Lessons Learned From the Front Lines of Cybersecurity

Here I sit, in the chair at my desk after my third cup of coffee, and, well, that third cup usually does take hold about now, getting set to lay down some hard-earned lessons from the front lines of cyber. I’ve been in this space since 1993 balancing voice with data multiplexing on an internet over the PSTN. Back then, networking was an art form — a mix of patience, steel will and a splash of the miraculous. Today? It’s the madness at the crossroads of convenience and complicated threats.

But let’s go back a bit, because my path informs how I think about cybersecurity — and how I want to share that point of view, which I was recently inspired to do again through my participation at DefCon, where the hardware hacking village had me buzzing with ideas (and headaches).

Flashback: PSTN to the Pandemic Zero Trust

I think of the early 2000s and the ugly Slammer worm — boy, was Slammer that noxious guest who crashed the party unannounced and wrecked the joint as fast as you could say the word “blink.” That worm really spread fast and broad. And when the worm knocked at your door, it wasn’t just a technical scare; it was a reality check. I witnessed firsthand the damage it wrought; my years as a network admin gave me an appreciation of the fragility that underpins the backbone of the internet.

Cut to the present, and I now own my own security firm—P J Networks Pvt Ltd—and recently assisted three banks in ramping up their zero-trust infrastructure. Yes, banks. No pressure.

Spoiler: Zero trust isn’t a panacea — it’s a slog. You can’t just flip a switch and boom, you’re safe. You need granular access controls, constant vigilance, and you should always act as though the attacker is already inside (often, they are).

Quick Take: What Zero Trust Truly Means

• There are no automatic moral users or trusted devices.
• All requests for access are further validated in real-time.
• Least privilege is practiced—user only gets what he or she needs.
• Anomalies are detected through persistent monitoring or analysis.

Sounds great on paper, right? But here’s the kicker: A lot of orgs treat it as a checkbox. It’s not.

Password Policies Dont Get Me Started

Here’s the dirty secret — password policies get more than their fair share of blame for bad security when the people who administer them are just as likely to get it wrong. I am firmly in the complex password rotation schedules are worse than useless camp. A new password every 30 days? That’s like asking users to jot them down on post-its stuck under keyboards — and the funny part is? These ‘secure’ policies result in predictably reused passwords all over the place.

What I recommend instead:

• Motivate long passphrases verses complex gibberish.
• Use password managers everywhere (yes, that means on your phone, too).
• MFA (multi-factor authentication) has to be implemented — no debate.

There’s no use in having a strong lock if you leave the key under the doormat.

Hacker Conference DefCon and the Group Hardware Hacking Village

Just returned from DefCon, where I glorified in the Hardware Hacking Village for far too much. I mean, it’s wild how anything as safe as a network router or a firewall box can be breached simply because the provider has put that tiny vulnerable not-updated-in-a-while chip in it and not covered up its debug ports and implemented truly bad crypto.

It’s a Frankenstein’s monster for the digital age: you create these powerful creatures to save your digital world, but if the hardware itself is fatally flawed, it’s game over.

Here’s a quick guide on what I found:

• Physical access is your greatest enemy. Anybody who can get at your device, can probably own it.
• Security by obscurity? Forget it. Attackers have the common hardware stacks down pat.
• Supply chain matters. You need to be very thorough vetting your vendors.

Which brings me to another pet peeve: If you’re hearing AI-powered security — be skeptical. AI may sound sophisticated, but its scope usually races ahead of any practical use. There is nothing wrong with AI as an aide to security analysts, but you never can let your whole infrastructure be driven on autopilot by some opaque algorithm. Believe me - I have seen automation bring chaos, not clarity.

Real Learnings on Working With Banks

Banks are an interesting example because they’re compliance-obsessed but sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees. As I helped them to update their zero-trust configurations for protection, I learned:

• Compliance is not the same as security.
• The human factor is still the weak link.
• Segmentation saves lives.

We used concepts of micro-segmentation that isolates our valuable assets and implemented stringent RBAC (role-based access controls) upon it. But guess what? Even with firewalls and fancy tech, some banks still had suspect “back doors” in their legacy systems. Why? Not because anyone dared to turn off services that were decades old and that no one really knew how they worked.

Reminds me of some older tech I used to support, like those PSTN multiplexers— running systems so old, you’re likely to hear a steam whistle going off there once an hour. But they let the voice and data flow reliably. The old stuff is sometimes durable because it is simple.

Networking and Firewalls—Still The Foundation

One of the questions I get all the time is Cloud this Edge that Fancy tool this….my on-prem firewall still holds water? My answer: Absolutely. Firewalls, routers, servers that are kept up to date are akin to a car’s chassis, engine, and brakes. Sleek though the infotainment system may be, if the engine stops or brakes do not work, you are in trouble.

So here’s my message to my clients:

• Keep your firmware up to date (yes, we know it can be a pain).
• Implement layered firewalls — think perimeter and also microsegmentation inside.
• Watch the logs — not just with your software but also with human eyes.

And remember the routers: these are like your network’s toll booths, ushering traffic along safely. If your router firmware contains security flaws, bad guys could hijack traffic, listen in on your conversations, and much more.

A Word on Server Security

Your servers are the brains of your infrastructure. It doesn’t require rocket science to harden them, but takes discipline:

• Turn off the services you don’t use.
• Patch religiously No matter the type of update, always install security patches immediately or according to a schedule.
• Implement effective access controls (and do NOT share admin accounts).
• Users activity and audit logs should be regularly checked.

Oh, and don’t forget about the rapture of backups. A solid back up plan is like a good spare tire — you’re grateful that you have one when things go sideways.

Wrapping Up—Some Raw Truths

In other words, here’s what I’m really trying to say: After decades in the field, it all comes down to these:

• The destination of security is a journey.
• Technology will be part of the solution, but your defenses are typically only as good as the people in the rest of the organization.
• Nostalgia for old tech isn’t just for mushy sentimental types; sometimes it reminds us what durable actually means.

And yes, I fuck up too. Early in my career I accidentally rebooted a production switch during peak hours — the whole place laughed (and finally I laughed too). These are the moments that stay with you and make sure you stay humble.

So if you think of cybersecurity as a checklist, or a box to tick — well, it’s time to think again. Keep your lenses wide open.

And — please — take your coffee breaks seriously. ’Cause, let’s be real, that third cup is the magic one.

Stay safe out there, folks.