Why It's All Snake Oil - And That May Be Ok

Explore the concept of "snake oil" in cybersecurity through this thought-provoking 42-minute conference talk from BSidesLV 2016. Delve into automata theory, Turing machines, and problem categories to understand why certain cybersecurity challenges are inherently difficult. Examine the Travelling Salesman Problem as an example of computational complexity. Investigate the limitations of von Neumann architecture and common protocol assumptions in cybersecurity. Analyze physical components and operational assumptions that impact security measures. Gain key insights into the fundamental challenges of cybersecurity and why seemingly simple solutions may not always be effective.

Intro
WHAT IS SNAKE OIL
AUTOMATA AND TURING
AUTOMATA AND PROBLEM CATEGORIES
TRAVELLING SALESMAN PROBLEM
WHY IS TRAVELLING SALESMAN HARD
Standing ovation?
AUTOMATA PROOF BY CONTRADICTION
WHAT ABOUT MALICIOUS TRAFFIC IN
VON NEUMANN ARCHITECTURE
IT'S PITCH BLACK AND YOURE LIKELY TO BE EATEN BY A GRUE
PROTOCOL ASSUMPTIONS
PHYSICAL COMPONENTS
OPERATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS
KEY LESSONS
QUESTIONS