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04 December 2016

Weekly Wrap 339: The Census disaster and the taxi-killer

My week of Monday 21 to Sunday 27 November 2016 was even less productive than the previous week, but I know why that happened.

One, a change to my medication dosages screwed up my sleep patterns for a while. Two, I did quite a bit of background work that won’t produce visible results for a while. And three, I was lazy.

Articles

Census reports highlight government IT incompetence, ZDNet, 25 November 2016. This was my third ZDNet story on the Census debacle, this one based on the reports from the Senate inquiry and the PM’s Special Advisor on Cyber Security.

Podcasts, Media Appearances, Corporate Largesse

None.

[Photo: â€œYes! Chase them. Kill them. You can do it. Mwuahaha! Kill them!â€, photographed on 21 October 2016.]

Actually, this photo deserves a fuller explanation.

When taking the SkyBus from Melbourne Airport into the city, I rode at the front of the upper deck. This young man seated immediately in front of me pretended he was the pilot.

â€œI need speed,â€ he chanted. â€œI need speed. I need speed.â€

Then he started threatening to crush the taxis in front of us. â€œYes! Chase them. Kill them. You can do it. Mwuahaha! Kill them! Youâ€™re stupid. Stupid. Iâ€™ll drive you to death! Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.â€

He was really getting into it as we zoomed through that well-known structure on the Tullamarine Freeway.

04 December 2016

Weekly Wrap 338: A triple cyber and a long walk

My week of Monday 14 to Sunday 20 November 2016 was less productive than I’d hoped, but hey that seems to be the theme, right?

I have, however, started doing some of the things that my doctor recommended a couple of months back. Starting an exercise regime with some walking, for instance, and a few things that’ll help reduce my stress and anxiety levels.

Articles

Suppose they started a cyber war and no-one knew, SBS TV, 14 November 2016. This is my first commission from SBS, and it was well received.
Beyond cyber espionage lies cyber sabotage and cyber disinformation, ZDNet Australia, 17 November 2016. I’m overjoyed to have squeezed three instances of the word “cyber” into the headline. Perhaps a little too overjoyed.

Podcasts, Media Appearances

None.

Corporate Largesse

On Wednesday I covered the Fortinet Security 361Â° Symposium at the Hilton Hotel Sydney. There was food and drink.

[Photo: Smith’s Hall, Rozelle, photographed 20 November 2016. All I know about this building is that it was built in 1908 and it’s in the inner west Sydney suburb of Rozelle.]

06 November 201607 November 2016

Weekly Wrap 336: Quieter, with another omnishambles

My week of Monday 31 October to Sunday 6 November 2016 was quieter than the previous two, deliberately, and I’m grateful for that.

Articles

Australia’s cybersecurity strategy: Continue the omnishambles, ZDNet Australia, 3 November 2016. That’s two columns in a row that had “omnishambles” in the headline. Life is made of these small victories.

Podcasts

None, but check out the week ahead. There’ll be three!

Media Appearances

One of my allegedly funny tweets was quoted in a story at Daily News Trendz, People Are Roasting The Hell Out Of This Nonprofit That Wants A Men’s Only Co-Working Space.

Corporate Largesse

None.

The Week Ahead

It’s a busy one, ~~punctuated by travel from Sydney up to Bunjaree Cottages in the Blue Mountains on Tuesday afternoon, and travel back down on Thursday~~.

I’m finishing an op-ed for SBS TV. I’m finishing the production of three podcasts, namely The 9pm Edict Public House Forum 4, and two episodes of Corrupted Nerds from the Ruxcon information security conference. And I’m writing at least one piece for ZDNet.

On top of that, there’s work on the various geek-for-hire projects.

None of this work has been allocated to specific days. There’s still some uncertainty, including a chance the travel might be cancelled.

Further Ahead

This information is now on the new calendar page, Stilgherrian in Public.

Update 7 November 2016: Edited to reflect schedule changes.

[Photo: The dragon is sleeping, being a decaying roof in Lilyfield in Sydney’s inner west, photographed on 6 November 2016.]

05 November 2016

Weekly Wrap 335: Being a busy media whore in Melbourne

My week of Monday 24 to Sunday 30 October 2016 was spent in Melbourne, being busy, and being a bit of a media whore.

Since this Weekly Wrap is late, just like last week’s, I’ll get straight into it.

Articles

International mobile data networks still a serious security problem, ZDNet Australia, 24 October 2016.
Censusfail: An omnishambles of fabulous proportions, ZDNet Australia, 26 October 2016.

Podcasts

None, but I recorded material for another Ruxcon-related episode of Corrupted Nerds, and The 9pm Edict Public House Forum 4. Both will appear during the week of 7 November.

Media Appearances

On Monday, some of my comments about the late Leslie Nassar were included in the Crikey obit, Razer: vale Leslie Nassar, engineering genius and champion shit-stirrer.
Also on Monday, one of my silly tweets was included in a Junkee story, People Are Roasting George Brandis Over His Incredibly Weird Signature.
On Tuesday, my comments on medical technology hacks were feature on ABC Radio’s The World Today. The ABC also ran a news item, Cyber security experts claim St Jude cardiac implants vulnerable to life-threatening hacks.
On Tuesday night, I spoke about various technology matters in ABC 774 Melbourne. I hope to have a recording available by 10 November.
The Register ran an item on my tweeted observation, Aussie trams equivalent to 30 skateboarding rhinos.
On Wednesday, I was MC for the La Trobe University event, “Big Data and Cybersecurity: Are We Ready?”. I’m told that a recording will become available eventually.
On Friday, my comments on Twitter closing Vine were featured on ABC Radio’s AM. The ABC also ran a news story, Vine video sharing app killed off in latest sign of troubled times for Twitter.

Corporate Largesse

None.

[Photo: Melbourne is doomed, photographed on 30 October 2016. A cold front was approaching Melbourne, accompanied by a severe weather warning about strong winds. This is what it looked like from St Kilda Beach.]

05 November 2016

Weekly Wrap 334: Cybers in both Sydney and Melbourne

My week of Monday 17 to Sunday 23 October 2016 was both busy and productive. But this Weekly Wrap is rather late.

I’ll just get on with the facts.

Articles

Who’s afraid of WhatsApp?, ZDNet Australia, 18 October 2016.
There isn’t a cybersecurity skills gap: Rik Ferguson, ZDNet Australia, 20 October 2016.
GCHQ tech leader’s plan to secure an entire country, ZDNet Australia, 21 October 2016.

Podcasts

None, but see the next item.

Media Appearances

On Sunday, I was part of the panel discussion that closed the Ruxcon information security conference. I recorded it, and it will soon appear as a Corrupted Nerds podcast.

Corporate Largesse

Tuesday through Thursday I was covering the Australian Information Security Association (AISA) national conference. There was food and drink.

[Photo: Bus Stop Skink, photographed at a bus stop in Lilyfield in Sydney’s inner west on 19 October 2016.]

17 October 2016

Weekly Wrap 333: The sniffly calm before the cyber storm

My week of Monday 10 to Sunday 16 October 2016 was another one full of snuffles, but that’s not all. I’m not telling you the rest, though.

Articles

ACSC Threat Report: The real messages, ZDNet Australia, 13 October 2016.

Media Appearances

My pathetic joke tweet about Samsung was included in a News Corporation story that they used globally, including in The Sun.

Podcasts, Corporate Largesse

None. But in the coming week…

The Week Ahead

Monday and Tuesday are about planning, research, and errands. Monday’s errand is to Parramatta, Tuesday’s to Hornsby. There’s a slight chance I’ll get that episode of The 9pm Edict podcast recorded, but don’t hold your breath.

And then it’s all the cybers…

On Wednesday and Thursday I’m covering the AISA National Conference in Sydney. On Friday it’s a medical appointment before flying to Melbourne. Then on Saturday and Sunday I’m covering the Ruxcon Security Conference, where I’m also on the closing panel.

Further Ahead

I’ll be in Melbourne through to 30 October. One important event is on the evening of Wednesday 29 October, when I’m MCing a panel for La Trobe University, Big Data and Cybersecurity: Are We Ready?.

And the rest? I’ve created a new calendar page, Stilgherrian in Public, updated automatically from the calendar on my laptop.

[Photo: Sydney Harbour Bridge and its southern approaches , photographed on 30 October 2012.]