computer security – Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercises: From Planning to Execution

By Scott J. Pearson | November 23, 2024November 23, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Cybersecurity is a trending business topic due to the incredible growth of the IT industry and the Internet. It affects almost every professional domain, whether in the business, healthcare, or financial sectors. Perhaps the biggest risk facing companies today is having their IT systems compromised in some way involving secure data – a very broad vulnerability. To limit or prevent harm, a company’s leaders can engage in “tabletop exercises” to run through common scenarios. These…

Science Software-Technology

Quantum Computing for Everyone

By Scott J. Pearson | June 19, 2024June 19, 2024 by Scott J. Pearson

Despite being around for decades, the words “quantum mechanics” still make eyes roll even in a room of educated people. Few really understand the phenomena. Among those more scientifically minded, some – thankfully fewer in number – still argue that quantum mechanics will give way someday to a more classical approach. The controversial part of quantum mechanics, which foiled even Albert Einstein, states that to measure the spin or velocity of an electron, one must…

Software-Technology

Designing Secure Software: A Guide for Developers

By Scott J. Pearson | October 9, 2021October 9, 2021 by Scott J. Pearson

Software security is an important yet neglected issue. Most developers will immediately recognize its importance because, with the Internet, so much of the computing infrastructure (the “surface”) is vulnerable to attack. Yet it’s simultaneously neglected because it relies on mastering the unknown – an unsurmountable topic. Reviewing security issues in one’s own code is often a painful process, much like reading an editor’s notes on one’s own writing. Into this ongoing conversation, Kohnfelder, a developer…

Software-Technology

Web Security for Developers: Real Threats, Practical Defense

By Scott J. Pearson | July 31, 2020August 3, 2020 by Scott J. Pearson

Much has been and continues to be written on the topic of computer security, but a lot of that content is directed towards computer security professionals. Few resources exist that are written for software developers, by developers. In this work, McDonald seeks to answer the need for a comprehensive exposition on this topic. In this attempt, he succeeds in providing a clear and thorough introduction of what developers need to know about security. The biggest…