Bruce Schneier

infobox scientist

---

name = Bruce Schneier
birth_date = Birth date and age|1963|1|15|df=y
residence =
citizenship =
field = Computer science
work_institutions = Counterpane Internet Security
Bell Labs
United States Department of Defense
BT Group
alma_mater = American University
University of Rochester
known_for = Cryptography, security

Bruce Schneier (born 15 January 1963) is an American cryptographer, computer security specialist, and writer. He is the author of several books on computer security and cryptography, and is the founder and chief technology officer of BT Counterpane, formerly Counterpane Internet Security, Inc.

Education

Originally from New York City, Schneier currently lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Schneier has a Master's degree in computer science from American University and a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from the University of Rochester. Before Counterpane, he worked at the United States Department of Defense and then AT&T Bell Labs. In August 1999, Schneier founded Counterpane Internet Security. Counterpane was acquired by BT in October 2006, and is now known as BT Managed Security Solutions. Schneier is currently the Chief Security Technology Officer of BT.

Writings on cryptography

Schneier's "Applied Cryptography" is a popular reference work for cryptography. Schneier has designed or co-designed several cryptographic algorithms, including the Blowfish, Twofish and MacGuffin block ciphers, the Helix and Phelix stream ciphers, and the Yarrow and Fortuna cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generators. "Solitaire" is a cryptographic algorithm developed by Schneier for use by people without access to a computer, called "Pontifex" in Neal Stephenson's novel "Cryptonomicon."

However, Schneier now denounces his early success as a naive, mathematical, and ivory tower view of what is inherently a people problem. In "Applied Cryptography", he implies that correctly implemented algorithms and technology promise safety and secrecy, and that following security protocol ensures security, regardless of the behavior of others. Schneier now argues that the incontrovertible mathematical guarantees miss the point. As he describes in "Secrets and Lies", a business which uses RSA encryption to protect its data without considering how the cryptographic keys are handled by employees on "complex, unstable, buggy" computers has failed to properly protect the information. An actual security solution that includes technology must also take into account the vagaries of hardware, software, networks, people, economics, and business. Schneier is now referring people trying to implement actually secure systems to his new book with Niels Ferguson, "Practical Cryptography."

Writings on computer security and general security

In 2000, Schneier published "Secrets and Lies: Digital Security in a Networked World". In 2003, Schneier published "".

Schneier writes a freely available monthly Internet newsletter on computer and other security issues, "Crypto-Gram", as well as a security weblog, "Schneier on Security". The weblog started out as a way to publish essays before they appeared in Crypto-Gram, making it possible for others to comment on them while the stories were still current, but over time the newsletter became a monthly email version of the blog, re-edited and re-organized.cite web |url= http://www.rebeccablood.net/bloggerson/bruceschneier.html |title= Bruce Schneier |accessdate= 2007-04-19 |last= Blood |first= Rebecca |date= |year= 2007 |month= January |work= Bloggers on Blogging] Schneier is frequently quoted in the press on computer and other security issues, pointing out flaws in security and cryptographic implementations ranging from biometrics to airline security after the September 11, 2001 attacks. He also writes "Security Matters", a regular column for Wired Magazine.cite web |url=http://www.wired.com/commentary/securitymatters | title=Security Matters | accessdate=2008-03-10 | last=Schneier | first=Bruce | work=Wired Magazine]

Other writing

Schneier and his wife, Karen Cooper, write restaurant reviews for a number of Minneapolis papers, including the "Star Tribune".cite news |url = http://www.schneier.com/news-020.html |title = Encryption Expert Teaches Security |date = 2006-06-24 |publisher = Associated Press ]

Schneier and Cooper were nominated in 2000 for the Hugo Award, in the category of Best Related Book, for their "Minicon 34 Restaurant Guide", a work originally published for the Minneapolis science fiction convention Minicon which gained a readership internationally in science fiction fandom for its wit and good humor.cite news | url = http://www.locusmag.com/2000/News/News04d.html | title = Hugo Awards Nominations | date = 2000-04-21 | work = Locus Magazine ]

Individual-i

Schneier designed the "individual-i" symbol and released it into public domain to promote individual rights.

In popular culture

Schneier's name appears in the novel "The Da Vinci Code":

Schneier is featured on the Everybody Loves Eric Raymond website in a parody of Chuck Norris Facts called "Bruce Schneier Facts", featuring such "facts" as "Most people use passwords. Some people use passphrases. Bruce Schneier uses an epic passpoem, detailing the life and works of seven mythical Norse heroes." Schneier has noted his approval.cite web |title= Bruce Schneier Facts |url= http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2006/08/bruce_schneier.html |first= Bruce |last= Schneier |date= 2006-08-16 |accessdate= 2007-04-18 |work= Schneier on Security |quote= Some of these are pretty funny. ]

Publications

* Schneier, Bruce. "Applied Cryptography", John Wiley & Sons, 1994. ISBN 0-471-59756-2
* Schneier, Bruce. "Protect Your Macintosh", Peachpit Press, 1994. ISBN 1-56609-101-2
* Schneier, Bruce. "E-Mail Security", John Wiley & Sons, 1995. ISBN 0-471-05318-X
* Schneier, Bruce. "Applied Cryptography", Second Edition, John Wiley & Sons, 1996. ISBN 0-471-11709-9
* Schneier, Bruce; Kelsey, John; Whiting, Doug; Wagner, David; Hall, Chris; Ferguson, Niels. "The Twofish Encryption Algorithm", John Wiley & Sons, 1996. ISBN 0-471-35381-7
* Schneier, Bruce; Banisar, David. "The Electronic Privacy Papers", John Wiley & Sons, 1997. ISBN 0-471-12297-1
* Schneier, Bruce. "Secrets and Lies: Digital Security in a Networked World", John Wiley & Sons, 2000. ISBN 0-471-25311-1
* Schneier, Bruce. "", Copernicus Books, 2003. ISBN 0-387-02620-7
* Ferguson, Niels; Schneier, Bruce. "Practical Cryptography", John Wiley & Sons, 2003. ISBN 0-471-22357-3

ee also

* Attack tree
* Failing badly
* Security theater
* Snake oil (cryptography)
* Schneier's Law

References

External links

* [http://www.schneier.com/ Personal website, Schneier.com] – includes [http://schneier.com/crypto-gram.html "Crypto-Gram" newsletter] and [http://schneier.com/blog/ "Schneier on Security" blog]
* [http://votingmachines.procon.org/viewsource.asp?ID=1175 Bruce Schneier] at [http://votingmachines.procon.org/ Voting Machines ProCon.org]
* [http://geekz.co.uk/schneierfacts humorous Bruce Schneier "facts"]
* [http://www.individual-i.com/ individual-i page]