Taking Down The Internet
Alan: Would you specifically recommend Chrome for Vista and Windows 7 users then?
Dino: If security is your highest priority, I would recommend Chrome for any user on any operating system that it supports. Chrome has leap-frogged the other Web browsers in terms of security due to its innovative multi-process sandbox model. Chrome is even more secure on Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Alan: What browser should we be using on the Mac or Linux?
Dino: If security is your highest priority, I’d recommend using lynx.
Alan: It’s that bad, huh? What do you use personally on your Mac?
Dino: It depends on which Mac. I run Safari, FireFox, and Chrome within a Vista x64 VM on VMware Fusion. I like Safari's UI and polish so I use that for casual Web browsing because I'd be less concerned if an attacker gained access to my Twitter and Facebook account than my other private personal data. I use FireFox for that more sensitive Web browsing such as financial sites, etc. On my secure development machine, I surf the Web using Chrome within a Vista x64 VM on VMware Fusion. Good data separation takes a little work, but it's not too much to recommend that most users do their online banking from a different machine than the one that their children use to play games on the Web. For that, I'd recommend that users keep an old machine around with a clean install of the operating system that is only turned on when needed and that they patch it before surfing the Web with it.
Alan: That’s a great tip. One last question: in 1998, the members of L0pht testified in front of the US Congress that a committed team of hackers could take down the entire Internet in 30 minutes. Security has certainly improved and the Internet has certainly gotten bigger, but the attackers have gotten more sophisticated too. Do you think that statement still holds today?
Dino: Yes, and I probably shouldn’t say much more about it than that. Unfortunately, the Internet is more fragile than we would like to think and a lot of its core protocols require a redesign with security in mind.
I apologize for the sometimes short and vague answers, but this business often requires a high degree of secrecy in order to protect clients and users.
Alan: I completely understand. Thank you for your time. It was pleasure.
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Nice interview. At least someone explains why he likes this better than that. I don't agree in all, but who am I? Maybe now I will give chrome a try. SandBox seems to be very promising, but until now I didn't see all those features they told me when I was at university some years ago. Perhaps those features are finding their way now but very slowly.
I've gotta find out more about these stories of "I taught myself XYZ," this guy prob brings near 6-figs or more if he's doing a lot of private "penetration testing." People are always saying they taught themselves blah blah and paint this picture that everything was 1) 2) 3) 4) in order, so smooth and simple. I'm not buying it for a second. These jobs are extremely competitive and reading a few cert books by yourself and shit, ain't cutting the mustard... Good info to know though, I'd like to see more articles like this, interviewing the unseen/unsung agents in the field of IT-security. Thanks guys.
To v12, I believe it has a good bit to do with timing. It's possible to rise fast without much formal education if you get in when the field is first taking off. Since the IT industry changes so fast, experience early on is enough to get by. But then the flood gates open and you need the education just to help differentiate from everyone else. I know the feeling though and would love a closer look on their backgrounds.
LordGamer, i think you're right. Timing is very important to get you in, and then once you're experienced enough you just keep up since you get so much resources (cuz ur on top) so its hard for newbies to get in even if they are smarter!
Dino im not saying your not good, you seem intelligent, keep going.
thank you all
Was the good samaritan a reference to "Burn after reading" ? God that was a great movie.