Author: Patrick Best, RiPPUL

A background of 20 years in technology, wireless telecommunications, and operational excellence. More if you count my BBS days. Specialties: 24x7 Global Environments, Business & Technology Strategy, Information Security & Technology Governance, Big Data and Virtualisation Assurance Focuses: Risk Management, Business Continuity Management, Disaster Recovery Planning, Technical Architecture, Process Improvement, Independent Coaching/Mentoring of Technical Talent

Stress Testing a Raspberry Pi for Power Consumption

Taking a quick power consumption numbers dump of the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B Plus Rev 1.3 (4 Core, 1GB RAM). Powered by block-powered 12V USB, double-ended for separate power/data , back-protection.

North Korea doesn’t use Soviet 60’s Surplus to Hack

The evening news would have you believe that North Korea is devoid of western technology. Apparently, there was an excellent DVD collection a while back...the new silent service. A kill or wake switch is a great way to amass a new digital attrition weapon.

Privacy Enhancement – 101

As a security professional, I am often asked by the lay-person how to be safer online. Without hesitation, my number one "easy" answer is to enhance your privacy while browsing.

Web Site Accessibility LAW in Ontario

Is your business web site legally accessible in Ontario? Accessibility standards for website compliance are mandatory for many organizations here. It's the law.

Ontario Preservation Demands and Orders

If your business or an employee has been served with a Preservation or Demand for data or electronic records, do you have the staff and direction on how to legally fulfill those obligations?

Siri Reporting into Google Ads?

For the 3rd memorable and most significant event in my life - I have had a run-in with "impossible to guess" advertising. I can simply not believe that I'm not being eavesdropped on by my iPhone.

Gorgon Stare and SnapDragon as Agents

The new Snapdragon 855+ processor was announced alongside a US plan to use hovering stratospheric weather balloons to surveil borders While seemingly a bright-mobile-future consumer technology, has t the SnapDragon lineup been commandeered to suit the purpose of spy? An AI snapdragon in every phone and home speaker, and there will be nothing left of privacy, and everyone’s phone will know what everyone is going to do. Truthfully branded as "Gorgon Stare", the mythological term Gorgon refers to sisters who had hair made of living, venomous snakes.

Canada National Research Council Spreads some of their $310M

I always like to keep an eye on the NRC and what Canada's top scientific minds are up to. The NRC also serves as an economic tool for the government of Canada to effect economic policy. I also use the NRC atomic clocks for syncronisation to Canadian sources, although given the boomerang to the United States, it's not always so effective at being the "closest" network source for time.

Small Office Printer – Secure it Now!

All small businesses have them, home users love them. A $500 colour laser printer sure comes with a lot of options, but it's important to configure them to least privilege and highest security. A 5 minute guide on the common features and how to secure them.

Keystrokes – Still the best way to get your password

There's a lot of tools in the attacker's arsenal for getting your most sensitive passwords, but it's a hacker's delight when they simply don't have to because you've typed it out for them.