Read Me First

Well it had to happen.  When this site was first conceived I committed to update it periodically.  That time has come.   In the early and mid-1980s the buzz word was VIRUS.  I became involved in the rush BUT I approached the situation from a radical view.  Before I solved the problem of Virus, I studied enterprise security.  The gurus were solving the symptoms without understanding the problem.

I had an advantage.  In the late 1960s, while in the employ of First National City Bank, I conceived a solution to the problem of unauthorized access to data  hosted on the bank's computers.  SECURITY MAGAZINE published my monograph as a two part article.  While at the time I considerd FNCB a bureaucracy, I learned that solutions happen when one understands the who, what, when, where and how of the problem.

The first new entry consists of 213 foils (slides) defining the content of enterprise security and an attempt to harness the potential understanding security offers individuals intent on solving the problem of enterprise ego.  The piece is followed by a detailed explanation of Personal Computer (Desktop) Security.  The concept termed V-Phage (V for Virus and Phage for the sack that contains infection).  Virus detection is only one part of the system.  More important was the identification of unauthorized changes.  More computer systems fail from poor programming and data entry than ever failed from Virus.  I'd like to be considered the genius who invented V-Phage but in good conscience I was but one contributor organizing and orchestrating several dozen independent actions necessary to secure an enterprise.

The third new entry explains Watchdog/Paranoia a system that monitors networks.  It was written for the US Army portion of the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization at Huntsville.  We played on the computers at NASA, Boeing and SIAC.  It worked so well that the government feared that they would lose control of security.  For whatever reason, total security was unacceptable to Army SDIO managers.  The fourth new entry is the follow-on to Watchdog/Paranoia.  Active response identified an attacker, tracked him/her and took those actions necessary to eliminate the threats posed.  Once again, the soft-hearted (headed) in Government thought the solution too aggressive.  As an interesting note, because of V-Phage no one ever penetrated our computers.  Going further, several experts who thought to attack our computers lost their hard drives.

I've also added a piece about insecure education.  The original was written by my son.  I so enjoyed it that as I conceived Segment Indexed Integrated Databases (SIID), I data-mined education.  The result can be read about in "Public Secrets" and "Relating Trivia"

Finally, you will see my attempt at Community or Cultural Archeology.  I fell in love with the community of Hunters Point in Western Queens County, NY.  I met and worked with the now deceased Santo Anzalone.  He lived in Hunters Point.  His love for his community was contagious.  I only hope I did him justice.  We seldom think to preserve our heritage.  This monograph is a snapshot ot the community as it existed in 1985.  At this writing the massive Queens West Development is occuring.  In ten years, perhaps someone will compare what was to what is.

Out of a sense of ego, I've added my resume and some autobiographic experiences.  These complement the client list previously provided.

PS:  I volunteer as a part of RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) in Nassau County NY.  The "Part D Slides" are oriented to showing how the drug manufacturers and government bureaucracy are unduly costing Senior Citizens.  Wouldn't it be nice if we had the same Health Care Program as our Federal Senators, Chuckie and Hillary!

PPS:  The code for the software packages is available for sale or lease.