Robert Slade
Encyclopedia
Robert Michael Slade, also known as Robert M. Slade and Rob Slade, is an information security
consultant, researcher and instructor from North Vancouver
, British Columbia
, Canada
. He is the author of Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses, Software Forensics, Dictionary of Information Security and co-author of Viruses Revealed. Slade is the author of thousands of technical book reviews, today published on the techbooks mailing list and in the RISKS Digest
, and archived in his Internet Review Project. An expert on computer virus
es and malware
, he is also the Mr. Slade of "Mr. Slade's lists".
, a master's in computer and information science education from the University of Oregon
and a diploma in Christian studies from Regent College
.
. Fred Cohen
named Slade's early work organizing computer virus
es, software, BBS
es and book reviews Mr. Slade's lists. Slade is one of fewer than thirty people worldwide who are credited for contributions in the final version of the VIRUS-L FAQ, which, with the Usenet group comp.virus and the VIRUS-L mailing list, was the public group of record for computer virus issues from 1988 to 1995. Until 1996 he maintained the Antiviral Software Evaluation FAQ, a quick reference for users seeking antivirus software and a vendor contacts list. He was a contributor as well to at least three other group computer virus FAQs before the Web came to prominence. His books about viruses were first published in 1994 and 2001.
Slade advanced the field of computer forensics
when through his antivirus research he found that the intentions and identity of virus authors can be discovered in their program code. He created the first course ever offered in forensic programming. His book Software Forensics was published in 2004 and his chapter on the subject is in print in the Information Security Management Handbook as of the fifth edition.
, MacDonald Dettwiler
, and the University of Phoenix
. Slade creates seminars for local, federal and international training groups. He is a senior instructor for (ISC)² where he develops courses in information security and quality assurance
(QA) for those who seek certification. Slade himself is one of the world's approximately 60,000 CISSP
s, a certification used in private industry as well as, at least in the United States
, in government and defense.
Slade moved his online security glossary in 2006 to the book Dictionary of Information Security. Virus Bulletin
remarked about the unusual collection of five forewords, "that so many acknowledged experts are willing to contribute says something about the author's standing in the field"—the forewords were written by Fred Cohen
, Jack Holleran, Peter G. Neumann
, Harold Tipton and Gene Spafford
. The dictionary is considered to be "dependable baseline definitions" and a "citable, common source".
Information security
Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction....
consultant, researcher and instructor from North Vancouver
North Vancouver, British Columbia
There are two municipalities in the Greater Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, that use the name North Vancouver. These are:*The City of North Vancouver...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is the author of Robert Slade's Guide to Computer Viruses, Software Forensics, Dictionary of Information Security and co-author of Viruses Revealed. Slade is the author of thousands of technical book reviews, today published on the techbooks mailing list and in the RISKS Digest
RISKS Digest
The RISKS Digest or Forum On Risks to the Public in Computers and Related Systems is an online periodical published since 1985 by the Committee on Computers and Public Policy of the Association for Computing Machinery. The editor is Peter G. Neumann....
, and archived in his Internet Review Project. An expert on computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
es and malware
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming that is designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, or gain unauthorized access to system resources, or that otherwise exhibits abusive behavior...
, he is also the Mr. Slade of "Mr. Slade's lists".
Family and education
Slade married Gloria J. Slade who edits much of his work and is the editor of Slade's book reviews. Their grandchildren appear in the From field of every review, in 2008 from "Rob, grandpa of Ryan, Trevor, Devon & Hannah". He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of British ColumbiaUniversity of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
, a master's in computer and information science education from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
and a diploma in Christian studies from Regent College
Regent College
Regent College is an international graduate school of Christian Studies, located next to the campus of the University of British Columbia in the University Endowment Lands west of Vancouver, British Columbia, and is an affiliated college of that university....
.
Malware and forensics
Slade became one of a small number of researchers who can be called the world's experts on malwareMalware
Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming that is designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, or gain unauthorized access to system resources, or that otherwise exhibits abusive behavior...
. Fred Cohen
Fred Cohen
Frederick B. Cohen is an American computer scientist and best known as the inventor of computer virus defense techniques.In 1983, while a student at the University of Southern California's School of Engineering , he wrote a program for a parasitic application that seized control of computer...
named Slade's early work organizing computer virus
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
es, software, BBS
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
es and book reviews Mr. Slade's lists. Slade is one of fewer than thirty people worldwide who are credited for contributions in the final version of the VIRUS-L FAQ, which, with the Usenet group comp.virus and the VIRUS-L mailing list, was the public group of record for computer virus issues from 1988 to 1995. Until 1996 he maintained the Antiviral Software Evaluation FAQ, a quick reference for users seeking antivirus software and a vendor contacts list. He was a contributor as well to at least three other group computer virus FAQs before the Web came to prominence. His books about viruses were first published in 1994 and 2001.
Slade advanced the field of computer forensics
Computer forensics
Computer forensics is a branch of digital forensic science pertaining to legal evidence found in computers and digital storage media...
when through his antivirus research he found that the intentions and identity of virus authors can be discovered in their program code. He created the first course ever offered in forensic programming. His book Software Forensics was published in 2004 and his chapter on the subject is in print in the Information Security Management Handbook as of the fifth edition.
Information security
Today Slade is a consultant to businesses and government—among his client list are Fortune 500 companies and the government of Canada—as well as to educational institutions. He created curricula and taught courses for Simon Fraser UniversitySimon Fraser University
Simon Fraser University is a Canadian public research university in British Columbia with its main campus on Burnaby Mountain in Burnaby, and satellite campuses in Vancouver and Surrey. The main campus in Burnaby, located from downtown Vancouver, was established in 1965 and has more than 34,000...
, MacDonald Dettwiler
MacDonald Dettwiler
MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd. is a Richmond, British Columbia-based Canadian aerospace, information services and products company, employing over 3000 people throughout Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, under the MDA brand name....
, and the University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix
The University of Phoenix is a for-profit institution of higher learning. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Apollo Group Inc. which is publicly traded , an S&P 500 corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona...
. Slade creates seminars for local, federal and international training groups. He is a senior instructor for (ISC)² where he develops courses in information security and quality assurance
Quality Assurance
Quality assurance, or QA for short, is the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service or facility to maximize the probability that minimum standards of quality are being attained by the production process...
(QA) for those who seek certification. Slade himself is one of the world's approximately 60,000 CISSP
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Certified Information Systems Security Professional is an independent information security certification governed by International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium ²...
s, a certification used in private industry as well as, at least in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in government and defense.
Slade moved his online security glossary in 2006 to the book Dictionary of Information Security. Virus Bulletin
Virus Bulletin
Virus Bulletin is a magazine about the prevention, detection and removal of malware and spam. It regularly features analyses of the latest virus threats, articles exploring new developments in the fight against viruses, interviews with anti-virus experts, and evaluations of current anti-malware...
remarked about the unusual collection of five forewords, "that so many acknowledged experts are willing to contribute says something about the author's standing in the field"—the forewords were written by Fred Cohen
Fred Cohen
Frederick B. Cohen is an American computer scientist and best known as the inventor of computer virus defense techniques.In 1983, while a student at the University of Southern California's School of Engineering , he wrote a program for a parasitic application that seized control of computer...
, Jack Holleran, Peter G. Neumann
Peter G. Neumann
Peter G. Neumann is a researcher who has worked on the Multics operating system in the 1960s. He edits the Computer Risks columns for ACM Software Engineering Notes and Communications of the ACM. He founded ACM SIGSOFT and is a Fellow of the ACM, IEEE and AAAS.He studied at Harvard University ,...
, Harold Tipton and Gene Spafford
Gene Spafford
Eugene Howard Spafford , commonly known as Spaf, is a professor of computer science at Purdue University and a leading computer security expert....
. The dictionary is considered to be "dependable baseline definitions" and a "citable, common source".