Scott Wright's year end reality check for 2008

Tuesday, December 30th 2008 @ 8:15 AM (not yet rated)    post viewed 1807 times

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I started blogging about security back in January, 2007. So, it's coming up on 2 years that I have been putting my thoughts on managing information security down in writing. It doesn't seem like that long ago.

While I didn't get to write as much as I had hoped this year, I am very happy with how much I've accomplished here in The Streetwise Security Zone. I know it will be a long process to build a community of people who care enough about information security in their own lives, and in their employer's organizations. But I believe that it has to happen, eventually. The number of threats are just growing too rapidly for people to sustain their blissful ignorance.

In 2008, while supporting myself through consulting services, which are my top priority, I managed to:

1. Design and implement The Honey Stick Project - an experiment in measuring the general public's awareness of risks to their information and computer systems using USB Flash Drives;
2. Start the Streetwise Security Zone website - an evolving community for empowering individuals and business managers to learn how to protect their information and systems through "Governance by Graffiti" (learning and collaborating in small, consumable chunks of multi-media and Web 2.0 content);
3. Create a new podcast series that brings people news about the SWSZ and risk management for individuals;
4. Started my own Twitter account for announcing new content at the SWSZ and commentary;
5. Create a series of live Netcasts that covers security related topics in detail, and allows members of the SWSZ to participate and ask questions as a live incarnation of "Governance by Graffiti";
6. Read or listened to several books, blogs and podcasts by people such as:
7. Thomas L. Friedman - Hot, Flat and Crowded; The World is Flat; Longitudes and Attitudes
8. Seth Godin - Tribes; Meatball Sundae; Permission Marketing; All Marketers are Liars; The Dip
9. Jay Conrad Levinson - Guerilla Marketing
10. Patrick Lencioni - Overcoming the Five Dysfunctions of a Team
11. Josh Bernoff, Charlene Li - Groundswell
12. Harlan Coben - Hold Tight
13. Michael Santarcangelo - Into the Breach
14. Jason Van Orden - Podcasting Underground
15. Cliff Ravenscraft - The Podcast Answerman; Help! I got a Mac.

And, I'm sure I've done other things, professionally, and learned much more from other people.

So, I'm pretty happy with the progress I've made this year. I don't like making predictions about what 2009 will bring in terms of trends or breakthroughs. But I would like to set a goal of having 200 members in The Streetwise Security Zone by December 31, 2009.

It would be great if you could spread the word and invite people to join. Over time, I think it will become a valuable resource for individuals and businesses. If you can think of ways that it could be improved, or if you'd like to contribute, please let me know. All the best to you for 2009.

I am now offering monthly briefings, tailored to organizations that want to build and sustain security awareness for staff. Just because your security team is too busy to do its own training and awareness doesn't mean you can't have an economical way to address human security risks. Please call or email me at the coordinates below... Scott Wright The Streetwise Security Coach Join the Streetwise Security Zone at: http://www.streetwise-security-zone.com/join.html Phone: 1-613-693-0997 Email: scott@streetwise-security-zone.com Twitter ID: http://www.twitter.com/streetsec To receive weekly security tips and other notices about helpful content available on this site, please make sure you are on my list by clicking HERE, and entering your name and email address.

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