Once in a great while, it is nice to take time out to write about me, instead of just finding favorite links and articles and commenting on them ad nauseum.

I was at Black Hat this month, then Michigan. I wrote that up. This last week, I have tried to get my “work focus” back. I am catching up, but now I am heading into three days of “Risk Management” training.

On the professional front, I am hoping to get more involved with cyber security organizations, in the private and public sector. On the government side, I am running for a board position with the Springfield Infragard (FBI cyber-security) chapter. I also hope to get involved with a DHS discussion group, centered around national cyber security. On the industry side, I hope to attend a meeting of the ESAF (executive security action forum) this fall (or at least I have an invite for next April at the RSA Conference). ESAF is free, while the Jericho Forum (www.opengroup.org/jericho) charges for membership. I also want to write two papers on mobile security and SSL VPN security, and try to present at least one at the RSA Conference if I can make the cut (and the abstract deadline). Most of this is at the discretion of my employer. On the one hand, I am a security professional, and others value my participation and input, but I would probably be much less interesting if I didn’t have a Fortune 100 company listed on my business card. Since I don’t have a fancy title, it would be easy to be told not to peer with C-level security staff at other companies. That is the one thing that motivates me, short of a really big pay raise (which ain’t gonna happen!), so I hope I can continue to participate with these groups.

On a side note, I took Jarrett and Sterling out to the Noodle Company for dinner, and Jarrett asked me if I had any prospects for job advancement at work. I told him that basically, if I stay at this company I do not. But, I explained that there are many opportunities to peer with security executives as an equal – despite my pay grade. I think others would vouch for me, and agree that I have a lot to offer as a security professional. I am more than a techie, but there isn’t much of a chance to be allowed to officially present myself as anything more than a security staffer. Regardless of how many talks I give, or security conference panels I serve on. If I push for too much, I may be “put in my place” – which seems pretty wrong and petty to me, but I am the first to recognize I am in a position that can not survive “ego inflation”. And, that’s ok. But, eventually, I aspire to be recognized as an expert in my chosen profession.

Well, Sterling is heading back to New Mexico tomorrow. So, the three-month Warcraft marathon will be over and the living room will once again be empty. Next week, I start teaching on Monday, and Jarrett will be taking a full load at the community college again. The University keeps changing their requirements, so he is short two classes, and if he gets good grades he should be able to transfer in January. That should be a little easier to deal with. I am always cash-poor this time of year. In addition, we are going to Los Angeles next Thursday. So, we will need to hire a dog-sitter. In another couple weeks I will be flying to Canada for a long trip to Quebec City for the 2008 IEEE Sections Congress. Having Jarrett here to watch the dogs will be better than trying to find someone to dog sit for yet another week.

Well, the pool is blue and the grass is looking good (I am watering it now), still, summer is almost over. It has been a good summer. I plan to milk all the warm days for the next month, and then accept that it is time for fall, and all that comes with that.

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