcast with a one-off contribution.

Apart from that, I’ll be doing the usual mix of writing and complaining and stuff.

Further Ahead

Events I’m covering or speaking at include:

SINET61, Sydney, 26–27 September, although I’ll only be there on the first day. This event is part of the inaugural Cyber Week Sydney.
I’m speaking at Digital Manipulation of Democracy, part of the Victorian Fabians’ Spring Series of events on “Digitisation and Democracy”, on 27 September in Melbourne.
The iappANZ Summit 2017, Sydney, 3 October.
The Australian Information Security Association (AISA), Sydney, 10–12 October.
Ruxcon, Melbourne, 21–22 October.

If there’s anything I should add in there, please let me know.

[Photo: Hanging Swamp. The view down into a valley at the terrain known locally as a hanging swamp. This example is at the side of the main track at Bunjaree Cottages, near Wentworth Falls. Photographed on 13 September 2017.]

Weekly Wrap 379: Six weeks at winter’s end

03 September 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | No comments

This Weekly Wrap covers six weeks, Monday 24 July to Sunday 3 September 2017, because it was a Bad Time. Quite a bad time, clearly. But let’s focus on the good bits.

Articles

Australia’s inside-out digital health strategy, ZDNet Australia, 7 August 2017.
Cybercrime in China is the same, but different, ZDNet Australia, 10 August 2017.
Australia to try taming unruly cyber words, ZDNet Australia, 14 August 2017.
Australian businesses targeted in Cisco switch and router attacks: ACSC, ZDNet Australia, 17 August 2017.
Gartner sets fire to all the cyber things, ZDNet Australia, 21 August 2017.
The IoT-based threat of Cyber Chocolatocalypse, and worse, ZDNet Australia, 22 August 2017.

Podcasts

None, but I’ll announce my latest alleged plans in the next few days. Heh. Yeah, right.

Media Appearances

On Monday 24 July, I spoke about exploding batteries on ABC Melbourne.
On Wednesday 16 August, I speculated about Australia’s new cyberwar unit on ABC Adelaide.
On Tuesday 22 August, I spoke about a bunch of things on ABC Melbourne.

I probably won’t get around to posting the audio from these, but we’ll see.

Corporate Largesse

My flights from Sydney to Canberra and return on 11–12 August were provided by Australian consulting firm IBRS.
There was plenty of free food and drink at the Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit on 21–22 August, as well as vendor swag. Crowdstrike: Branded webcam privacy covers. Cylance: Branded USB-to-various recharge cable. Thales: A branded lens kit for mobile devices, with macro and fisheye lenses; another of the excellent Thales pens. Trustwave: One of those credit card sized multi-purpose tools.

The Week Ahead

All I’ll say for now is that I’ll definitely be down in Sydney on Thursday for a couple of medical things. The rest I’ll make up as I go along. As always, watch for the details on Twitter.

Further Ahead

Events I’m covering or speaking at include:

SINET61 on 26 to 27 September.
I’m speaking at Digital Manipulation of Democracy, part of the Victorian Fabians’ Spring Series of events on “Digitisation and Democracy”, on 27 September in Melbourne.
The iappANZ Summit 2017 on 3 October.
The Australian Information Security Association (AISA) in Sydney from 10 to 12 October.
Ruxcon in Melbourne on 21 to 22 October.

If there’s anything I should add in there, please let me know.

[Photo: Dawn at Wentworth Falls, looking east from Wentworth Falls railway station on the chilly morning of 21 August 2017.]

Weekly Wrap 373: Three weeks, ending in sunshine

23 July 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

This Weekly Wrap covers three weeks, Monday 3 to Sunday 23 July 2017, because I just simply didn’t get around to it. Sometimes the pace needs to be pulled back. Especially when you’re in Queensland.

There was plenty of productivity, but it was in the background. You’ll see hints of it in the lists.

Articles

Australia moves a step closer to the East India Cyber Company, ZDNet Australia, 3 July 2017.
Why Startupland needs the veil of ignorance, ZDNet Australia, 13 July 2017. This came out of the Data + Privacy Asia Pacific conference on 12 July.
Data retention’s value for money still not proven: Criminologist, ZDNet Australia, 19 July 2017. This story, and the next two, came out of the 5th International Conference on Cybercrime and Computer Forensics (ICCCF) on the Gold Coast on 17–18 July.
Fear of downloadable guns becoming a reality, ZDNet Australia, 20 July 2017.
Cyberwar looms as diplomats dither, ZDNet Australia, 21 July 2017.

Podcasts

None, but see below.

Media Appearances

On Wednesday 5 July, I spoke about the Medicare data breach and the dark web on ABC Adelaide.
On the same day, I spoke with journalism students at Macleay College about the tech press, and my thoughts on journalism generally. They’ve published an article and edited video.
On Friday 14 July, I spoke about the Australian government’s cryptography plans on ABC Perth.
On Thursday 20 July, I spoke about various ways to help secure your email on ABC Gold Coast.

I probably won’t get around to posting audio of those last two.

Corporate Largesse

None, apart from the food and drink provided at the conferences.

The Week Ahead

Monday through Wednesday will be days of writing and editing, for both ZDNet and the SEKRIT project. The latter is very close to completion now.

~~The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will finally be recorded this Thursday 27 July at 2100 AEST, and streamed live via stilgherrian.com/edict/live/.~~ You still have time to support this podcast with a one-off contribution.

On Friday, I’m heading down to Sydney, and the University of NSW in particular, to help celebrate the 30th birthday of the Australian Privacy Foundation. How time flies.

Further Ahead

At some point between 26 and 28 July, I’m recording the pilot episode of a new podcast. Even though it’s a variant of The 9pm Edict, it won’t be streamed live. It’s a different sort of thing. Details soon.

Later in the year, I’m covering SINET61 on 26 to 27 September; the iappANZ Summit 2017 on 3 October; the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) in Sydney from 10 to 12 October; and Ruxcon in Melbourne on 21 to 22 October.

If there’s anything I should add in there, please let me know.

[Photo: Approaching Gold Coast Airport (OOL/YBCG) from the north, photographed on 16 July 2017 from Virgin Australia flight VA517, served that day by Boeing 737-800 registration VH-YVA.]

Weekly Wrap 370: One and a half launches and climbing

02 July 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 26 June to Sunday 2 July 2017 was strangely quiet, but also strangely productive. It’s a fine start for the new financial year.

I’m even fixing my broken time-management systems, and that’s just one of the reasons I finally feel like I’m climbing out of a low patch.

Articles

Australia’s encryption thwart thought is fraught, ZDNet Australia, 28 June 2017.

I wrote a second piece for ZDNet, which will be posted on Monday.

Media Appearances

On Tuesday night Australian time, the ransomware known variously as Petya or NotPetya amongst other things, spread across the planet. Inevitably, I ended up talking about it in the media on Wednesday. I did radio spots on 3AW Melbourne, ABC Brisbane (where I also spoke briefly about the €2.4 billion fine copped by Google), ABC Melbourne, and various ABC News reports. I also appeared on Channel TEN’s The Project.

And on Friday evening, I spoke about Australia’s new cyber warfare unit (briefly) and other matters with Peter Goers on ABC Adelaide.

Podcasts, Corporate Largesse

None. Read the rest of this entry »

Weekly Wrap 369: Corrosion and corruption and things

26 June 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 19 to Sunday 25 June 2017 was delightfully unproductive, for various reasons that I won’t go into today. I can see again, however.

Articles, Podcasts, Media Appearances, Corporate Largesse

None of these things happened.

The Week Ahead

I’ll be working on the SEKRIT editorial project, and completing it. Stay tuned. I also hope to write something for ZDNet. It’s also the last week of the financial year, however, so certain administrivia needs to be done. We’ll see.

Further Ahead

On Wednesday 5 July, I’m presenting to the journalism students at Macleay College in Sydney. I’m not sure whether you’ll be able to hear any more about that.

The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will be recorded and streamed live on Thursday 6 July from stilgherrian.com/edict/live/, starting at 2100 AEST. You still have time to support this podcast with a one-off contribution.

On Tuesday 11 July, I’m recording the pilot episode of a new podcast idea. More about that very soon.

On Wednesday 12 July, I’m covering the Data + Privacy Asia Pacific conference in Sydney.

I then hope to cover the 5th International Conference on Cybercrime and Computer Forensics (ICCCF) on the Gold Coast from 16 to 18 July, but I still have to organise the funding.

I’m then covering the national conference of the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) in Sydney from 10 to 12 October; and Ruxcon in Melbourne on 21 to 22 October.

If there’s anything I should add in there, please let me know.

[Photo: Retired Terminals. The corroded terminals on some of the 15-year-old lead-acid batteries retired from use at Bunjaree Cottages, photographed on 25 June 2017.]

Weekly Wrap 368: Plodding through winter, thoughtfully

18 June 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 12 to Sunday 18 June 2017 was steadily more productive than the last, despite appearances.

I did foreshadow last week that I’d be recording the pilot episode of a new podcast. I’ve put that back a few weeks, for various reasons, but as you’ll see below there will be a podcast soon.

Articles

Mobile security is really about risk and identity management, ZDNet Australia, dated 1 June 2017, but actually published this week.

Podcasts

None.

Media Appearances

On Tuesday morning, I spoke about the idea of restricting end-to-end encryption on ABC Radio’s RN Breakfast.

Corporate Largesse

On Thursday morning, I met with some people from Bitdefender and their external PR firm, and they bought me a coffee.

The Week Ahead

I’ll be working on the SEKRIT editorial project and writing for ZDNet, with a break mid-week to celebrate the Winter Solstice. At some point I’ll probably pop down to Sydney, but I haven’t set a date yet.

Further Ahead

The next episode of The 9pm Edict podcast will be recorded and streamed live on Thursday ~~29 June~~ 6 July from stilgherrian.com/edict/live/, starting at 2100 AEST. You still have time to support this podcast with a one-off contribution.

I’m covering the Data + Privacy Asia Pacific conference in Sydney on 12 July; the 5th International Conference on Cybercrime and Computer Forensics (ICCCF) on the Gold Coast from 16 to 18 July, I hope; the national conference of the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) in Sydney from 10 to 12 October; and Ruxcon in Melbourne on 21 to 22 October.

If there’s anything I should add in there, please let me know.

Update 26 June 2017: Edited to reflect schedule changes.

[Photo: Approaching the Bridge. The approaches to the Sydney Harbour Bridge, off-camera to the right, photographed on 30 October 2012.]

Talking end-to-end encryption on ABC RN Breakfast

13 June 2017 in Conversations, Defence, Internet, Media, Politics by Stilgherrian | Permalink

Australia is opening a new campaign in the seemingly never-ending Cyptowars. This time, the target is end-to-end encryption.

Our favourite attorney-general, Senator George Brandis QC, wants “the cooperation of companies like Apple and Facebook and Google and so on” to help the government break into encrypted communications. That cooperation would presumably extend to messaging apps that use end-to-end encryption, such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, and so on.

And cooperation would be ensured, thanks to new legal sanctions.

Brandis says he’s not interested in putting mandatory “back door” access into the encryption used by messaging platforms. But how can that be true when he’s asking for the tech companies to be able to provide access to customers’ encrypted messages? That’s exactly what a back door is.

Anyway, this morning I was interviewed on this topic by Fran Kelly on the ABC’s RN Breakfast. We spoke for more than seven minutes.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:29 — 6.9MB)

The audio is ©2017 Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and is being served directly from the ABC website.

For more analysis, try George Brandis’s salvo in cryptowars could blow a hole in architecture of the internet, by the Guardian’s Paul Farrell.

Weekly Wrap 367: Too much rain, too little evidence

12 June 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

My week of Monday 5 to Sunday 11 June 2017 wasn’t bad at all, despite the rain. Most of the achievements were in the background, however.

Articles

Mobile security is really about risk and identity management, ZDNet Australia, dated 1 June 2017, but actually published this week.

Podcasts, Media Appearances, Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

Monday is a public holiday for the Queen’s Birthday, but I’ll be working on the SEKRIT editorial project. That work will continue on Tuesday, after which the project should not be SEKRIT. Wednesday will be devoted to administrivia.

Thursday will be spent in Sydney. So far I’ve scheduled a meeting, two medical appointments, and a bunch of errands.

On Saturday, I’m recording the pilot episode of a new podcast. I’ll tell you more about that in about a week.

Further Ahead

I’m covering 5th International Conference on Cybercrime and Computer Forensics (ICCCF) on the Gold Coast from 16 to 18 July, I hope; and the national conference of the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) in Sydney from 10 to 12 October.

If there’s anything I should add in there, please let me know.

[Photo: Central station in the rain, photographed on 9 June 2017. The view is from a NSW TrainLink V-set (#purpletrain) standing on platform 7 looking towards platform 8.]

Weekly Wrap 366: Winter, inevitably, but you knew that

04 June 2017 in Weekly Wrap by Stilgherrian | Permalink

Elizabeth Bay, Sydney My week of Monday 29 May to Sunday 4 June 2017 was less annoying than usual. I take this as a positive sign.

Podcasts

“The 9pm Courting Disaster”, being The 9pm Edict episode 67. This episode is also available on SoundCloud and Spreaker. This was the first episode in two months. I’d you’d like to help make them more frequent, please feel free to contribute.

Articles

Australia’s grand cyber plan swamped by reality: ASPI, ZDNet Australia, 31 May 2017.
I also finished a piece for ZDNet that’ll appear in the next few days.

Media Appearances

On Monday 29 May, Justin Warren quoted some of my tweets is a piece for Forbes, Fast Failure Of Imagination.
On Tuesday, I spoke about digital driver’s licenses on ABC Adelaide. I won’t be posting this audio, or the ones I’ve missed uploading in the last couple of months. There’s some higher-priority things to focus on.

Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

It’s more or less the same as last week, except that the plan might actually come together. There’s work to do on the SEKRIT editorial project; and writing a thing for ZDNet, plus a bunch of administrivia. Then it’s the long weekend for the Queen’s Birthday, though I haven’t had a chance to even think about that yet.

Further Ahead

I’m covering 5th International Conference on Cybercrime and Computer Forensics (ICCCF) on the Gold Coast from 16 to 18 July, I hope; and the national conference of the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) in Sydney from 10 to 12 October.

If there’s anything I should add in there, please let me know.

[Photo: Elizabeth Bay, Sydney, photographed on 9 June 2014 just after some afternoon rain. This image had previously gone through Instagram. While some might complain about the supposed purity of not using filters, I quite like the painterly effect. I’ll rant about the idiocy of the #nofilter hashtag another time.]

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