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09 Jan 2015Core human psychology principles are what hold us back with security
2015 marks my 26th year working in IT and my 20th year focusing on information security. I'm so fortunate to work in such an amazing field and even luckier to have gained some wisdom over the years that has allowed me understand the true challenges we face with information security! As much as the vendors, researchers, and criminal hackers want us to believe it's the threats that cause all the ...
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05 Nov 2014
Car racing and security breaches, you’re not as ready as you think you are!
This past weekend I had the opportunity to run the race of my life - a 90 minute enduro car race in my Spec Miata - held at the America Road Race of Champions at Road Atlanta in Braselton, GA.It wasn't the most competitive race - there were only 17 entries, 14 that made it on track...I've raced with over 60 cars at once. It wasn't the most stressful race. ...
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08 Oct 2014
What no one is saying about cyber insurance
I race cars for fun and sport and found out the hard way not long ago that if I wanted to increase my life insurance I was going to have to jump through numerous hoops and pay enormous premiums for a minimal increase in my existing coverage. I was thinking about this scenario compared to 'cyber insurance' and, wow, what a difference. Knowing what I know, there appear to be minimal ...
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17 Sep 2014
What if The Home Depot looked to their own store policies for help with infosec?
If The Home Depot's management were as strict with information security as they are with store policies I'm confident they could've avoided their data breach.Have you heard their policy monger guy on their intercom system while shopping?? He sounds like that guy we've seen in those disturbing Allstate commercials. A bit creepy. It's also quite uninviting - certainly doesn't make you feel welcome in their stores.At least they've covered their ...
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05 Aug 2014
Are you stuck in this information security rut?
Here's a new post I wrote for Rapid7's blog that I think you might like...There’s nothing really new in the world in which we work. Every problem you face in information security has already been solved by someone else. Why not use that to your advantage? There’s no time for baby steps in security. Sure, you need to “walk before you run” by thinking before you act. That comes in ...
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18 Jul 2014
How to communicate Web security to management, must-have security testing tools, and compliance in the cloud
Check out these new pieces I've written and recorded on Web application and cloud security. If you follow the things I recommend on communication (first three links), you can absolutely transform your information security program and the way that people perceive you as an IT professional.Communicating with Management about Web Security, Part 1 - Knowing What You're Up AgainstCommunicating with Management about Web Security, Part 2 - Prioritization and Sending ...
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10 Jun 2014
Pitching your ideas in IT
If you work in IT, your communication and selling skills are more important than anything you can ever do technically. This includes "pitching" your ideas to your audience - typically management and users. As a speaker, I often struggle with new approaches for pitching my ideas.Here's a good Success.com Q&A with Shark Tank's Daymond John to help remind us of what people are looking for. I especially like where Daymond ...
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22 Apr 2014
6 reasons information security causes global warming
In keeping with the divorce and everything Capitalist or conservative causes "global warming" movement, how about this:Information security causes global warming (or cooling, or whatever it needs to be called today)I really believe we have a "crisis" on our hands and here's why: The need for IT security controls is a negative side-effect of Capitalism - man bettering himself if you will. If we didn't have computers and the Internet, ...
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11 Apr 2014
Heartbleed – the biggest Web security problem ever???
I just came across this piece from NewsFactor: Is Heartbleed the Biggest Web Security Threat Ever? and couldn't help but chime in. Contrary to popular hype, I don't think the biggest web security issue we face (now or ever) is a technical problem...instead, it's something with hair on top like I talked about here.As with the hype over the Target breach and the gloom and doom over Windows XP's end ...
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09 Apr 2014
Windows XP: Goodbye my love…well, not really.
Windows XP...ah, the memories!I wrote many of my books including the first two editions of Hacking For Dummies and the first edition of The Practical Guide to HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance originally on Windows XP - not to mention countless articles, security assessment reports and more over a 7-8 year span.It was nice working with you XP!I waited to write this post today, the day after all the Windows ...
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Resources
Client Testimonials
“A business associate referred our company to Principle Logic when we were seeking a resource to perform vulnerability /penetration testing for our external and internal networks. We found Kevin Beaver to be professional, well informed, and easy to work with. His testing did not disrupt our networks, and his progress updates were timely.
His final report was very thorough and included security recommendations for our network environment. The executive leadership was so impressed with Kevin’s security expertise, they have extended their agreement to continue to perform periodic testing. We highly recommend Kevin Beaver and Principle Logic as a resource for network security testing.”
(IT managed services firm)
Kevin has written/co-written 12 books on information security including one of the best-sellers of all time:
