Just a guy in Vermont trying to connect all the dots...
Dan York
Author's posts
Jan 08
Deadline of Feb 1 for Nominations for Public Interest Registry (.ORG Operator) Board of Directors (Featured Blog)
Would you be interested in helping guide the future of the Public Interest Registry (PIR), the non-profit operator of the .ORG, .NGO and .ONG domains? If so, the Internet Society is seeking nominations for three positions on the PIR Board of Directors. The nominations deadline is 23:00 UTC on Thursday, February 1, 2018. Find out more about the positions and the required qualifications. More...
Jan 04
Meltdown and Spectre: Why We Need Vigilance, Upgradeability, and Collaborative Security
Today the tech media is focused on the announcement of two security vulnerabilities, nicknamed Meltdown and Spectre, that are found in almost all CPUs used in modern devices. Mobile phones, laptops, desktop computers, cloud services, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices are all vulnerable.
There are many articles being published on this topic. The best source of information I’ve found is this site by the security researchers at the Graz University of Technology:
At the bottom of that page are links to the security blog posts, advisories, and other statements from companies and organizations across the industry. In an excellent example of the principles of Collaborative Security, the announcement was coordinated with the release of patches and updates for a wide range of operating systems and devices.
For readers wanting a deeper technical dive, the site from Graz University has links to multiple academic papers. Google’s Project Zero team also published a detailed technical analysis.
From our perspective, today’s news highlights a couple of points:
- Keeping up to date on patches is critical. We each need to ensure that we upgrade our own systems and devices. If we work for organizations/companies, we need to ensure that processes are in place for patches to be applied rapidly. Vigilance is critical.
- “Upgradeability” is necessary. We’ve mentioned this particularly in the IoT context, but devices need to be able to be upgraded. They can’t just be distributed or sold to people without some mechanism for updates. We see approaches such as the Online Trust Alliance IoT Framework as critical to help on this issue.
- Independent security research is essential. These vulnerabilities were discovered by different groups of researchers at companies, security firms, and universities. If we didn’t have people doing this research for the benefit of all of us, we would be open to attacks by those who might find these vulnerabilities and exploit them for malicious purposes.
- Collaborative security is the key. Sharing this research – and coordinating activity across the industry – is critical to ensuring a secure and trusted Internet. We need the kind of collaboration shown today to be the norm across the industry.
The key point right now for everyone reading this is simply this: get out there and patch your systems! Don’t delay installing the latest security updates for your computers, mobile phones and other devices.
Each of us play a critical role in ensuring the security of an open, global and trusted Internet!
The post Meltdown and Spectre: Why We Need Vigilance, Upgradeability, and Collaborative Security appeared first on Internet Society.
Jan 01
My 3 Words For 2018
Continuing the tradition I started back in 2010 (see past years), here are three words that describe themes I intend to focus on this year. They aren't "resolutions" as much as areas of activity. "Themes" is a good way to think about them.
HEALTH
Carrying this one over from last year... because sadly not a great amount has changed over the past 12 months. I have let my weight creep up to where I am about 30 pounds over where I should be (and where I was back in 2011). I haven't been exercising. I have some dental issues to take care of. I want to be around with my wife and daughters for a long time... and we each only have one body. I need to focus on this in 2018.
WRITING
You'll notice that the last time I wrote on this DanYork.com blog was ... one year ago! I have not written on Disruptive Telephony since March 2017 - and that was the ONLY post in all of 2017 on what used to be my primary blog. Only 4 posts on Disruptive Conversations, 0 posts on Code.danyork.com, 1 on Monadnock Curling Club, and so on.... I posted 9 times on CircleID , but they were all short pieces about events, activities, deadlines, etc. And I only published 28 posts on the Internet Society's blog during the whole year.
The reality is that 2017 was a challenging year for my writing in that I spent an insane amount of time focused on the launch of the Internet Society's redesigned website in September (which involved work through the end of the year, of course). Everything else got pushed aside - including all of my own writing.
In 2018 I hope to change that. There are a great number of stories inside me just trying to explode out. There are some reflective "thought pieces" about the current state of the Internet that I so dearly want to write. There's a book I'd like to update. I have several new book ideas I'd like to move forward on.
For me, I write because if I don't write... the stories build up inside of me until they want to explode like a pressure cooker without a relief valve. Writing is my relief valve. I need to do it.
My work responsibilities will still be significant around our web sites, but I'm hoping that somewhere in the midst of all the madness I can make the time to get my voice out there.
CONNECTIONS
Like perhaps many people, I'm finding that I'm communicating with a large number of people, but not necessarily connecting with people. I don't mean that in the LinkedIn "I have XXXX connections" form, but more in the deeper relationships and knowledge about other people. I want to deepen some of the connections I have this year, both with people online and also people locally and "offline". Some of that is actually meeting with more people face-to-face. Some of that is just carving out the time to have deeper and more meaningful conversations. In the end, the connections we have between us - and the community we have around us - are what is so vitally important to us all.
That's what I am thinking about for this year... what about you?
Dec 13
Deadline of Friday, Dec 15, for Nominations to Internet Society Board of Trustees (Featured Blog)
As I noted last month, this Friday, December 15, 2017, at 15:00 UTC is the deadline to nominate someone for the Internet Society's Board of Trustees. Anyone who supports the mission of the Internet Society is welcome to submit a nomination (for yourself or for someone you think should be considered). The Internet Society serves a pivotal role in the world as a leader on Internet policy, technical, economic, and social matters, and as the organizational home of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF). More...
Dec 05
TDYR 348 – “Acoustic Speakers” and Smartphones
Did you know you probably have many “acoustic speakers” in your home? I was amused this weekend to see devices marketed as an “acoustic speaker” this weekend....
Dec 04
TDYR 347 – Failing at NaPodPoMo 2017… but learning good lessons
I failed at NaPodPoMo 2017 - 30 podcasts in 30 days - but took away some important lessons about how to do it better next time...
Nov 14
Watch Live – IETF 100 Plenary Panel on the Future of the Internet
What is this future of the Internet? What will the Internet look like in 30 years? On Wednesday, November 15, three prominent strategists will gaze into the future and share their unique perspectives. This panel on “The Internet, a look forward: Social, political, and technical perspectives” is part of the IETF 100 plenary session streaming live out of Singapore. The plenary session will also include the presentation of the Jonathan B. Postel Service award.
You can watch live at: https://www.ietf.org/live
The entire IETF 100 plenary session is from 17:10 – 19:40 Singapore time. This is UTC+8, which translates into:
- 10:10 – 12:40 Central European Time
- 9:10 – 11:40 UTC
- 4:10 – 6:40 US Eastern time
IMPORTANT NOTE – The panel and the Postel Award presentation are just two sections of the IETF 100 plenary session – and happen somewhere in the middle of the session. The full agenda can be found at: https://datatracker.ietf.org/meeting/100/materials/agenda-100-ietf-sessa/
The live video stream will be recorded if you want to watch later.
Moderated by Brian Trammell, member of the Internet Architecture Board, panelists include:
- Monique Morrow, President and Co-Founder of the Humanized Internet, a non-profit organization focused on providing digital identity for those individuals most under-served
- Jun Murai, Founder of WIDE Project and Professor at Keio University with a research focus in global computer networking and communication, and known as the “Father of Japan’s Internet” or “Internet Samurai”
- Henning Schulzrinne, Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and chair of the Department of Computer Science at Columbia University, New York
Join in to hear the panel’s perspectives and the discussion.
When you are done, you may wish to explore our Internet Society 2017 Global Internet Report: Paths to our Digital Future, where we provide an analysis and perspective on different paths we see for the future of the Internet.
This discussion about the future of the Internet – happening at IETF 100, happening online, and happening in many other venues – is critical. There are many paths the Internet could take – but only some of them will benefit all of humanity.
It is up to each one of us to help shape the Internet of tomorrow.
Image credit: Michal Lomza on Unsplash
The post Watch Live – IETF 100 Plenary Panel on the Future of the Internet appeared first on Internet Society.
Nov 11
TDYR 346 – How I Record This Podcast using Hindenburg Field Recorder
How do I record on my iPhone? What is my workflow? I was asked that question and thought I would answer through an episode. The main app I use is the Hindenburg Field Recorder...
Nov 10
TDYR 345 – Twitter’s 280 Characters – initial thoughts
Twitter just moved from 140 to 280 characters. In this episode I relay some of my thoughts about this change. What do YOU think about it?
Nov 09
TDYR 334 – Logitech’s Bricking of Harmony Link Devices – and “ownership” in the world of the IoT
Logitech announced to owners of Harmony Link devices that those devices will stop working in March 2018. They will be “bricked”. While Logitech responded to the furor by eventually doing the right thing and offering free upgrades, this speaks to the larger issue that “ownership” is a different concept in our new world of connected IoT devices.
