Before continuing, I need to state that the proceedings of IANS forums are confidential. As such, I can’t (rather, won’t) communicate the details of the proceedings.

After a great keynote by Ken Minihan, today was about two things: focus topics and solution providers. The solution provider panel was quite interesting and was a unique experience. Picture an Army drill sergeant grilling a bunch of vendors.

My session went very well, I thought. We got a late start because the afternoon keynote (Bob Woodward) went long. So we ditched the slides and took a more informal approach to the topic. I find that people want to talk about certifications (or, more accurately, security testing, which encompasses more than just FIPS 140-2 or Common Criteria). It’s hard stuff. But it’s always an interesting topic because there are so many different experiences, insights, and visions.

The session concluded with a delegate-only debrief of the solution provider sessions. Again, very interesting stuff, and I apologize that I can’t summarize the details.

I really like the IANS approach in constructing these forums. The faculty is brilliant, and the delegates exhibit a level of experience, intelligence, and talent that made the event one of the best conferences/forums I have ever been involved in.