Reflections on Networking and Cybersecurity: Lessons from Three Decades

It’s 10:15 a.m., the caffeine from my third large coffee is finally waking up my brain and I am sitting at my desk thinking — after almost 30 years in networking and cybersecurity you’d think things would be easier. Spoiler: Nope. I got my start as a network admin in 1993, pulling cable for voice and data that would link us to the PSTN, while the Internet was still this weird new thing that most businesses weren’t quite convinced they had any use for. Fast forward, I saw first hand the mess that that worms like Slammer created – that little bugger was a wakeup call for everyone, including myself. Today, running my own security company, PJ Networks Pvt Ltd, and working with organizations — three banks only recently upgrading to zero-trust environments — I have plenty of stories, and, more importantly, lessons to share. So here’s a little taste of what it’s actually like (and a few caffeinated personal opinions, to boot).

The Roots of Networking: Why Old School Still Matters

Once upon a time, networking was all about keeping your wires and mux boxes ticking over and the voice/data calls dropping. Sure it felt like babysitting appliances at times, but it forced a respect for the physical—kind of lost on today’s cloud-heavy folks, I think. That obsession with solid, tested fundamentals still informs how I build security solutions today. If your base layer (firewalls, servers, routers, etc) is weak, AI powered spells won’t save you.

And yes — I do have my reservations about the term AI being tossed around like candy. It has become a buzzword in marketing because it sounds sleek and futuristic. But make no mistake: If you’re hanging all of your hopes on AI and ignoring good old network segmentation, patching and zero-trust models, you’re setting yourself up for a fall.

Lessons From Slammer: The Wake-Up Call

The Slammer worm was one of my earliest exposures to the fragility of network security back in 2003. It ripped through the SQL servers like wildfire — more like a nuclear fireball — disabling infrastructure in hours. I even remember the network traffic creeping up, the routers being overwhelmed and the management going into panic mode. All from a single vulnerability hit in the twinkling of an eye.

That episode confirmed a horrible truth: Perimeter D is dead.

That’s why I remain such a fan (to put it politely, an evangelist) of zero-trust. And the implementation I’ve seen recently of a zero-trust architecture for three large banks — well, that only confirmed we have to remain ever vigilant. You can’t just believe things in a network anymore. The thing about zero-trust is this:

• You never implicitly trust a user or device — not even if it is inside your network.
• All access requests are validated, authenticated, and authorized.
• Micro-segmentation: contains critical assets to decelerate the blast radius.

Funny enough? Still, a few organizations are treating zero-trust like a checkbox exercise. That’s my pet peeve — zero-trust is not a product, it is a mentality shift.

What Does It Mean For You hardware hacking描述

The DefCon Buzz: Hardware Hacking and What It Means for You

Just returned from DefCon (yes, jetlag + caffeine). The hardware hacking village is always an enlightening place. Seeing brilliant people pull apart routers, firewalls, network-attached storage, and even common Internet of Things gizmos is exciting — and terrifying. Because when those devices aren’t hardened, that’s your front door left wide open.

Here’s what the hardware hacking sessions made crystal clear:

• Secure your firmware. Magento tampering often begins with obsolete or unsigned firmware.
• You can’t treat physical security as an afterthought. If an attacker can pop open your hardware casing, all bets are off.
• Ancient default passwords on devices just keep on giving. Yes, I get it (and silently judge whenever I encounter it).

I frequently use an analogy I love — securing a network is like maintaining a classic car. You have to tune every detail: brakes, engine, wheels. A shiny new paint job (or flashy AI label) won’t repair a broken transmission.

Password Policies: Rant Alert

I’m going to take a bit of a Libre here and –password I should keep my mouth shut on password policy, they’re one of those things that makes me slightly grumpy. So many organizations require difficult-to-remember complex passwords, lock out users or jot their initials and passwords on sticky notes under keyboards. Brilliant?

Here’s what works better:

• Be like a boss; use passphrases — longer, easier to remember, and more secure.
• Promote multi-factor authentication.
• Stop mandating too frequent password changes (unless you have reasons to suspect compromise).

Side note: I love products like password managers, but they are only effective if your users actually use it properly.

Not your Average Security: It’s All About the Human Factor

So much tech, protocol and gadget, yet in the end, it’s people. Just last year, one of the banks we collaborate with came this close to being a victim of phishing that extended beyond the realm of spam. SC magazine Social engineering is advancing and it’s starting to become pretty darned convincing. That’s why, in addition to technical controls, I always recommend continuous training and real-world drills. Knowledge is power when it comes to your defense.

Quick Take: If You’re in a Rush

• Don’t forget the network basics– solid hardware and patched systems make up the backbone.
• Zero-trust is not a product, it’s a way of thinking. Do it right, yes, but not halfheartedly.
• Physical and firmware security of your devices is more important than you might think.
• Re-evaluate your password policies — complexity ≠ security.
• Train your people — who are often the weakest link in your organization’s security protocols (social engineering is often a favorite tactic of attackers).

Conclusion — What I wish I had known PUBG.

If I were to travel back in a time machine to 1993, I’d have some words of advice for that younger version of me about being even more mindful of security from day one. Yes, the technology was different — the threats evolved, too — but the principle stands: defense in depth is king.

And one last thing — be skeptical. Skepticism leads to innovation and adversity. There is no one way to do this so building in that security in layers with pragmatic, tested approaches is the best you got.

Please forgive the disjointed, caffeinated ramble I have taken you on here. Let me know if you’d like to discuss zero-trust, hardware hacking, or the best way not to go crazy over password policies. Until that day, be careful out there, be curious and maybe pick up another cup coffee.