The Big Mud Puddle: Tricky Programming Concepts Aren’t

This presents interesting parallels of the arts to programming. Without diminishing the challenge or beauty of either.

The Big Mud Puddle: Tricky Programming Concepts Aren’t: What Teachers do Wrong. Teachers use subversive language. They say things like “this is a bit tricky” before introducing a concept.

It’s in the explanation of the concepts where things fall down. It's tricky should serve as a warning to pay attention, but instead it just gives people an excuse to stop paying close attention. This article doesn't do that - you'll find some lucidly explained concepts, of programming things that have oft been described as tricky. They aren't. Just pay attention and practice.

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You don't really know who you're talking to online...

The following is a story that I think highlights the assumptions that get you into trouble online... https://www.proofpoint.com/us/blog/threat-insight/i-knew-you-were-trouble-ta456-targets-defense-contractor-alluring-social-media This is particularly scary since we found so much utility in online connections during the pandemic and out of necessity, started trusting more online. Please note the timeline for this breach - it was a long, slow process, a key factor in many 'cons'. "Build trust" is a key first step, once someone has identified you as a party. You think...you're convinced you know who your talking to, but if you don't triangulate the identity with some non-online, ideally in-person information, you shouldn't trust. And even if you do get what seems like real-life confirmations of identity, you must look at questioning motives, needs, and keeping danger at arms-length. Online includes email, texting (sms), application chatbots, voice communicati...

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Where threat modeling can shine - an example from the EU MDCG-2019

From the EU MDCG 2019-16 Guidance on Cybersecurity for medical devices, December 2019 , this is the guidance on foreseeable risks. Medical device manufacturers should ensure that a medical device is designed and manufactured in a way that ensures that the risks associated with reasonably foreseeable environmental conditions are removed or minimised. This may include the infield monitoring of the software’s vulnerabilities and the possibility to perform a device update (outside the context of a field safety corrective action) through, for example delivering patches to ensure the continued security of the device. During the risk management process, the manufacturer should foresee or evaluate the potential exploitation of those vulnerabilities that may be a result of reasonably foreseeable misuse. This, however, may depend on the specific situation. For example, using an unsecured memory-stick to enter data into a medical IT system can be considered “reasonably foreseeabl...

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