|
Jonathan Callas, CTO, CSO and co-founder, PGP Corp.
Jonathan Callas is the CTO and founder of PGP Corp. He is an
acknowledged expert in all major aspects of contemporary business security,
including cryptography, operating system security, public key infrastructure
and intellectual property rights. He has worked for a number of companies
including Wave Systems, Counterpane Internet Security, Network
Associates/PGP Inc., Apple Computer and Digital Equipment. Jon is
frequently called upon to share his in-depth knowledge of system security
and intellectual property issues. He has appeared at professional
conferences sponsored by such organizations as SANS, CSI, University of
Waterloo, DIMACS, Financial Cryptography, The Gartner Group and MacCrypto,
and his technical papers have subsequently been published. His work with
industry groups on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act took him to the U.S.
Congress, where Jon testified on intellectual property issues in 1998.
More about Jon...
How did you get started in security? I've always liked the social aspects of computers, including timesharing, collaboration, multi-user games, so on and so forth. That leads you smack into security when you need to keep people out of each other's stuff.
I started in security when I was working on operating systems at DEC. One of the great things about working in computers there and then was that you could do almost anything that interested you. So you could do a wide range of things.
I later got into collaboration tools and was unusual for wanting to put access controls, information security, and other things into them. It was during that time when I started working seriously with cryptography, to protect the network links. That led me to a job at the original PGP Inc.
What non-IT related job experience have you had? I've been a symphony musician, actor and playwright. I learned that those cliches about starving musicians aren't just jokes and decided IT was a better career move.
What work-related accomplishment are you most proud of? That's a hard thing to answer. Which of your children are you most proud of, sir? I'm proud of my work in operating systems and graphics. I am proud of Meeting Space, my collaboration product that was literally a decade ahead of its time. I am proud of the Counterpane monitoring network. Most relevantly to this, however, it would be the work that I and a number other people did getting PGP to be the first cryptography product that could be freely, legally exported from the United States.
Who has influenced you most as a security professional? Again, there's that "most" word that makes it hard to answer. Development as a professional comes from learning many small lessons. Here are some quick credits. Larry Kenah, who taught me to relentlessly ask, "What problem are you trying to solve?" Phil Miller, who taught me to think ahead to what your project will need a month from now. Darrell Lotz, who foisted The Mythical Man-Month on me. Fred Brooks, whom I've never met, but who wrote said book, which is as relevant today as it was a few decades ago. Wayne Cardoza, who taught me to write software that you wouldn't be ashamed to have running the plane you're flying in. Gurshuran Sidhu, who taught me that you can actually bargain with regulators and win. Jim Burrows, who insisted that good people should work with technologies that can be misused, because if they don't, only the questionable people will.
What is your favorite piece of hardware or software? That's a nasty question to ask a fellow who's the CTO of a software company. I'll exempt PGP from that, as there's no information in that answer. It has to be my nifty Titanium PowerBook, which is the best Unix system I have ever, ever used.
What are your hobbies? At the top of the list are computers and cars. I play on the Internet. I like antique sports cars (I'm a Morgan driver). I read. I listen to a lot of music. I love travel. I like good food and good wine.
What one book would you like to be stranded with on a desert island, and why? It would be Jurgen, by James Branch Cabell. Let's face it, if you're on a desert island, you don't need books about security or computers. You can catch up if and when you get back.
Jurgen is funny, bawdy, and the language in it is so luscious you can eat it with a spoon. It is a book from the era when books were made to be read and reread, and can hold up to it.
What do you like the best about your job? Getting to do things over again, better than they were before.
What do you like least? Not having enough hours in the day to make sure the above actually happens.
What words of wisdom do you give to other security professionals? The best security is one that people will actually use. |
