Bill Brenner

You See a SecBurnout Cult; I See Common Sense

by Bill Brenner April 17, 2014 Communication Skills

Some folks are pissed over my recent posts about efforts in the security community to fight job burnout and depression. I won’t change your minds, so I’ll just clarify a few things and move along. People have made five observations: The data is far too insufficient to declare a problem specific to the security community. Without data, all we have is opinion. The greater InfoSec Burnout movement and I have made it sound like this…  [Read More]

Three Things Jeff Bauman Teaches Us About Being Boston Strong

by Bill Brenner April 16, 2014 Gratitude

Jeff Bauman has gotten so much attention since the Boston Marathon bombings a year ago that I had resolved not to write about him here. I’m as inspired by his story as everyone else; I simply thought there was nothing I could say about the guy that hadn’t been already said. Then I started reading his new book “Stronger.” Mood music: I’ve only read previews and excerpts thus far, but already I’m seeing something special….  [Read More]

Curse You, 403: Forbidden Error!

by Bill Brenner April 15, 2014 News

UPDATE: We believe we have fixed the setting issues behind the problem. But if you encounter an error message, please let us know. Thanks! For months, my OCD has been triggered by a vexing, mysterious problem: Some of my readers keep getting “403: Forbidden” errors when trying to read posts. I’ve looked high and low for the cause and solution, to no avail. Mood music: What probably infuriates me most is that I can access…  [Read More]

There Are Other Things Besides Hacking

by Bill Brenner April 14, 2014 Work-life balance

During that SOURCE Boston session on security burnout last week, someone in the audience made an important observation: One of the reasons depression runs deep in the security industry is because hackers spend most of their time staring at a screen. Mood music: When a researcher is trying to break into system weaknesses, there’s an obsession to it. You can’t pull away. You have to keep traveling deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole in…  [Read More]

SecBurnout: Much Ado About Nothing?

by Bill Brenner April 11, 2014 Depression

At the SOURCE Boston security conference yesterday, I ran a session with former colleague and friend Josh Corman on the topic of security burnout. It’s an issue I’m increasingly dedicated to, given my own history with mental illness and high-profile deaths in the community. When I think of the suicide of Aaron Swartz and the accidental overdose of Barnaby Jack, something in me screams out to act. I’m also inspired by the efforts of people like…  [Read More]

A Hacker Walks Into a Vape Shop…

by Bill Brenner April 10, 2014 Compulsive behaviors

A while back, I wrote about my use of electronic cigarettes as a way to avoid tobacco products. Since then, the phenomenon known as “vaping” has taken off. It’s especially popular in the security industry I work in. There’s some symbolism in that, as I’ll explain shortly. But first, a self-assessment. Mood music: E-cigs have gotten me over smoking. True, vaping looks like smoking, and even feels like it to an extent. But I’m using…  [Read More]

Success vs. Failure: Not as Simple as This Image Suggests

by Bill Brenner April 9, 2014 Inspiration

LinkedIn and other social media sites are publishing a lot of articles and graphics lately about things successful people do and don’t do. There are many good points in all of them, and they at least give us things to strive for. This graphic in particular caught and held my attention: For the most part, I agree with this one. Before I started to bring my demons to heel, many of my traits fell into…  [Read More]

Eleanor Roosevelt Was a Badass

by Bill Brenner April 8, 2014 Courage

I’ve always admired Eleanor Roosevelt. She defied the society of her day and forged a new path for women. She was a tireless fighter for the disadvantaged. During WWII, she traveled to the front to visit the troops, despite the danger. She was an early fighter for civil rights. One of her most famous quotes was to do something every day that scares you. The older she got, the more badass she became. Mood music: In…  [Read More]

The Misguided Coping Tool of My Teenage Rage

by Bill Brenner April 7, 2014 Coping tools

The first car I ever owned as a kid was a beat-to-shit 1983 Ford LTD wagon. It had a catalytic converter that always flooded and stalled the car. The power steering was gone. And it was the misguided coping tool of my teenage rage. Mood music: The LTD’s exterior was a toxic green, covered over in patches with stickers promoting whatever anarchist political causes I espoused at the time. In one inspired move, I took a…  [Read More]

Knowing You’re a Punk is the First Step in the Cure

by Bill Brenner April 3, 2014 Compulsive behaviors

I was an absolute punk this morning. I was incensed over tech problems, dropping F-bombs and punching the desk with my fist. Mood music: It’s a typical problem for someone with clinical OCD. You want to control everything, though you know it’s impossible. In mid-rage, I learned a friend had just lost a sibling. Rage turned to guilt. I’m no special case. We all lose our patience from time to time and act like spoiled brats. More…  [Read More]

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