Alex Collins’ Post

🚀 September has two incredible .NET events coming up! 🚀 Here's what to expect: 1️⃣ .NET Cardiff Meetup Partnering with Confused.com, we're excited to bring you two insightful talks covering the evolution of programming languages and innovative C# techniques. Whether you're interested in the philosophy of coding or seeking practical ways to improve your code, there's something for everyone! 📅 Event Details 🗓 Date: Thursday, 19th September 🕕 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 📍 Location: Confused.com, Greyfriars House, Cardiff 2️⃣ Exceptional Security at FISCAL Technologies Dive into the world of cybersecurity and exception handling with two fascinating talks on security strategies and programming best practices. 📅 Event Details 🗓 Date: Wednesday, 25th September 🕕 Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm 📍 Location: FISCAL Technologies Ltd, Reading Don't miss these opportunities to learn from top industry experts and network with fellow tech enthusiasts! To sign up for either event head down to the link in the comments! 👇 #DotNetCardiff #Cybersecurity #CSharp #BurpSuite #ConfusedDotCom #TechMeetup #FISCALTech #SoftwareEngineering

🚀 September has two incredible .NET events coming up! 🚀 Here's what to expect: 1️⃣ .NET Cardiff Meetup Partnering with Confused.com, we're excited to bring you two insightful talks covering the evolution of programming languages and innovative C# techniques. Whether you're interested in the philosophy of coding or seeking practical ways to improve your code, there's something for everyone! 📅 Event Details 🗓 Date: Thursday, 19th September 🕕 Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm 📍 Location: Confused.com, Greyfriars House, Cardiff 2️⃣ Exceptional Security at FISCAL Technologies Dive into the world of cybersecurity and exception handling with two fascinating talks on security strategies and programming best practices. 📅 Event Details 🗓 Date: Wednesday, 25th September 🕕 Time: 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm 📍 Location: FISCAL Technologies Ltd, Reading Don't miss these opportunities to learn from top industry experts and network with fellow tech enthusiasts! To sign up for either event head down to the link in the comments! 👇 #DotNetCardiff #Cybersecurity #CSharp #BurpSuite #ConfusedDotCom #TechMeetup #FISCALTech #SoftwareEngineering

🚨 The White House recently made a cybersecurity recommendation that's got a lot of people talking! 🗣️👂 In an attempt towards enhancing national cybersecurity, the Biden administration is urging developers to transition away from C and C++ in favor of memory-safe programming languages. Why, you ask? It's all about tackling those pesky buffer overflows and vulnerabilities that have been giving us sleepless nights. 😴💤 For years, C and C++ have been the backbone of software development, powering everything from operating systems to complex applications. But with great power comes great responsibility - and, unfortunately, a greater risk of memory safety issues. 🐛🔒 The White House's stance is clear: It's time to embrace languages designed with safety in mind, like Rust or Go, which significantly reduce the risk of these vulnerabilities. This isn't just about keeping our software secure; it's about safeguarding our digital infrastructure at a national level. 🛡️🇺🇸 Developers are no strangers to learning and evolving. Yes, transition might sound daunting, especially if you've spent decades mastering C or C++. But let's not forget, adapting to change is part of what makes you great. And in this case, it's also about making the digital world a safer place for everyone. 🌍❤️ So, what do you think? Is it time to say goodbye to our old friends C and C++ and start a new chapter with memory-safe languages? Or do you believe there's a middle ground to be found? 💬👇 #cybersecurity #SoftwareDevelopment #infosec #TechNews

🚀 Gothter: A New Frontier in IPS (Intrusion Prevention Systems)! 🚀 I’ve always been passionate about open source technologies, and my 2024 resolution was to pick up a new programming language and built a new project out of it. After couple of early mornings + weekends, countless cup of coffees, I’m excited to share this project with you all! Enter Gothter, my new Go-lang based intrusion prevention system inspired by Fail2ban. Key Features (Pre-alpha release): - Scanning of Unix authentication logs - Customizable patterns and real-time notifications - Efficient processing leveraging Go's concurrency Coming Soon: - Nginx and more bad bots log patterns matching - Systemd integration - Slack notifications - State management using database - GUI support - Docker log support - Enhanced log parsing for large files - Matching IPv6 As a new Go user, I’m eager to hear from experts and welcome any opinion or advice on this project! Give me a star on Github if you like it! https://lnkd.in/gwJyJpaU 📚 Lesson Learned: Our minds can trick us into procrastination and limit our potential. EMBRACE challenges, PUSH beyond our boundaries, and FOLLOW our heart. 🚀 #OpenSource #GoLang #CyberSecurity #DevOps #IPS #Gothter

Low-quality code can cause cybersecurity issues in the long-run, but what actually causes it? Swipe to learn about a few causes of low-quality source code so you know what to look out for when you’re working on your next project. #Coding #Developer #Code #SourceCode

Memory problems in your program = vulnerability = cyber attack. In conclusion, avoid programming languages like C and C++, unless you know what you are doing. However, I feel I owe a lot to these languages in understanding how computers work. And at the moment I see no replacement for them in embedded systems. Read the press report here:

🚀 Excited to Introduce "NetSleuth"! 🚀 I’m thrilled to announce the release of my latest project, NetSleuth—a powerful, user-friendly tool designed for retrieving detailed information about IP addresses and domain names! 🌟 Key Features: - IP Address Lookup: Get comprehensive details including location and ISP information. - Domain Name Lookup: Access whois data such as registrar, creation date, and name servers. - Sleek GUI: Enjoy a modern, responsive interface for an enhanced user experience. - Fast & Efficient: Multi-threading ensures the tool remains responsive during information retrieval. 🖥️ Built with Python and Tkinter, NetSleuth aims to simplify network investigations for developers, network administrators, and cybersecurity enthusiasts alike. 🔗 Check it out on GitHub: https://lnkd.in/gfFh3a3N Feel free to contribute, share your feedback, or suggest new features! Together, let’s make networking insights accessible for everyone. #NetSleuth #IPLookup #DomainLookup #Python #OpenSource #Networking #Cybersecurity

I started new course about “Principles of Secure Coding”, by Matthew Bishop,PhD. Exploring the nuances between robust programming and defensive programming reveals a fundamental distinction in how users engage with software systems. Robust programming emphasizes designing applications that can withstand unexpected inputs and usage scenarios, promoting resilience and reliability. On the other hand, defensive programming focuses on anticipating potential threats and vulnerabilities, implementing safeguards to protect sensitive data and system integrity. By understanding these core differences, developers can tailor their approaches to prioritize user interaction and experience, addressing psychological acceptability concerns through thoughtful privilege management and access control mechanisms. Embracing secure coding principles not only enhances the overall robustness of software systems but also fosters a sense of trust and confidence among users. #secureprogramming #coding #psychologicalacceptability #softwaredevelopment #cybersecurity

🚨 Attention developers and cybersecurity enthusiasts! Researchers have uncovered a critical vulnerability in the Visual Studio Code (VSCode) extensions ecosystem. 💻 In a shocking experiment, they created a trojanized version of the wildly popular "Dracula Official" theme, adding malicious code to collect system info from infected machines. 🕵️♂️ Despite its stealthy nature, the fake "Darcula" extension quickly spread to over 100 organizations worldwide, including a $483 billion company and major security firms! 😨 But that was just the tip of the iceberg. Digging deeper, the researchers found thousands of malicious extensions on the official VSCode Marketplace: 🔸 1,283 with known malware (229 million installs!) 🔸 8,161 communicating with shady IP addresses 🔸 1,452 running untrusted executables 🔸 2,304 ripping code from other publishers Some even harbored reverse shells, allowing a complete takeover of infected systems. 💣 And Microsoft's lackluster vetting allows malicious extensions to proliferate unchecked. This exposes a gaping hole in software supply chain security. As developers, we blindly trust extensions, unaware of the risks they pose to our systems and networks. 🔓 It's a wake-up call for all of us to: ✅ Scrutinize extensions before installing, even from trusted sources ✅ Keep environments patched and secure from exploitation ✅ Implement security monitoring for development workflows Let's discuss strategies to mitigate this threat and secure our software factories. The integrity of our code, and the systems we build, depends on it. 👇 #VSCodeSecurityAlert #DevSecOps

 The Hidden Power of Computer Networking in Today's Digital Age 🌐While the role of Python and Selenium is often highlighted in programming and testing, let's not underestimate the influence of robust computer networking skills. These skills have helped me not only in setting up networks but also in understanding the bigger picture of how internet applications operate efficiently. The key lessons from my experience with computer networking include: The critical role of security in network design. The impact of efficient network configuration on overall system performance. How networking knowledge supports troubleshooting and enhances teamwork. 📈 What are some pivotal moments in your career where understanding computer networking made a difference? Looking forward to your stories and tips! #Networking #DigitalAge #Cybersecurity #Teamwork