Frank Thornton runs his own technology consulting firm, Blackthorn Systems, which specializes in information security and wireless networks. His specialties include wireless network architecture, design, and implementation, as well as network troubleshooting and optimization. An interest in amateur radio helped him bridge the gap between computers and wireless networks. Having learned at a young age which end of the soldering iron was hot, he has even been known to repair hardware on occasion. In addition to his computer and wireless interests, Frank was a law enforcement officer for many years. As a detective and forensics expert he has investigated approximately one hundred homicides and thousands of other crime scenes. Combining both professional interests, he was a member of the workgroup that established ANSI Standard "ANSI/NIST-CSL 1-1993 Data Format for the Interchange of Fingerprint Information."
Alan Bensky, MScEE, an electronics engineering consultant with over 25 years of experience in analog and digital design, management, and marketing. Specializing in wireless circuits and systems, Bensky has carried out projects for varied military and consumer applications. He is the author of Short-range Wireless Communication, Second Edition, published by Elsevier, 2004, and has written several articles in international and local publications. He has taught courses and gives lectures on radio engineering topics. Bensky is a senior member of IEEE.
Tony Bradley (CISSP-ISSAP) is the Guide for the Internet/Network Security site on About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. He has written for a variety of other Web sites and publications, including BizTech Magazine, PC World, SearchSecurity.com, WindowsNetworking.com, Smart Computing magazine, and Information Security magazine. Tony is a CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) and ISSAP (Information Systems Security Architecture Professional). He is Microsoft Certified as an MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) in Windows 2000 and an MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) in Windows NT. Tony is recognized by Microsoft as an MVP (Most Valuable Professional) in Windows security.On his About.com site, Tony has on average over 600,000 page views per month and over 30,000 subscribers to his weekly newsletter. Tony was also author of Essential Computer Security: Everyone’s Guide to E-mail, Internet, and Wireless Security (ISBN: 1597491144).
Chris Hurley is a Senior Penetration Tester in the Washington, DC area. He has more than 10 years of experience performing penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, and general INFOSEC grunt work. He is the founder of the WorldWide WarDrive, a four-year project to assess the security posture of wireless networks deployed throughout the world. Chris was also the original organizer of the DEF CON WarDriving contest. He is the lead author of WarDriving: Drive, Detect, Defend (Syngress Publishing, ISBN: 19318360305). He has contributed to several other Syngress publications, including Penetration Tester's Open Source Toolkit (ISBN: 1-5974490210), Stealing the Network: How to Own an Identity (ISBN: 1597490067), InfoSec Career Hacking (ISBN: 1597490113), and OS X for Hackers at Heart (ISBN: 1597490407). He has a BS from Angelo State University in Computer Science and a whole bunch of certifications to make himself feel important.
Steve Rackley completed a PhD in Experimental Physics at the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. Following a career spanning four decades in the energy industry, gaining experience in some of the main technologies that are key to geological carbon storage, he is currently a technical author, project consultant, and independent researcher into carbon capture and storage, and negative emissions technologies, with a particular interest in ocean based approaches.
John has over 25 years experience in the IT and security sector. He is an often sought management consultant for large enterprise and is currently a member of the Federal Communication Commission's Homeland Security Network Reliabiltiy and Interoperability Council Focus Group on Cybersecurity, working in the Voice over Internet Protocol workgroup.
James F. Ransome, Ph.D., CISSP, CISM, has over 30 years experience in security operations and technology assessment as a corporate security executive and positions within the intelligence, DoD, and federal law enforcement communities. He has a Ph.D. in information systems specializing in information security and is a member of Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), the International Honor Society for the Computing and Information Disciplines. He is currently Vice President of Integrated Information Security at CH2M HILL in Denver, CO.
George L. Stefanek, Ph.D., has over 18 years of experience as a systems administrator and manager of IS/IT departments. He has also consulted on information security issues for such clients as the U.S. Department of Defense.
