Today I checked in on this platform, as PHP powers WordPress, which is this blog platform. I self host, on my own VM (EC2 Instance), sitting behind Amazon CloudFront.
CloudFront is natively providing some protection, as only specific URLs I expose have support for HTTP POST actions. Most URLs only accept HTTP GET.
But there’s another power move: I’m running Debian; and the Debian team had patched PHP versions out earlier today. But on top of that, I have automated package installation active.
You can too, with:
dpkg-reconfigure -plow unattended-upgrades
So when I checked in my system today, it was already patched.
Meanwhile, we see legacy organisations panicing, taking systems offline, or worse – doing nothing and remaining vulnerable.
It reminds me of the recent article where an individual in Australia used an AI tool to try and book a gym session, and the AI tool found the API was unprotected, and proceeded to cancel someone else’s booking to take their slot. The issue is not the AI tool; is the unprotected vulnerable API.
Do better, people. Patch, secure, authenticate, log, provide minimal exposure. Use AI tooling to help you. Get experts in. Experience counts.
I am very pleased to share that my first book, AWS Cloud Migration Considerations, is now available to purchase in paperback (ISBN 13: 978-1-7649507-0-1).
This work started as a collection of blog posts in the early 2020s, but I kept refining, rewriting, expanding and changing it to the point that it became too much to be a series of blog posts. With a few pushes from friends in the industry, I started to think about self-publishing.
What came out of this are the perspectives that I have gained in AWS Cloud Migration space.
Why listen to me?
For those new here, why would you care about what I say? Lets condense it to a list:
I am the world’s longest AWS-certificate person, with an AWS Solutions Architect – Associate cert from January 2013, to today.
I spent almost three years as the (only) security solution architect at AWS for the Australia and New Zealand market
During my time at AWS, I served on the Global security & compliance board, helping select which compliance programs AWS would apply for in my part of the world, in particular in Australia
I was around the 10th AWS employee in Australia, and the first in Western Australia, opening the office in Perth in April 2012
I ran a global AWS Consulting practice within the Adecco Group for 12 years, peaking in the top 100 of all AWS partners worldwide (by count of recognised AWS certifications in my teams)
I have a background in Linux and Open Source , Networking, and implementing and operating internet facing systems at scale: ecommerce, advertising, financial services, lands industry, and higher education; systems of record and critical national infrastructure
I have held national governemnt seurity clearance(s)
I have used AWS since 2008, which is a fair amount of the time its been around for now
I have been inside (one of the halls of) US-East-1
I have used GovCloud (USA), and AWS China, as well as many of the AWS Commercial Partition Regions, and did a speaking tour of Germany around the European Sovereign Cloud region
So why buy my book?
Well, I am experimenting in this – perhaps it may be easier to share my thoughts in long-form in print, and have it count for something. Different people consume ideas and approaches via different medium, and a traditional physical print works for some.
They say everyone has a book in them, trying to get out. Well, this is my first one. There’s something permanent about print as well. A nice touch I can do a soppy dedication to my wife and children too.
What do I get from each book sale?
After tax, it’s about the price of a cup of coffee.
How many copies do I think I will sell?
Huh, I really don’t know. Stay tuned and we’ll see.
Will I do a Kindle/ePub version?
Perhaps, but not right now; I’d need a good reason to. I have the ISBNs (every variant/medium needs its own unique ISBN), but perhaps need the time, funding and motivation.
Do you have another book to write?
I keep thinking of doing a picture book of my small dog, Gracie (a 7 year old Moodle, a white fluffball with brown ears). She has a habit of finding socks and then redistributing them through the house, and occasionally outside. I think it would be called “Gracie The Sock Thief“, and be a set of photos when I have caught her “red handed”, or more “sock-in-mouth” on her dastardly deed.
Do I have more cloud advice to share?
Oh yes. But I don’t know if it’s going to be a book.
What about a book tour/book launch?
Many people have said you don’t write a book to make money”. Well, there’s no money (currently) for a tour, unless that tour is from my house to the middle of Perth ($2.80 on public transport, or $12 for a day of parking)! If you have suggestions or invites, LMK!
Can I come and talk at your AWS User Group?
Travel permitting, I would love to. I started the AWS User Group in Perth, have presetened there many times, as well as many other User Groups (see https://cv.jamesbromberger.com for a longer list).
Can you come and talk to my organisation about Cloud?
Sure, please check out my consulting brand https://nephology.net.au/. I can travel pretty much anywhere within reason (and per diem).
