Every kind of mind
Apr 24th, 2024 by Jesper Kråkhede
The backdoor in xz utils was found by a person who noticed half a second. That says something about what kinds of people a security team needs.
Many organisations recruit for the same profile. Social, quick, good at presenting and selling ideas. Those people are important. Someone has to explain to management why the budget matters, and someone has to build relationships with the business.
But security also needs people who notice the tiny detail that doesn´t fit. People who read logs for hours and enjoy it. People who can´t let go of a question until it is answered. People who prefer a precise answer to a quick one, and who will tell you, directly, that something is wrong.
These people are not always the loudest in the room, and they are not always comfortable in a traditional interview or an open office. Many of them think in ways that differ from the majority. That is exactly why they see what others miss.
So for management: Look at how you recruit and how you work. Do your interviews reward only those who present themselves well? Can someone do their best work if they need quiet, clear instructions or a different way of communicating? Do you value the person who asks the uncomfortable question?
A team where everyone thinks alike will miss the same things. A team with every kind of mind sees more.
Attackers are creative. Your defenders need to be too, in every way.