Dan Farmer
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|
Dan Farmer | |
|---|---|
 Dan Farmer in 2007 | |
| Born | 5 April 1962 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Purdue University |
| Known for |
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Dan Farmer (born April 5, 1962) is an American computer security researcher and programmer who was a pioneer in the development of vulnerability scanners for Unix operating systems and computer networks.[1]
Life and career
Farmer developed his first
Computer Oracle and Password System (COPS), comprises several small, specialized vulnerability scanners
designed to identify security weaknesses in one part of a Unix operating system.
In 1995, Farmer and
hackers would use it to identify and break into vulnerable computers. Consequently, SGI terminated Farmer's employment.[2] However, contrary to popular opinion, SATAN did not function as an automatic hacking program that undermined network security. Rather, it operated as an audit on network security that identified vulnerabilities and made suggestions to help prevent them. No information about how security vulnerabilities could be exploited was provided by the tool.[3] Within a few years, the use of vulnerability scanners
such as SATAN became an accepted method for auditing computer and network security.
He co-developed the Titan vulnerability scanner with Brad Powell and Matt Archibald, which they presented at the Large Installation System Administration Conference (LISA) in 1998.[4]
Farmer and Venema collaborated again to develop a computer forensics suite called The Coroner's Toolkit, and later coauthored Forensic Discovery (2005), a book about computer forensics.[5]
Farmer co-founded Elemental Security with Dayne Myers, and served as the corporation's
chief technical officer
.
References
- ^ Gibbs, W. W. (1997) Profile: Dan Farmer – From Satan to Zen, Scientific American 276(4), 32-34.
- Usenix. December 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- ^ Palmer, C. C. (2001). "Ethical Hacking" (PDF). IBM Systems Journal: 40.
- ^ "LISA 98 Technical Program". www.usenix.org. Retrieved 29 April 2023.
- ISBN 0-201-63497-X.
Bibliography
- Ortiz, Catalina (4 April 1995). "Computer Program to Find Security Holes Bedevils Some Experts". The Associated Press.