Privacy, Power, & Protection In The Cyber Century

1500 words, 7 minutes. Man, embracing his origin, … civilization, … mental and moral faculties. … Illustrated. Lind, G. Dallas, 1884. I’m interested in the history of technology, especially those moments which gave rise to great advances or failures. I’m interested to know the conditions, the growth medium, the organisational structures, the management strategy which helped or hindered. I’m interested in whether (and to what degree) Government has a role to play in the stimulation or sterilisation of research, development, and commercialisation. »

950 words, 4 1/2 minutes. One of the reasons why organisations ultimately fail at Cyber Security, is because the office of the CSO lacks power. In this post I’ll explain why that is and what we can do about it. Why The CSO Lacks Power The Cyber Security industry constantly strives to produce better products and services. Engineers work tirelessly to improve deployment practices. There are dozens of courses and certifications designed to improve skills. »

800 words, 3 1/2 minutes. Making Your 1st Decision This is the first of a short series of posts about the Cyber Security market. This market is interesting now because I believe it’s at a juncture where we can choose one of two possible futures. We being the product builders, investors, and customers. The choice being whether to align ourselves with reality or fantasy. Plenty of markets perpetuate a degree of fantasy. »

1600 words, 8 minutes. You’ve suffered a breach. Your security was circumvented. Data was lost and the public, shareholders, media, and perhaps regulator must soon be informed. A chain of events has begun. What you do next will determine in large part where that chain leads. In this post I’m going to talk about a tactic I’ve seen used to successfully re-frame a bad situation and nudge the narrative in your favour. »

600 words, 3 minutes. Photograph of UK’s first cash machine installation 1967. Martins Bank Archive. In this bite-sized post I’m going to talk about the lag between initial adoption of transformative technology and the increase in productivity it’s supposed to bring. I’m going to talk about the disappointment felt when such technology meets established, dogmatic structures in business (or government), and what executives can do about it. Not all new technologies have the potential to transform business but those that do demand special care, because they are a pill that you swallow not a topical cream. »