Speaking of Secure Programming

in

A few months ago, while we were still in the thick of finishing off the book (Secure Programming with Static Analysis) and hadn’t yet started focusing on selling it, Brian and I recorded and interview with Informit’s new OnSoftware podcast where we talked about software security and the kind of material we cover in the book.



Well, months later the book is finished and now the interview we recorded is available for mass consumption through iTunes as either a video or audio podcast. You can subscribe to the podcast series on www.onpodcastweekly.com or link directly to our episode at http://media.podhoster.com/peachpittv/05_SOF_ChessWest_01.mp4.


Secure Programming with Static Analysis has gotten some nice attention from other sources, too. Gary McGraw recently posted the forward he wrote for the book on his Justice League security blog http://www.cigital.com/justiceleague/… and SANS has a nice interview with Brian up at http://www.sans.edu/resources/securitylab/brian_chess.php. I particularly like the part in the SANS interview where Brian takes credit for all the typos in the book ;-).

(Via Vaeros.)

Last Harry Potter leaks online

in

Cory Doctorow:
The new Harry Potter novel -- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- has hit the Internet days before its publication. The publisher spent a reported $20 million on keeping the book secret. Was the money well-spent? As Bruce Schneier points out, the kind of person who downloads a series of photos of the pages of a giant novel is also the kind of person who'll line up and buy a copy the night it comes out.

Me, I'm just glad to finally know what happens who dies at the end of the final Harry Potter novel -- SPOILER ALERT! Select the text below to read it.

The publishing industry.

Seriously, though. With the last book, the publisher was so freaked out about ebook "piracy" that they refused to release an official electronic edition. The result? Fans made their own electronic text in 24 hours. And other fans translated the book into German in 45 hours.

That'a a lot of fan-energy, sitting out there, looking for ways to love these books. Surely there's a smarter way to deal with that kind of love than attempting to suppress it?



Four days before it hits bookstores, I've got a copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." I downloaded it from a link posted at the Bittorrent file-sharing site the Pirate Bay.

But hold on. It's not as sweet as it sounds. What I've got is not really the book but a series of photographs of the book -- someone has meticulously snapped shots of each page. Some who've discussed leaked copies say that they've seen only Pages 1 through 495. But the copy I have includes all the pages; I could, if I wanted to, tell you the very last line of the very last Harry Potter book right now.


Link,
Link to Deathly Hallows torrents on The Pirate Bay

(Via Boing Boing.)

Neocons on a Cruise: What Conservatives Say When They Think We Aren’t Liste

in

Amazing story of a reporter who joined the crazy cruisers from the right wing nuts of "National Review". She starts with : "Is he your only child?" I ask. "Yes," she says. "Do you have a child back in England?" she asks. No, I say. Her face darkens. "You'd better start," she says. "The Muslims are breeding. Soon, they'll have the whole of Europe."

read more | digg story

BREAKING: Reid To Force All-Night Filibuster On Iraq Withdrawal

in

Moments ago, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced that in response to conservative obstructionism, he plans to force war supporters to physically remain in the Senate and filibuster Iraq withdrawal legislation.


Reid accused conservatives of “protecting the President rather than protecting our troops” by “denying us an up or down vote on the most important issue our country faces.” He said that if a vote on the Reed/Levin Iraq legislation is not allowed today or tomorrow, he will keep the Senate in session “straight through the night on Tuesday” and force a filibuster. From Reid’s speech:


Republicans are using a filibuster to block us from even voting on an amendment that could bring the war to a responsible end. They are protecting the President rather than protecting our troops.


They are denying us an up or down — yes or no — vote on the most important issue our country faces.


I would like to inform the Republican leadership and all my colleagues that we have no intention of backing down.


If Republicans do not allow a vote on Levin/Reed today or tomorrow, we will work straight through the night on Tuesday.


The American people deserve an open and honest debate on this war, and they deserve an up or down vote on this amendment to end it.


UPDATE: Watch the video:



Screenshot


OpenLeft, Firedoglake and others have also called for Congress to call the conservatives’ bluff and force them to filibuster the Levin-Reed Iraq bill.


Read Reid’s full speech HERE. Bob Geiger has more.

(Via Think Progress.)

Webb Rips Graham As ‘Politician Trying To Put His Political Views Into The Mouths Of Soldiers’

in

This morning on Meet the Press, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) took Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to task for spouting “support the troops” rhetoric while failing to take action to safeguard the long-term health of the military.


This week, Graham was among a handful of right-wing Senators who prevented the passage of an amendment sponsored by Webb that would have required soldiers to be given more rest at home after being deployed overseas. During the vote, Graham disingenuously claimed that if Webb’s bill passed, it would be “the greatest politicization of military action in the history of the country.”


This morning, Webb fought back. “The traditional operational policy has been if you’re gone for a year, you get two years back. We’re now in a situation where the soldiers and the Marines are having less than a 1 to 1 ratio.” Webb said. Turning to Graham, he added, “And somebody needs to speak up for them rather than defending what this President has been doing.”


“May I speak!” Webb said, as Graham tried to interrupt him. “This is one thing I really take objection to,” he said, “is politicians who try to put their political views into the mouths of soldiers.” Watch it:




Webb’s amendment would have required the Bush administration to provide at least a year of rest for every year that a member of the Armed Forces was deployed overseas. The amendment provided three years of rest for National Guard soldiers. In the vote to end the filibuster, 56 bipartisan members supported Webb’s amendment, less than the 60 needed to end debate.


This morning, when Graham tried to claim that he’s a qualified voice to speak on behalf of all soldiers because he has been to Iraq, Webb countered, “You go and see the dog-and-pony shows.” Webb scolded Graham, “Don’t put political words into [the soldier’s] mouth.”


Digg It!


UPDATE: Commenters Ann and Katy note Webb’s son has served in Iraq, but he refused to bring that into the debate this morning.

(Via Think Progress.)