DNC Hunting for New CTO

The Democrats are looking for a chief technology officer. Yah, if you’re a highly-qualified IT type who is certified about 12 ways to sunset with different security credentials and have a firm grip on what’s loose and running wild on our supposedly friendly internet … you could be up to the task and should get in contact with the folks at the Democratic National Committee. No! This isn’t a steeeeeeking commercial. It’s news! Serious news! :::and an evil grin slowly creeps across my face:::


That should be my job! But I doubt the Dems could afford me, or all the necessary changes required to fix what is obviously terribly broken. Then there’s the matter that it would probably be too temporary a position. You see, the biggest problem that needs to be dealt with is a people problem. Most people don’t understand the risk and the level of their exposure.

Here’s a bad example … if you live in a tough neighborhood you might have steel bars covering your windows, one of those steel screen doors keeping potential bad guys out, a mean skeeery dog and an alarm system. But people in what they believe to be safer neighborhoods may not bother to deadbolt when they go out, leave their windows open and only when they come back and find things missing do they realize just how exposed they were. Kind’a like how the DNC felt about this time last year.

You might think it’s only email … and what *bad* could there be in your email? And who is going to be able to bust the password protecting that account using your favorite dog or middle child’s name? Even if you have a 12-letter password, if your email resides on a server that isn’t secure or one that has sloppy security protocols – well, your personal email could find its way to Wikileaks or a site dedicated to embarrass employees of a targeted company or corporation. Credit card numbers get stolen all the time. Bank accounts get looted. Email gets siphoned. It’s what happens in the real world – all the time.

I have a strong hunch the Republican servers were just as poorly protected and exposed as the DNC’s, but we didn’t hear or read about Republican emails all the way to election day. Did we? No, we didn’t...

The Dem’s probably didn’t allocate enough resources to protecting their servers, they may have had an underpaid and under qualified IT guy doing what he could just to keep the servers online. And who would’a thunk raiding the Chairman’s email account would reap treasures that could be weaponized (just ask Hillary), and the contents and meanings twisted beyond all recognition and belief? Barn door’s open, horses are long gone and chickens and goats are creating all kinds of mayhem in places they don’t belong.

This isn’t a problem exclusive to the DNC – it is a universal issue. Start with the basics – the strength of your own passwords, the security of the accounts and servers you use. Know the potential risks and stay aware of whatever risk is running loose in the wilds of the internet. It doesn’t help to get smart after the fact. And … if you’re a highly-qualified IT security specialist looking for a high exposure, high risk, very high pressure job – you might want to get in touch with the DNC.

DNC launches search for chief technologist to secure systems in wake of historic email leak