Brad Bits: December 18, 2024
Hello reader,
I hope this blog post finds you well. I am dusting off the old blog. If you are in my network, you likely know that I am currently in career transition and now that I have some much-needed creative space, I thought I would start blogging again. While I will share this out on social via LinkedIn and X, the siloed social media scene in cyber these days has led me to keep my blog posts on my own platform. What would you like to see from me? I have a unique background and skill set across not only cyber, but also aviation, academia, and law enforcement. For today's blog, I thought I would focus on a cyber headline that hit my inbox this morning via WSJ: "Apple declined to help Harris campaign over suspected hack".
Yesterday, Forbes published the story and it highlights (yet) another example of privacy and security front and center. Apple.com/privacy is clear..."Privacy is a fundamental human right." In late October, the Harris campaign had reached out to Apple for assistance in extracting a "raw image" from two senior staff members' iPhones after iVerify's product had detected spyware on these iPhones.
From my perspective, Apple and other tech giants will continue to grapple with privacy and security. Apple has been consistent with their privacy stance and I am glad to see Forbes call out the 2016 Apple vs FBI case, which set a precedent with so many other privacy issues. So why does this all matter? Your smartphone is an extension of your identity. The smartphone is heavily used in the enterprise for multi-factor authentication solutions and part of a robust zero trust strategy. Since the beginning of time, law enforcement has used novel tactics to catch adversaries. As tech companies continue to evolve privacy and security into their solutions, how do tech companies responsibly work with governments to respond to these inquiries? That's the million-dollar privacy question. What say you? Let's see where recent innovations with quantum computing and generative AI take us as a civilization and tackle espionage, which has been around for centuries.
So what else am I doing in my creative time? I am currently looking for the next career adventure and working on an FAA rating for my pilot’s certificate. I have also done some pro bono consulting and reconnecting with folks. How do you start your day? For me, it's the gym, journaling, and reading with my favorite cup of coffee/ tea. I have followed this routine since the early days of the pandemic, and it has really helped me elevate my days and how I show up for my family, the teams I have led, and key relationships with customers and clients I have served. In January, I will be attending the SANS CTI Summit. For my CTI nerds, it would be great to connect in person in D.C. next month. If you are hosting an event or looking for a speaker to support your event hit me up.