Automating the Audit

Stop Staring at DNS Records If you are new to Information Security, you’ll quickly learn that visibility is your best friend. One of the first things I look at when assessing a domain’s posture is its DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance) record.  DMARC tells the world how to handle emails that claim to be Read More …

XMas Tree Chicken Bedding

Upcycling a Christmas tree as coop bedding is a clever way to provide extra insulation and enrichment for a flock. Pine and fir needles are naturally absorbent and can help manage odors in the coop, while the branches create great perching spots and “boredom busters” for chickens to peck at when they are spending more Read More …

A Powerful OSINT Tool for Username Discovery

The ability to gather intelligence efficiently is a foundational skill. One effective tool for early stages is Sherlock. Named after the legendary detective, Sherlock is an open-source, Python-based tool designed to help security professionals and researchers locate a specific username across hundreds of different websites and social media platforms simultaneously. How Sherlock Works Sherlock operates Read More …

SPA – Single-Page Application

Modern Web Architecture and Security This was a new term for me as I started putting together my most recent study guide. SPA, which stands for Single-Page Application.  While it sounds like a simple website, an SPA represents a fundamental shift in how web applications function, bringing unique challenges to the world of information security.  Read More …

Cloud Formation Example

Imagine you’re a System Administrator tasked with setting up a new environment.  Traditionally, this involves a long checklist: log into the console, click through menus to create a VPC, spin up three VMs, configure storage, attach security groups, and set up a load balancer. If you need a second environment for testing, you have to do Read More …

Our Mr. Stacky Vertical Garden Experiment

One of my core philosophies here is to try a new thing every season.  It keeps us learning, keeps the garden adaptable, and, most importantly, keeps us one step ahead of our five feathered garden “inspectors.”  This year, we’re taking our planting to new heights, literally, with a 5-piece Mr. Stacky vertical unit. Here is Read More …

Prelude to an Afternoon of A Chicken

Claude was a very famous composer who lived in a house filled with velvet shadows and heavy silence. Everyone expected him to write grand music about the crashing sea or the drifting clouds. But on this morning, Claude sat at his piano with a heavy sigh. His music felt stuck, like a rainy day that Read More …

Fine-Tuning an AI

We’ve talked about grounding (giving an AI a textbook to look at) and prompting (giving an AI clear instructions).  But sometimes, you don’t just want the AI to look at a book; you want the AI to become an expert in its bones.  This is called Fine-Tuning. Generalist vs. Specialist Think of a standard AI Read More …