About JP

Co-author of O'Reilly's bash Cookbook 2nd and bash Idioms.
Information Security and Linux engineer, Bash enthusiast, automation/tooling developer, and compulsive documenter.
Former Co-maintainer of the Snort.org RPMs.
Former “Infrastructure and Network Security (esp. Snort) expert” for SearchSecurity.TechTarget.com's “Ask the Expert” feature.

Bio:

JP has been working with computers since the early 1980s and has been in the IT industry since the early 1990s, specializing in Information Security since the late 1990s. He spent some of that time working as a consultant and many years as a Senior Security Engineer for Counterpane Internet Security (then British Telecom after they acquired Counterpane). He was also Director of Customer Support for SGP Technologies (Blackphone.ch) for a short while, but prefers hands-on technical work.

Mr. Vossen has worked with Linux, DOS, Windows, UNIX, VMS and AS/400 platforms, with duties ranging from first-level technical support to network and security architecture and design. He loves to work with Linux, Bash, Python, Perl, and other Open Source and Free Software. Unlike many of his technically inclined colleagues, he also enjoys writing and documentation, which has led to the publication of various InfoSec articles, scripts and tips, O’Reilly’s bash Cookbook 2nd, and bash Idioms.

He has worked with networks from Netware Lite and Netware 3.x on up to 30+ site TCP/IP WANs. He has written programs in COBOL, Pascal, C, BASIC, CMD Batch files, Bash, Perl, Python, and many application macro languages including VBScript. He has also been a beta tester for Microsoft (Win95 and NT4), Symantec, and others, and is still in Microsoft’s Insider program.

JP is also a CISSP and is or was a member of CSI, ISSA ( Delaware Valley), InfraGard (Philadelphia Chapter), SANS, PLUG, and other industry-related groups.

Job:

See my Resume and code on Github.

What I like to do:

I am a force multiplier: I really enjoy writing tools and documentation that make other people’s jobs easier, faster, and more reliable.

Write documentation, ideally in Markdown or AsciiDoc (I am a compulsive documenter).
- I love “Docs-as-Code” and have been doing that much longer than it’s had that name (I had .txt files in CVS).
Write “tools” in Ansible, Bash, Python, and Perl to simplify and automate things to make everyone’s job easier, faster, and to make processes more consistent and reliable.
Get code organized and into revision control.
Solve problems or find solutions (I am a compulsive troubleshooter).
- I find a problem or build a tool, document it, automate it, put it in version control, establish a repeatable process around it, and make sure nobody has to think about it again.
Build processes around tasks (which ties in to all of the above).
Work with Linux (mostly Debian and Linux Mint), and other Free and Open Source software.
Work with other smart people I can both learn from and teach.

I am a “maker” and work best with solid, uninterrupted blocks of time during which I can fully focus on a task (see Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule).

Certifications:

CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) #11049, granted March 4, 2000; current.
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE); late 1990’s.
CheckPoint Firewall-1 v3.x Certified Systems Engineer (CCSE); mid-late 1990’s.
WatchGuard Certified System Professional (WCSP); mid-late 1990’s.
Novell 3.x CNA (Certified Novell Administrator); mid 1990’s.

Tools:

See the Windows port of Logcheck page for my Windows port of logcheck, the famous UNIX log processing tool. You can also download the PowerPoint presentation I gave to the Philadelphia Area Network Technologies User Group ( PANTUG) on September 12, 2001.
I have written a couple of management scripts for CheckPoint Firewall-1 (LogSwap & CPFWBack). See my Firewall-1 tools section for more information.
I have also packaged an NTP service that will run on a really hardened NT server (unlike the non-free MS TimeServ service). See my Firewall-1 NTP tools section for more information.

Publications & Whitepapers:

NOTE: sadly, a lot of these links are dead due to paywalls and/or other link-rot. I’ve left them here as a reference just in case anyone really needs to try to track anything down.

Code on Github.
Co-author of O’Reilly’s bash Cookbook 2nd and bash Idioms.
Various presentations.
Volume XX, Number 3 (Summer 2004) the CSI Journal (Computer Security Institute, no longer online) had my “Scripting: Message Triage with Perl” article and Perl code.
All links dead or obsolete: My Network Security Tips and Snort FAQ at SearchSecurity.com ( Google search):
- 2005-05: Snort Technical Guide, an index to the Snort articles below:
- 2005-02: Beyond AV: Eliminating evasive malware.
  - I also got permission to post my original, longer article, which is otherwise All Rights Reserved, Copyright 2000 - 2005, TechTarget.
- 2004-12: How to verify that Snort is operating.
- 2004-11: Updating rules with Oinkmaster.
- 2004-10: Four ways to find Snort rules.
- 2004-09: How should I define Snort’s configuration variables?
- 2004-08: Modifying and writing custom Snort rules.
- 2004-07: How many interfaces does my sensor need?
- 2004-06: What OS should I use for my Snort sensor?
- 2004-05: Where should I place my IDS sensors?
- 2004-04: Network-based IDS: How to deal with switches and segments.
- 2004-03: Snort makes IDS worth the time and effort.
- 2004-02: Disconnecting desktops for network security.
- 2004-01: What is that Port?
- 2003-12: Predictions for IDS and IPS in 2004.
All links dead or obsolete: My answers to SearchSecurity.com’s “Ask the Expert” feature for Infrastructure and Network Security.
- 2004-01: What is the most cost-effective way to battle viruses?
- 2004-01: Using integrated security products.
- 2004-01: Is Snort better than proprietary IDS?
- 2004-01: The ABCs of intrusion detection.
- 2004-01: Firewall recommendations for a busy Web server.
All links dead or obsolete: Various articles in Information Security Magazine (now merged into SearchSecurity.com, so see the text in the Internet Archive):
- 2003-01: A review of ForeScout’s ActiveScout.
- 2002-06: A review of Harris’ STAT Neutralizer.
- 2002-02: An article and several sample scripts about “ Windows Security Scripting”. See also Sample Scripts, Scripting Resources and Shell Script Security. This is one of my favorites.
- 2001-04: A (500 word) product write-up of BindView Control.
- 2001-03: “ Kane Enable,” a (~ 3,000 word) review of Kane Security Analyst v5. (Note: I will not take the blame for the title, that goes to then Editor-In-Chief, Andy Briney. ;-)
A Whitepaper (PDF) and slideshow (PDF), Copyright 2002 AlphaNet Solutions (Not the one at https://www.alphanetsolutions.com/), called “Securing (Hardening) Windows Servers.” Also download the MoveTools batch file, then rename from .TXT to .CMD as needed. They were written for a “TechNet Workshop: Microsoft Security Solutions” presentation on January 22, 2002 at the Microsoft Greater PA Office in Malvern, PA.
A response–published in the February 2002 MCP Magazine’s “Certified Mail” (i.e. letters to the editor) section–to an article by Keith Ward entitled “ Gartner IIS Analysis Off-Target, Say Some Experts.” The piece is a well balanced discussion of a Gartner IIS Analysis that recommends against using Microsoft’s IIS. However, it does not address the fact that IIS must run in the “Local System” security context.
Reviewed and contributed to a draft of “The 60 Minute Network Security Guide (First Steps Towards a Secure Network Environment)” from the NSA Systems and Network Attack Center (SNAC). This was referenced at http://www.sans.org/newlook/resources/NSA_guide.htm, but that page is gone. I’d say check check the NSA Security Recommendation Guides site, but that’s also gone.
OnStream DI-30 Red Hat Backup mini-HOWTO .
Firewall Rule Base Best Practices .
NAT & Private IP Address Ranges : What NAT is and how and why you should use it in conjunction with “Private” or RFC1918 non-routable IP addresses.
I contributed my Port Database to the Snort project (see the credits section in About Snort), and to The Internet Ports Database.
A contribution to Rec.Humor.Funny. And another one to the R.H.F April 2005 one-liners file.
Link dead: Two pictures of my deck and the plastic lumber I used to build it appear in the Spring 2005 issue of Coastal Contractor magazine in Materials Report: Plastic Decking.

My Education:

I went to Oratory Prep High School, in Summit, NJ.

I also have a BSIS (BS Information Science) from The University of Pittsburgh.

My Hobbies and Interests include:

Reading, mostly hard science fiction and vampire books.
Target shooting, pistol, rifle and bow.
Experimenting with Information Security, Linux, Bash, Perl, Python.
SCUBA and skin diving (was PADI certified by O’Donnel Diving and Lahaina Divers in early 2001)! See also the Diver’s Alert Network and my SCUBA Pictures--Hawaii 2001 page.
Skydiving! I’ve only done one tandem jump so far, at the United Parachute Club but… :-)
Working on my car (up to late 2003 that was a ‘93 Honda Civic del Sol Si, now it’s the ‘04 Acura TL 6 speed).
- See my ASCII “circuit” diagram for a headlight buzzer for early 90s Civics, including the del Sol: here.
Rock climbing at the Philadelphia Rock Gym.
Fixing things and working around the house (see the infamous Plastic Deck ).
Woodworking and metalworking.
Kayaking on various local rivers in an Ocean Kayak Malibu Two. Our old one is pretty nice, the new one is much nicer.