Security Laboratory
Sec Lab - Security Heroes
The SANS Security Heroes project is to help introduce you to people that have made a difference in information security. We believe there are a lot of people contributing to make security work, and we want to introduce you to them.
Craig Wright, Security Hero - April 4th, 2008
Peter Giannoulis, Security Hero - March 19th, 2008
Suzanne Novak, Security Hero - February 13th, 2008
Laura Taylor, Security Hero - February 8th, 2008
Craig Wright, Security Hero
April 4th, 2008
By Stephen Northcutt
Internet Archive's Wayback Machine
LatestShow All
Hrm.
Wayback Machine doesn't have that page archived.
Want to search for all archived pages under http://widgetserver.amazon.com/ ?
The Wayback Machine is an initiative of the Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
Other projects include Open Library & archive-it.org.
Your use of the Wayback Machine is subject to the Internet Archive's Terms of Use.
Craig Wright certainly qualifies as a security hero! He has written articles and books on security and has nearly every SANS and GIAC certificate available (including platinum). He is a GIAC Technical Director, and jack-of-all-trades, master of a few, and all of us at the security laboratory thank him for his time!
Craig, I see that you are qualified in a number of disciplines including having just completed a master’s degree in law. So why did you choose information security?
When I was young, information security didn’t really exist as a career. I started doing some simple programming tasks and moved into a role as a SunOS 4.1 administrator. We had a custom developed database on the system and, at that point, security was generally the least of anyone's concerns. I had been tasked with ensuring that the data on the system remained secure and that the system was available, but there was no budget for security. Back in the days before the Web, Gopher proved a great tool for finding information. What I started learning about back then was just how many vulnerabilities exist.
I got into a little bit of trouble from time to time when I would demonstrate some of the vulnerabilities. This led to a reputation as the guy who could "break into stuff" - something that was both good and bad. When systems needed to be configured I would be consulted, but I also found that I was would be blamed when anything went wrong.
So, of course, when firewalls came about in the mid-90s, I was the one that they where handed to. I stayed in security as it is something that I do well and it allows me to give back to the community.
So, how did you learn about firewalls back then?
Back then it was even more of the wild wild web than now. I cringe at some of the things we did. I started by putting together bits and pieces that I'd dug up and basically cobbled together a halfway decent firewall using the firewall Toolkit. Back then code was available, and a lot simpler, so much of the learning process was really playing. This followed when I started working for an ISP. I was basically given a copy of Checkpoint firewall-1 version 2 and expected to know it by the end of the week.
This wasn't as bad as it seemed since having worked with the firewall Toolkit and Gauntlet, I found Checkpoint to be easy.
What about "security cowboys" in the 90s? Back then it seemed that the security methodology was to download some security tool that compiled on a Sun 3, how were those times for you?
In the 90s most of us were, basically, cowboys. Back then, methodologies didn't exist; and if you wanted some level of functionality, you had to make it yourself. Mistakes were a common occurrence, but what really mattered was if you learned from those mistakes. The biggest change for me was taking a role in the Australian Stock Exchange where I managed the firewalls and other security devices. Working in an environment with a six 9's requirement for uptime was a real eye-opener."
https://archive.is/h357s
Sec Lab - Security Heroes
The SANS Security Heroes project is to help introduce you to people that have made a difference in information security. We believe there are a lot of people contributing to make security work, and we want to introduce you to them.
Craig Wright, Security Hero - April 4th, 2008
Peter Giannoulis, Security Hero - March 19th, 2008
Suzanne Novak, Security Hero - February 13th, 2008
Laura Taylor, Security Hero - February 8th, 2008
Craig Wright, Security Hero
April 4th, 2008
By Stephen Northcutt
Internet Archive's Wayback Machine
LatestShow All
Hrm.
Wayback Machine doesn't have that page archived.
Want to search for all archived pages under http://widgetserver.amazon.com/ ?
The Wayback Machine is an initiative of the Internet Archive, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, building a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
Other projects include Open Library & archive-it.org.
Your use of the Wayback Machine is subject to the Internet Archive's Terms of Use.
Craig Wright certainly qualifies as a security hero! He has written articles and books on security and has nearly every SANS and GIAC certificate available (including platinum). He is a GIAC Technical Director, and jack-of-all-trades, master of a few, and all of us at the security laboratory thank him for his time!
Craig, I see that you are qualified in a number of disciplines including having just completed a master’s degree in law. So why did you choose information security?
When I was young, information security didn’t really exist as a career. I started doing some simple programming tasks and moved into a role as a SunOS 4.1 administrator. We had a custom developed database on the system and, at that point, security was generally the least of anyone's concerns. I had been tasked with ensuring that the data on the system remained secure and that the system was available, but there was no budget for security. Back in the days before the Web, Gopher proved a great tool for finding information. What I started learning about back then was just how many vulnerabilities exist.
I got into a little bit of trouble from time to time when I would demonstrate some of the vulnerabilities. This led to a reputation as the guy who could "break into stuff" - something that was both good and bad. When systems needed to be configured I would be consulted, but I also found that I was would be blamed when anything went wrong.
So, of course, when firewalls came about in the mid-90s, I was the one that they where handed to. I stayed in security as it is something that I do well and it allows me to give back to the community.
So, how did you learn about firewalls back then?
Back then it was even more of the wild wild web than now. I cringe at some of the things we did. I started by putting together bits and pieces that I'd dug up and basically cobbled together a halfway decent firewall using the firewall Toolkit. Back then code was available, and a lot simpler, so much of the learning process was really playing. This followed when I started working for an ISP. I was basically given a copy of Checkpoint firewall-1 version 2 and expected to know it by the end of the week.
This wasn't as bad as it seemed since having worked with the firewall Toolkit and Gauntlet, I found Checkpoint to be easy.
What about "security cowboys" in the 90s? Back then it seemed that the security methodology was to download some security tool that compiled on a Sun 3, how were those times for you?
In the 90s most of us were, basically, cowboys. Back then, methodologies didn't exist; and if you wanted some level of functionality, you had to make it yourself. Mistakes were a common occurrence, but what really mattered was if you learned from those mistakes. The biggest change for me was taking a role in the Australian Stock Exchange where I managed the firewalls and other security devices. Working in an environment with a six 9's requirement for uptime was a real eye-opener."
https://archive.is/h357s
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