AusCert takes a stand against budget cutbacks. Related to this post.
Seriously though….I’ve talked about these security surveys before….here. As much as I appreciate the work of fellow security community dudes, we still need to question each other’s work’s relevance, accuracy and what it means in the big picture of improving security practices.
Do these surveys reflect what is happening out there? How accurate are they? AND, my big bug bear, how do the dudes responding know what is actually happening to help provide more accurate stats?…..ie; we see it every day, (as I mention in almost every post)….most companies have no idea what is happening! …so what do the stats really mean? I’ll put it out there and say they are useless and far from accurate stats!
You may say, “Hey Draz, but at least they highlight some of the problems?”…yeah, they do….but I’ve never met one senior decision maker in a company that has even read or heard of the surveys….or rather, I should say, remembers having seen them. So do they preach to the converted? Yeah…they do! Sadly, no one will miss the AusCert Annual Survey in my opinion. They should!
(Aside: SA has a stand at the next AusCert conference next week. Readership here may be small enough for me to feel no repercussions of this post>:-))
Re:”Aside: SA has a stand at the next AusCert conference next week. Readership here may be small enough for me to feel no repercussions of this post>:-))”
Oh, how very wrong you are in your assumptions of nil-repurcussions, my dear friend. I will be attending AusCert next week. And, following your misguided comments about the relevance of AusCert, I intend mount a nude hunger strike outside the SA stand in protest & display my full support of AusCert for the world to see.
You question AusCert’s relevance. What could be more relevant than;
* Attempting to play Bach on the Royal Pine’s grand piano, then telling everyone, “I’ve got nothing.”
* Surdo’s right nut.com
* Shooters Bar
* The Russians
How’s that for relevance ? You simply can’t beat it. It’s the pinnacle of relevance.
;- )
Re:”Aside: SA has a stand at the next AusCert conference next week. Readership here may be small enough for me to feel no repercussions of this post>:-))”
Oh, how very wrong you are in your assumptions of nil-repurcussions, my dear friend. I will be attending AusCert next week. And, following your misguided comments about the relevance of AusCert, I intend mount a nude hunger strike outside the SA stand in protest & display my full support of AusCert for the world to see.
You question AusCert’s relevance. What could be more relevant than;
* Attempting to play Bach on the Royal Pine’s grand piano, then telling everyone, “I’ve got nothing.”
* Surdo’s right nut.com
* Shooters Bar
* The Russians
How’s that for relevance ? You simply can’t beat it. It’s the pinnacle of relevance.
;- )
Given the “relevance” evidence you put forward, this can be only one person…..the usual dude from the government “secret” agency who prefers to always remain nameless and/or faceless. Is this the same dude who won a prize last year at AusCert but did not / could not collect in case people put the name to the face ….thereby breaking the aura of the man?
Now Mr Black (for want of a better name), I know your thinking. Let me state up front, and that after 3 years of attending the AusCert conference yourself, you should know this…..AusCert is more than just the yearly pissup. It is actually a group/program/initiative – not a conference.
My points regarding relevance were for a survey – not AusCert as a whole, (which in your case you took as being a conference).
I suppose if a secret dude like yourself – an expert in the field did not know, maybe the relevance question remains.
Aside from that, we look forward to seeing you again – nude or otherwise. Our Russian friends will be in tow and no doubt Surdo and tin head man will also.
DD
Given the “relevance” evidence you put forward, this can be only one person…..the usual dude from the government “secret” agency who prefers to always remain nameless and/or faceless. Is this the same dude who won a prize last year at AusCert but did not / could not collect in case people put the name to the face ….thereby breaking the aura of the man?
Now Mr Black (for want of a better name), I know your thinking. Let me state up front, and that after 3 years of attending the AusCert conference yourself, you should know this…..AusCert is more than just the yearly pissup. It is actually a group/program/initiative – not a conference.
My points regarding relevance were for a survey – not AusCert as a whole, (which in your case you took as being a conference).
I suppose if a secret dude like yourself – an expert in the field did not know, maybe the relevance question remains.
Aside from that, we look forward to seeing you again – nude or otherwise. Our Russian friends will be in tow and no doubt Surdo and tin head man will also.
DD
[...] got back from AusCert 2007. No fallout from my bagging the annual survey and no nude protests in front of our stand as was threatened. It’s no Black Hat, DEFCON, or for us local guys, [...]