Chris Roberts

Strategist, Researcher, Hacker, Speaker, CISO, Advisor, PITA, and now hunkered down as a Technical Architect at World Wide Technology.

Approach CAREFULLY with tea, biscuits, or Islay Whisky, do NOT connect to try and sell me something, I WILL flambé you.

Currently working as a strategist within the AI, Quantum, and Deepfake realms at World Wide Technology, and doing some advisory work for a couple of companies, having previously served as a CISO/vCISO/Advisor for a number of entities and organizations around the globe. Some of the more recent projects are focused within the Artificial Intelligence, Threat Intelligence, Identity, GRC, Cryptography, and Aviation/Transportation spaces.

I’ve been fortunate to be elbow deep in technology for more years than I care to remember, and these days am involved in both tactical and strategic discussions with clients across the spectrum of industries talking maturity, risk, and how to effect change.

Oh, and I've been called a Scottish Security Warlock....I’m kinda digging it.

Happy to connect, to talk and discuss what we can ALL do to effect change in this world, to collaborate and to communicate in a way that benefits all….I’d prefer folks didn’t use this forum to sell me certs, software or anything that has a hooded matrix theme (I DO come with a warning label...)

PS:  Please remember rule No. 1 “Do not act incautiously when confronting small bald wrinkly smiling men.

CISO Advisory Board Member

Providing strategic product development and go-to-market guidance for Onyxia, an AI-powered Cybersecurity Management Platform that enables CISOs and security leaders to continuously strengthen and gain a complete view of their cybersecurity programs. Onyxia's real-time security assessment and benchmarking, full visibility into program performance, and streamlined board reporting give CISOs a simplified way to convey the value of the security programs and align their security initiatives with their organizational goals.

Grief we are told is part of the process, grieving is natural, something we all experience in our own ways.

What they don’t tell you is even after grief it still hurts. Not a little, and not on demand. It hurts like hell, and hits you when you least expect it. 

Neither do they tell us that grief for our 4 paw’d family hurts more than it ever does for our human kin, and hits in totally different ways.

I have shed tears for humans, not often, and not for many, but they have been shed, yet I have barely shed a tear since Milo closed his eyes for the last time. The eyes watered up, maybe one escaped, but I simply had nothing left to tear with, I had no way to process the level of grief that was coursing through me. I still don’t. 

This evening I found myself in the company of a 9 week old adoptable mantle Dane. We hung out, played, curled up, bonded as friends, and then both looked at each other and realized it wasn’t yet the right time.

It’s been 18 months and I still miss my buddy, so bloody miss him, and I realize I simply don’t yet have the capacity to process the loss, get through the grief, and maybe consider another. I also know I might never finish the journey of processing the impact of what he meant to me. 

Next time you curl up with your companions please give them a hug from me.

‘all for now

Chris
#dogs #family #life #pets #grief #mentalhealth #greatdane

Researcher, hacker, advisor, WWT field CTO, recovering CISO, AI & quantum architect, etc.

No alternative text description for this image

When will we stop fooling ourselves?

I saw a news article this morning about folks getting all uppity and grumpy that twitter/x has released a new update that revealed people’s location as to where they’re based.

Two things:

1: It’s REALLY interesting to see where some of the most prolific antagonist folks are based, especially those adverse or antagonistic accounts in the highly charged American political scene. 
(Hint: Quite a few are NOT American based accounts)

2: At what point will we (to the heading of this post) realize that privacy is dead. 

I mean it’s been dead for years (privacy) yet we keep trying to defend something that not only already exposed, well defined, detailed, and SOLD back to us as OSINT/Threat Intelligence, but we also want to throw our hands up in the air when someone decides to take advantage of the very stuff we willingly handed over.

Oh, yea, you didn’t read the T’s & C’s did you?

You know the ones…. The end user agreement that basically says “we can do what we want, when we want, how we want, and yea… there’s basically bugger all you can do about it” (Especially if you click the bloody button saying “I agree”)

There’s a statistic out there that our “friends” out in the Far East have sufficient data on pretty much each of us breathing (and some whom are obviously no longer drawing fresh air in…) thanks in part to our inability to protect that which is entrusted TO us, and in part to the fact that almost all of the 5.6 billion connected people would sell their information (or that of their kids, parents, guardians, or dog) for a 10% coupon.

So, STOP fooling yourselves and each other. You don’t have privacy, you haven’t had it for 10+ years, the best you get to do now is understand how TO ask more questions, and learn from past mistakes.

Sure, we have tools (which people don’t implement correctly because…) and we have encryption (isn’t that headache that’s about to get a WHOLE lot worse!) and we have controls (which suck for SO many reasons) and we have… but it’s too little, too late, too complicated, too expensive, AND “we” can’t even agree on what the best path forward actually IS. 

‘all for now

Chris
#infosec #cybersecutrity #technology #privacy #community #socialmedia #awareness #osint #leadership

Doing a "thing" (In Dallas)

Already going to be in Dallas for the CISO XC folks, and there's now a plan afoot to spend time with Najm S and some awesome folks on the 13th December doing a fireside chat/catch-up/natter :)

So, if you are around Dallas on the 13th, and want to catch up for a cuppa tea/coffee, and a good talk among friends/family come along!! (and ping Najm S for intel)

Be safe, TRY to be good to each other, and see folks in a month in TX!

'all for now

Chris
#conference #leadership #meetings #awareness #infosec #cybersecurity #infosec #life #hacker

Pause; 

…and please give a moment of thank to those whom are hunched over keyboards, monitors, duty desks, operation centers, weapons emplacements, radars, and all other things that ensure the rest of us can have a (mostly) peaceful Thanksgiving.

To everyone watching our backs in the physical AND digital ream this afternoon and evening, thank you!

(And an advanced thank you for all those other times when nobody remembers)

‘all for now

Chris
#duty #protect #infosec #defend #blueteam #technology #thanksgiving #thanks #military #firstresponders

Oh Lord….

Remember that song about wanting a Mercedes Benz?

Yea, I’m NOT too sure the late, and great Janice Joplin would have been singing about a Benz that costs an arm, leg, and spare middle child to then have the bloody thing ask for more money for a bloody software “update”

Especially one that many might consider a safety essential.

Guess Mercedes-Benz AG is taking a leaf out of the InfoSec industry.

‘All for now

Chris
#mercedes #bmw #life  #technology #music #hacker

CISO, Hacker, InfoSec, Safety, CyberStuff Researcher, Advisor, Hacking is not a crime henchman, and various other names on the technical side of the world

Approach CAREFULLY with tea, biscuits, or Islay Whisky, do NOT connect to try and sell me something, I WILL flambé you.

Currently CISO and Senior Director at Boom Supersonic.... having previously served as a vCISO or advisor for a number of entities and organizations around the globe.  His most recent projects are focused within the threat intelligence, identity, cryptography, Artificial Intelligence, and services space.

I’ve been fortunate to be elbow deep in technology for more years than I care to remember, and these days am involved in both tactical and strategic discussions with clients across the spectrum of industries talking maturity, risk, and how to effect change.

Oh, and I just got called a Scottish Security Warlock....I’m kinda digging it.

Happy to connect, to talk and discuss what we can ALL do to effect change in this world, to collaborate and to communicate in a way that benefits all….I’d prefer folks didn’t use this forum to sell me certs, software or anything that has a hooded matrix theme (I DO come with a warning label...)

Playing with Fire:

I've been "messing" with the whole deepfake stuff for quite some time (we used to call it counterintelligence, manipulation, etc.), however took a break from it about 6 months ago to focus elsewhere within the corporate domain.

Oh and what changes we have seen!

AND, good grief things are getting "fun" out there aren't they.

Currently working on a project that's using both OpenArt for some generation, and then Kapwing to tune/expand on some of the features. (Thanks World Wide Technology)

Long story short, making an avatar and/or anything in the digital realm is crazily accessible, simple, easy IF you want to keep it to 10-30-60 seconds. HOWEVER making something "real" with a target human out-of-place for extended time AND keeping it believable is still a little more laborious. However I'm going to say that in a few months/6? it'll be a whole lot simpler.

THAT is the power of what we're facing. When I can take "me" and turn it into a weapon (more than I am normally in reality) with nothing more than a few clicks of a button and a quick subscription to some tools for the costly price of a few cups of tea/coffee.

Sobering thoughts, especially as the guardrails are made of wet soggy noodles.

Thanks Naasief Edross, Kent Noyes, Robert Esposito, and Brian Ortbals for the wonderful flexibility to have some fun with this.

Enjoy the avatar, it's a mix of some amazing artwork (thank you Mickey Bresman) and a quick check on tool capabilities. The Paris thing is real (apidays) and I'll be tuning the avatar voice to be more "me" so I can use it in some video's here... "watch this space"

'all for now

Chris
#deepfake #WWTLife #hacker #adversary #infosec #cybersecurity #ai #technology #reality

Raw:

All I want is to be able to sit down one day, totally let myself go and focus on the music. 

To quieten the voices
To turn the paranoia off
To simply breathe with the tune, follow the music wherever it leads

To be able to let the guard down enough to close eyes

To know someone has your back
To know they can’t be bought
That they can’t be threatened
To have a one-way door
Concrete….

To stop the voices telling me why I can’t close my eyes for one simple song

To put the knife away, and the gun back safely

To quieten down enough to be…

That is all I want

‘all for now

Chris
#mentalhealth #music #community

/Rant:

Bloodyhellfire it never ends does it.

Not only must we fight spam from the adversaries, criminals, attackers, and scammers we've got to build a WHOLE OTHER bloody setup for the amount of crap WE send out to ourselves/each-other.

STOP IT

Bloody hell, EVER heard of Opt-In??

No, I don't want to be in/on the marketing, neither do I want to be subscribed to ALL the other bloody newsletters, posts, blogs, widgets, and 10 other lists that apparently I need to unsubscribe from as well.

STOP IT

Good grief, hundreds PER WEEK, and I'm NOT even in a position of purchasing anymore. Pity the leadership whom are targeted by folks wanting a piece of their budget.

There's a right way to do things, this ISN'T IT.

Best case ASK before filling MY inbox you bloody digital eco-terrorist!

Worst case, if you've not heard from me after filling my folders for a week then cancel the damm deluge. It's NOT that hard is it??

and NO, I'm not "picking" on Acronis BUT they're at the top of the Junk pile, AND an email every other day isn NOT good especially as I NEVER bloody asked for any of it...so they get to be the poster child.

'nuff said.

'all for now

Chris
/Rant over:
#marketing #sales #spam #email #infosec #cybersecurity #technology #leadership #rant

Today's Cat VS. Internet:

Enjoy.

'all for now

Chris
#infosec #soc #noc #cybersecurity #alerts #siem #ai #technology #pets #cat

Question More, Trust Less:

Oh look, a pretty website…
- Don’t do it!

But it’s pretty!
- Don’t, you know it’s a trap!

But it’s got good information on it…
- Reprinted from everywhere else!

But it’s…
(You get the idea)

Folks, think of websites in the same way SO many see Bison, Bears, or Moose in the wild, they look wonderful, they appear graceful at times, they are inviting, and then look harmless from a distance….

BUT, and this is where things get messy.

A Bison will chase you down and stomp you
A Bear might chase you off and smack you upside the head
A Moose will simply kick you into next week

 LOOKS ARE DECEPTIVE

But, because it’s the digital realm we feel less threatened. 
Because there’s no immediate effect we don’t learn
Because you have to ASK to know how dangerous we forget.

However in this case (a “normal” news website image taken from the other day) I’m looking at a herd of bison, bear, buffalo, and wild sales/marketing folks ALL together looking to kick three shades of snot out of anyone dumb enough to accept ALL the darn cookies…

Therefore folks please ASK more questions, check, re-check AND stop petting the wildlife on the Interwebs!

‘all for now

Chris
#internet #technology #infosec #cybersecurity #privacy #life #awareness #browser #cookies

graphical user interface, text, application

THIS is NOT a Black Friday “Deal”

This is a timeshare offer
This is a Kirby Vacuum pre-qualifier
This is a “You WON” call now to claim scam
This is also unsolicited 
This is unwanted

This IS (unfortunately) the sad state of our industry

This is NOT the industry I want
This is, however, what we seem to have become

Do better

‘all for now

Chris
#sales #marketing #spam #scam #awareness #infosec #technology #cybersecutrity

Mission Accomplished!!

That moment you finally finish Thanksgiving leftovers, and can once again open the fridge and NOT be welcomed (overwhelmed) by 1/2 dozen plastic containers each (having slowly dwindled these past several days) with one spoonful of "something" that was saved from the holiday festivities.

That was lunch today, I'm not too sure what it was, of from whence it came, but it finally relented to being put into a bowl, mixed with it's fridge kin, microwaved (with some marmite, salt, pepper, and stuff) to become the final mixed meal of Thanksgiving leftovers.

Normal service will now resume.

I hope each of you has gotten to such a calm place within the kitchen landscape :)

'all for now

Chris
#food #thanksgiving #leftovers #nutrition #life #raccoon #fun

Invading France!

Admittedly “invade” is probably a little overkill as I have to still “test” if I am allowed there in the first place, but we’ll give it the good old heave-ho and all that…

So, what’s happening?
API Days, Hack Paris, GenerationAI 

When?
Next week: 9-11th December, 2025
(With a pit-stop in UK for Mum, and Iceland for sanity)

How?
In-person (hopefully)
See "NOTE" below for a link to check it out etc.

Why??
Because Corey J. Ball asked…

What’s on the agenda?
Two talks:
1: Hello, I’m a Hacker:
 Let’s take a walk through my eyes in this ever changing world…
 2: YOU and YOURS MUST now become US and OURS...
 The skills you possess are changing this world, however the skills necessary to effect change for good aren’t going to be found in a programming manual. The reality of today’s AI integrations means almost anything you do creates risk. Let’s talk about the lessons from freeing ChatGPT and what it’s done to the entire landscape of trust.

So, there we go, next week Paris, this week booked the tickets, thus given it’s the time of the year when one is meant to be hunkered down enjoying a minced pie and a glass of something eggnog ish, the final trip there and back is, needless to say, somewhat convoluted. (ESPECIALLY as a direct business class flight to/from the cheese munching country is in the order of $10-12k)

STL - Chicago: Driving, less unpredictable 
Chicago - Iceland: Then 1/2 day to spend hugging a volcano
Iceland - London: Flying, then grab rental car and Mum time!
London - Paris: Train, under the English Channel
(Conference time, and likely chaos in Paris!)
Paris - London: Flying, need another rental car
Quick stop to see Mum, get HUGS, breakfast, then off again…
London - Americaland: Flying via Iceland I think
BWI (I think) back to STL around midnight: Flying
Overnight turn and burn and out to cause a little chaos with Najm U S.

Cecil P. I’m afraid I might not make the CISO XC dinner thing, will see what time I get out of Iceland!

Anyhow, HOPE to see folks in Paris!

‘all for now

Chris
#conference #leadership #infosec #devsecops #api #ai #Cybersecurity #technology #developers

Technical Debt:

Sometimes it's a good thing, especially when you can get both the 20GB (Gen4) and 120GB (Gen6.5) working and hooked up to some decent in-ear monitors (IEM's) and over-ears :)

Spent some time last night geeking out over the now resurrected / rebuilt iPod's and comparing them to how the music sounds compared to the current two main setup's that I'm running (notes below)

Upside is the sound from the generation 6.5 is rather splendid compared to the generation 4, and that both do stand up well enough insofar as clarity to the new/modern DAC’s etc.

Differences?
Soundstage on more modern stuff far greater
Placement of instruments easier on more modern stuff
The ability to drive the HD-650’s (easier with the more modern DAC/AMP’s)
Power (always about power…) :)

The fun?
Walking round with a 20 year old music player and STILL enjoying it

The current setup?
Hidizs Mk12 Turris, with the more neutral filters
Custom Linsoul TANGZU Tang Sancai ear plugs
Hidizs 6N Single crystal silver cable, .78mm 2 Pin connector to 4.4mm 
FiiO KA15 (No EQ, H Amp, Minimal other changes) AND with latest firmware
GUCraftsman USB C-C 26AGW 8 strand/19core 6N Single crystal silver cable
(Change for copper if more warmth needed, but fantastic as-is)
iPad with Apple Music playing 
Hi-Res Lossless / Lossless / Dolby Audio etc. preferable (download settings)

Shure 846 (Original ones, purchased years back)
Standard earplugs
GUCraftsman 5N copper / copper silver-plated / graphene MMCX 4.4mm cable
FiiO KA15 (No EQ, H Amp, Minimal other changes) AND latest firmware
OR
Kiwi Ears / Linsoul Allegro Pro, minimal customization (Dual ES9603’s)
AUNE USB C-C cable (came with the Yuki DAC) OR GUCraftsman silver OR Cute Chubby 240W cable
iPad with Apple Music playing 
Hi-Res Lossless / Lossless / Dolby Audio etc. preferable

Focal Utopia’s (2020 versions)
Marantz - HD-DAC1
Currently using default cables, I am eyeing up GUCraftsman 16/7N options (changing to a 4.4mm/balanced etc.)
AudioQuest Forest USB B to Type C cable
iPad with Apple Music playing 
Hi-Res Lossless / Lossless / Dolby Audio etc. preferable

Some things to have some fun with this Black Friday / Cyber Monday

Oh, and before folks go "you should try a,b,c,x,y,z" the above is only the current setup, there a few other things hidden in the rummage bins (DAC's, cables, things to stuff in/over ears etc.)

‘all for now

Chris
#music #technology #fridayfun #shopping #blackfriday #cybermonday #mentalhealth

1st World Problem Meet Hacker:

Wanted music for distraction:
Found good music
Selected source, DAC, (lots) cables, AMP, (more) cables AND headphones

Squirrel on:
Underfloor heating would be nice about now, forgot socks, sweatshirt not enough
Squirrel off:

Headphone stand
Headphones, ah yep, got them, back to other computer for source etc.
Headphones turned on checked

Squirrel on:
Remember, place on head as opposed to simply looking at them and listening as if in the audience etc…
Squirrel off:

Power? 
Power conditioner, yup:

Squirrel on:
OR if placed in window uses surface flexible LED’s for maintaining state of quantum batteries we’d not need to worry about batteries, Musk, and could go back to V8’s
Squirrel off:

Headphones (over ear) cold headphone cushions
(We’ll ignore the squirrels moment that happened while trying to work out what the cups/cushions/pads are/were called…
Cold!
Hang on, wasn’t I just talking about underfloor heating, and didn’t I think about those flexible heating batteries and some of the materials…
Hmmmm

Squirrel on:
Squirrel buggers off:

Google: “Does anyone make a pre-heated headphone stand?”
….
Google “Does anyone sell heated ear pads / cushions / Etc.
….
Google “Heated ear pads”
(Now finds the first and second search in my “searches suggested by Google”
…

None!!

NEW BUSINESS!! AI Heating pads! They sense music based on your digital “aura” and pre-heat using an induction managed custom molded headphone stand. OpenSource the 3D imaging, work with Wireless hacking village for induction help, Etc. 
Profits back to community, Hak4Kidz NFP and Rocky Mountain Great Dane Rescue, Inc.  

Domain Registered
…
‘squirrels for now

Chris
#music #technology #squirrel #startup #fun #hacker

Worth Remembering:

- Hope for the best
- Plan for the worst

AND remember cognitive bias, especially around "confidence" (and AI)

'all for now

Chris
#infosec #cybersecurity #community #leadership #life #ai #quantum #bias

421 Words for Snow:

This was contemplated while perched upon the porcelain throne.

It seemed unfair that something so wonderful has SO many words to describe it in one language, yet in the very same flowing dialect there’s nowhere near as many words for the current (and continued) predicament. 

I mean in English there “collywobbles” which is often followed by a descriptor of how rapidly one is likely to head TO the aforementioned bathroom.

But there’s no good colorful description that we could use in the same way as snow…

I propose the following to be woven into any conversation upon your return to an interrupted meeting, webinar, family gathering or other inquisitive group that asks after your “dickey tummy”

How are you?
(To be followed with one of the descriptors below…)

I’m having a/an:
- Indecision
(The sit and wait, read the newspaper situation)
- A trickling
(It’s all there, but it’s going to take it time evacuating…)
- Poured forth like the….
(One moment there, next moment not…)
- You know how the Mississippi moves… yea
(We’re going to need clean up in stall No….)
- Akin to the Trevi fountains
(Flowed with things I still don’t recognize)
- Niagara Falls during the winter
(You know more’s coming, just not when…)
- Niagara Falls during the spring melt
(How can there be so much?!?)
- Victoria Falls
(Let us never speak of that again…)
- Hurled itself with the ferocity of Old Faithful
(The bathroom is a no-go for a while…)
- It felt like Angel falls
(And is all over the walls…)
- Scoured the porcelain like an Arabian sandstorm
(I need a heated seat, and an interior decorator…)
Etc

If nothing else the side effects of the Diabetes and other meds has to be good for something other than an auto-ship on snuggles extra-strong

‘all for now

Chris
#life #hacker #communication #language #health #community

We (humanity) are “that” neighbor.

We’re ALL aware of “that” one… Either they have a fleet of 1/2 finished cars in the driveway, or their lawn ornaments consist of an old toilet with flowers in the lawn, and a few inside-out tyres (whitewashed IF you’re lucky). 

The lawn looks like it went through a battle with a brush hog, nothing as sophisticated as a lawnmower in this realm, OR if there was a lawnmower it’s probably out of the ark, and the metal push blades are welded together from lack of use, or the resident funnel web spiders have taken over and refuse to give back “their” home.

The house, oh the house, I mean where DO we start with that description. I mean it’s clean, or at least the patch of carpet you CAN see is clean, the rest has a mix of tractor parts, shotgun shells, post and farmers weekly neatly stacked alongside whatever food container was marked down on sale at the local corner store three weeks ago… The outside works, after all it keeps the rain out, the wind mostly stopped, and when the aforementioned occupants sneeze the walls bow a little but thankfully they don’t fall down. There IS an indoor toilet, however the septic tank’s in need of some TLC, so the outhouse is back in use, proudly standing tall 1/2 way down the driveway like a cross between a sentry box and warning sign of what’s to come.

Recognize yourself OR someone you know, live next to, close to, or that grandfather up in the hills that nobody speaks of in public, yet everyone (as a kid) is happy to go exploring with (often accompanied by a gallon re-used milk jug of something flammable, yet somehow satisfying)

So, the scene is set, the background laid out, the baseline understood yes?

That’s us. Humanity. 

Think about it, if you were sitting on any of the neighboring planets or moons, with a decent set of binoculars, and a deckchair trying to enjoy the peace, quiet, and tranquility of space you’d continually be disturbed by our rowdy presence.

Noise (radio etc.)

Rubbish all over the lawn (satellites and leftover space debris)

Pesky intrusions all the time (space probes, pets coming over etc.)

Debris (the planet looks a mess)

Smelly (after effects of nuclear missile tests, etc.)

Dirty (smog, and pollution in the sky)

Our location…. A far flung arm of the galaxy, and not an interesting spiral galaxy at that, one of those boring, council flat type of places that just “exist” we don’t have any mad star birthing areas, minimal collisions, no weird shapes, no fancy things going on etc.

So, the message of this post?

Don’t judge others. From a viewpoint we’re all the same, best not fling those rocks in glass houses etc.

‘all for now

Chris
#space #technology #humanity #ethics #life #reality #astronomy #quantum #humor

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