Impractical security for the insanely paranoid

We are very pleased to welcome back Tim Nash from 34SP, a hosting company and also one of our lovely sponsors, to join us this August to take his teachings on security to the next level.

Tim is the WordPress Platform Lead for 34SP.com, a managed WordPress host. His job is a mix of Dev/Sec/Ops with an unhealthy dose of project management thrown in. He is also one of the co-organisers of WordPress Leeds, as well as a regular speaker and a less frequent writer and video presenter.

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The evening will be split into two topics:

Server Side Hardening

In this section, Tim will look at some options for hardening a linux-based server to host a WordPress website, with emphasis on common open source tooling.

Learning outcomes:

• You won't like Linux very much anymore
• You will gain one level in posix understanding
• You will be smug in learning many things most of which someone else should be doing.

We will then take a short break, and if your brain can handle some more, we'll move into the second half of the evening:

Code Auditing and Pen Testing

In this section, Tim will talk about how to review and test code, looking for vulnerabilities and introducing the concept of defensive coding.

Learning outcomes:

• You will be able to bluff people into believing that your imaginary testing regime is even more robust
• You will gain a new class "hacker"
• You will be less smug then before, as this section is very much things everyone could do but you won't because its far to much like hard work so instead will simply feel guilty.

Skill level: Intermediate, Advanced

@tnash / timnash.co.uk
@34sp / 34sp.com

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*If you find you can no longer make this meeting please do change your RSVP. As we provide food for these events it is helpful for us to know what number to cater for. Thanks.

Please arrive from 6.30pm. You will be greeted by our friendly and knowledgable volunteers who will help you get your name badge and get settled in. We aim to start the talks at around 7pm so there's plenty of time to meet our other members, get a drink and have a graze from the buffet we provide thanks to our generous sponsors.

We usually start the night off with some updates about what's happening in the local and national WordPress community and members are welcome to add their own updates. Speak to one of the organisers wearing a red name badge before we start if you'd like to say or ask something.

After the first talk we take a break and then have our second talk. Following that if you want to stick around a few of us usually hang around for another drink and chat. The talks usually finish around 9.15pm (ish).

We will be upstairs in the function room, here is a handy video showing you how to get there: https://www.instagram.com/p/BGy9lM_wC_w/