Winn Schwartau

Winn Schwartau Profile

Winn Schwartau, one of the country′s leading experts on information security, infrastructure protection and electronic privacy is often referred to as “the civilian architect of information warfare.” He coined the term “Electronic Pearl Harbor” and was the Project Lead of the Manhattan Cyber Project Information Warfare and Electronic Civil Defense Team. Today, he balances his time between writing, lecturing, building corporate and national security awareness programs and consulting.

Schwartau′s recent book, Cybershock is a non-technical look at hackers, hacking and how security affects families, companies and nations. It is meant for the average computer user or for organizations to help make their staffs aware of security concerns in the workplace.

His prior critically acclaimed publication Time Based Security, (1999) redefines the needs and premises of information security by offering a means to measure security in the protection of networks. His first non-fiction book, Information Warfare: Chaos on the Electronic Superhighway is the seminal work on the subject and became an instant ′must-read′ security classic. It is a compelling, analysis of personal privacy, economic and industrial espionage, national security and defense. He calls for the creation of a National Information Policy, a Constitution in Cyberspace and an Electronic Bill of Rights. The sequel, Information Warfare: Cyberterrorism, Second Edition, was released in 1997. Published in May of 1996, his Complete Internet Business Toolkit is one of the first books to ever be banned from export out of the United States. He was a major contributor to both of AFCEA′ s Cyberwars Books and several international books on CyberWar and Espionage.

Mr. Schwartau is also the author of the prophetic 1991 novel, Terminal Compromise which details a fictionalized account of an information war waged on the United States. This book predicted a number of cyber-events, including the Clipper Chip, chipping, magnetic weapons′ assaults, data and hardware viruses, to name a few. He other popular writings include CyberChrist Meets Lady Luck and CyberChrist Bites the Big Apple, which cover underground hacker events, Firewalls 101 for DPI Press, Information Warfare, Mehrwert Information (Schaffer/Poeschel, Germany), for Introduction to Internet Security for DGI and MecklerMedia, several chapters for Auerbach′s Internet and Internetworking Security Handbook and Ethical Conundra of Information Warfare for AFCEA Press.

With hundreds of credits to his name, his articles and often controversial editorial pieces have appeared in Wired, NY Times, Information Week, Network World, ComputerWorld, Network Security, St. Petersburg Times, Internet World, Virus Bulletin, Security Management, Infoworld, PC Week, etc. He has been profiled in magazines and newspapers around the world.

As an acknowledged global expert in the field of information security, Mr. Schwartau has testified before Congress, advised committees and has consulted as an expert witness. He appears regularly TV shows such as Larry King, Nightline, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNBC, Australian TV, as well as hundreds of radio shows nationwide. He has been featured on dozens of documentaries including the Discovery Channel, A&E, History, BBC, CBC, Encounters, Now It Can Be Told among others.

Past president, American Computer Security Industries, Inc. Mr. Schwartau developed the COMPSEC security technology, which is the foundation of the Novel′s C2 secure Netware. His work has received a coveted slot on the National Computer Security Center′s (NSA′s) Evaluated Product List. He also developed the ENIGMA and ENIX.SYS security systems.

Professional Speaker and Seminar Leader
Mr. Schwartau is a popular and entertaining keynote speaker and interactive seminar leader who always keeps his audiences awake with thought provoking insights and commentary. His recent lectures have included: Banking Association, West Point, CitiCorp, UBS International, SUN Microsystems Security Tour. NASA, FBI, NATO, Sandia National Labs, Naval Postgraduate School, Swedish Government, SCIP France, IIR Australia, Dutch Police, Too Many Financial Organizations To Recall, US Air Force Academy, Information Warfare Conferences, Electronic Funds Transfer Assoc., ISACA, Military Intelligence, Cooper′s and Lybrand, Florida Law Enforcement, ASIS, IBM, ISSA, JWAC, Aerospace Industries Assoc., Society for Competitive Intelligence, RACF, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, International Virus Bulletin Conference, Open Sources Solutions, American Computer Telecommunications Association, Computer Security Institute, Federal Communications Conference, MIS Training Institute, ISSS, NCSA, civic groups and Chambers of Commerce.

Additional Background

• Founder and Co-Sponsor: InfowarCon Conferences on Security, IW and infrastructure assurance, 1994 – Brussels, Belgium, London, and US.
• Contributing Editor: Infosecurity Magazine
• Editorial Board Advisor, Network Security Magazine, (Elsevier), U.K.
• Contributor and Columnist, Network World (1994 – )
• Consulting Security Expert: Giga Information Group
• Advisory Board Member, Click2Send
• Senior Editor, CartaCapital, Brazil
• Editorial Columnist and Security Features Contributing Editor, Network World
• Member, Editorial Board of Advisors, InfoSecurity News, 1990 –
• Publisher and Founder, Security Insider Report (1992 – sold 1997)
• Contributing Editor: Secure Computing Online (Scandinavia)
• Security Columnist: PlanetIT, CMP Publications
• Member, Board of Directors, Tritheum Technologies, (company sold 1998)
• Member, New York Institute of Technology Criminal Justice Advisory Board
• Host daily Radio Show, On the Line by New Media Entertainment (1998-1999)
• Member, Board of Directors, HomeCom, Inc. Atlanta, GA (1996-1997)
• Member, Board of Advisors, IBIT, International Banking Information Technology, Liechtenstein (1995-1997)
• Technologist Advisor, National Computer Security Association (1990-1997)
• Contributing Editor, Internet World (1994-1996)
• Security Technologist to the International Security Systems Symposium Seminars.
• Commentary Editor and Columnist: “Security Insider,” Security Technology News, Phillips Publications. (1992-1995)
• Member, Editorial Board of Advisors, Crisis Magazine (1988-1994)
• Former Architectural Security Consultant to Hughes STX on Enterprise security network architectures, design and implementation.