Ethan Rahn (er4hn)

This is the personal website of Ethan Rahn.

I am a software engineer, specializing in cybersecurity.

I deeply enjoy understanding a complex system, decomposing it, and finding where form does not meet intended function 🔍️

I am most familiar with securing products (this may be referred to as “blue team” stuff) 🛡️

I have an, unfortunate, familiarity with certification standards such as “FIPS 140” and “cPPND” (fka “Common Criteria”) 📝️

I enjoy reading about technology and imagining where it will take the world next.

Admittedly, I take a pessimistic worldview on this. I blame my time spent on cybersecurity for this 🤦️

Gmail Labels Don't Search Well

Gmail labels are conveinent, but don’t work well for finding unread messages. I explore why that is and how to improve it.

Biscuits - A tasty solution for AuthZ

Discussion of Biscuits, a novel type of bearer token for authZ

🔥 Take - Analysis of Security in Popular Messaging Apps

How to build a chat app that respects privacy and keeps its users safe.

(Suggested 📚) Turn the Ship Around!

Review of “Turn The Ship Around!” by L. David Marquet

SPHINCS+ - Step by Step

A walkthrough of the SPHINCS+ PQC algorithm

(Suggested 📚) Elon Musk

Review of “Elon Musk” by Walter Issacson

Tacit Knowledge is Dangerous

On the dangers of storing everything in your head, at scale.

(Suggested 📚) Becoming a Technical Leader

Review of “Becoming a Technical Leader” by Gerald Weinberg.

Good Docs Take Great Effort

Writing good documentation requires great effort to execute properly

Watchman vs. Bodyguard

Everything in Cybersec can be divided into two categories: Watchmen vs Bodyguards