Iiridayn
@iiridayn.info
Iiridayn.info. Authentication-focused Usable Security Researcher, experienced web and embedded systems programmer, Linux sysadmin, and SkyLords.com operator. Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I like to filk, read, and game.
I had a recent conversation where someone struggled to identify a word to express a concept they had. Linguistic determinism is false. It is akin to saying humans cannot imagine or draw something they've never seen. Yet, artists have for millennia. The words for "thought" postdate thought.
September 14, 2026 at 10:21 PM
I had a recent conversation where someone struggled to identify a word to express a concept they had. Linguistic determinism is false. It is akin to saying humans cannot imagine or draw something they've never seen. Yet, artists have for millennia. The words for "thought" postdate thought.
As a #security practitioner, I feel it is crucial that I cultivate user #trust that any prohibitions I must issue are necessary and reasonable - that means sometimes not maximizing the "security dial" to improve _actual security_. #usablesecurity
September 4, 2026 at 10:07 PM
As a #security practitioner, I feel it is crucial that I cultivate user #trust that any prohibitions I must issue are necessary and reasonable - that means sometimes not maximizing the "security dial" to improve _actual security_. #usablesecurity
#Reinvented the approximate counting #algorithm today, when thinking about how to prevent #DoS by resource exhaustion when a small device is flooded with attacks, without ignoring their presence. Nice.
Approximate counting algorithm - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
September 4, 2026 at 9:47 AM
#Reinvented the approximate counting #algorithm today, when thinking about how to prevent #DoS by resource exhaustion when a small device is flooded with attacks, without ignoring their presence. Nice.
Saw a #chiropractor today about an arm and a leg. I was disappointed this visit was around half #woo, and the musculoskeletal part caused minimal improvement. Second time in around 20 years; not sure there's any value to making a third attempt. The previous one at least eschewed woo.
September 3, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Saw a #chiropractor today about an arm and a leg. I was disappointed this visit was around half #woo, and the musculoskeletal part caused minimal improvement. Second time in around 20 years; not sure there's any value to making a third attempt. The previous one at least eschewed woo.
Gave a good presentation at #SOUPS2026 on behalf of my excellent labmate, the first author. Really sad he wasn't able to attend himself due to US policy changes making international travel impose too great a risk of disrupting his studies.
www.usenix.org/conference/s...
www.usenix.org/conference/s...
Passkeys in the Wild: A Systematic Study of FIDO2 User Experience Consistency Across Websites | USENIX
www.usenix.org
August 27, 2026 at 11:48 PM
Gave a good presentation at #SOUPS2026 on behalf of my excellent labmate, the first author. Really sad he wasn't able to attend himself due to US policy changes making international travel impose too great a risk of disrupting his studies.
www.usenix.org/conference/s...
www.usenix.org/conference/s...
In computer #security, attackers often need just one gap; defenders need to guard them all. Common solutions: fewer ways in, and shared #knowledge. Defender #transparency - sharing code and techniques - benefits defenders more than attackers. Short #secrets have value, but #openness wins over time.
August 12, 2026 at 7:39 PM
In computer #security, attackers often need just one gap; defenders need to guard them all. Common solutions: fewer ways in, and shared #knowledge. Defender #transparency - sharing code and techniques - benefits defenders more than attackers. Short #secrets have value, but #openness wins over time.
#PSA please do not call someone a #bigot and storm out lest you reveal your own #bigotry against people who aren't #virtuesignaling enough as having compatible beliefs. #homophobia #transphobia #ai #generativeai #racism #vegan #environmentalism #partypolitics #religion #cancelculture #intolerance
August 6, 2026 at 8:36 PM
#PSA please do not call someone a #bigot and storm out lest you reveal your own #bigotry against people who aren't #virtuesignaling enough as having compatible beliefs. #homophobia #transphobia #ai #generativeai #racism #vegan #environmentalism #partypolitics #religion #cancelculture #intolerance
Defended #dissertation today. Slides: iiridayn.info/presentation...
Memorable Password Authentication
iiridayn.info
July 30, 2026 at 2:06 AM
Defended #dissertation today. Slides: iiridayn.info/presentation...
Took a #nap after #Church. Woke from a #dream where I was evangelizing #podman to my labmate. I was saying "it's so easy, you should try it!". Especially #funny since I was reluctant to use podman up until a couple years ago, sufficiently happy with packer/vagrant. #devops #technology
July 26, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Some #rules are #convention, some are natural law. Breaking the former can be #innovative. Breaking the latter usually #fails (unless supported by another natural law). I like to learn which is which - people say to "know the rules before you break them". #education
July 13, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Some #rules are #convention, some are natural law. Breaking the former can be #innovative. Breaking the latter usually #fails (unless supported by another natural law). I like to learn which is which - people say to "know the rules before you break them". #education
"If I had a nickle for every time" I was accused by my ISP of illegal filesharing, "I'd have two nickles - which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice." Both times the ISP realized they contacted the wrong IP.
July 7, 2026 at 7:57 PM
"If I had a nickle for every time" I was accused by my ISP of illegal filesharing, "I'd have two nickles - which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice." Both times the ISP realized they contacted the wrong IP.
I am #grateful for religious #liberty, and #pray that it may be strengthened throughout the world. I know that Jesus Christ lived, died, resurrected, and lives today. I endorse religious #freedom for those who do not share my beliefs. May we all support one another in free exercise of conscience.
July 5, 2026 at 5:47 PM
I love the meme sign "Warning: This #Machine Has No #Brain. Use Your Own". I think for #GenAI #AI #LLM writing, we should adapt it: "Warning: This Machine Has No #Taste. Use Your Own". They charge blindly ahead on whatever path they've randomly chosen. Users MUST guide them, or suffer bad output.
June 26, 2026 at 7:57 PM
#Security is often only increased. The best way I've found so far to reduce it is to establish a thorough #threatmodel and show the reduced burden remains adequate. For example, my online login passwords are just 8 random characters long. See the paper "Passwords and Cryptwords" for the rationale.
June 25, 2026 at 5:35 PM
#Security is often only increased. The best way I've found so far to reduce it is to establish a thorough #threatmodel and show the reduced burden remains adequate. For example, my online login passwords are just 8 random characters long. See the paper "Passwords and Cryptwords" for the rationale.
Helped labmate with paper shepherding. Still looking for employment opportunities. Will have to broaden my search a little, beyond teaching faculty positions.
June 15, 2026 at 11:40 AM
Helped labmate with paper shepherding. Still looking for employment opportunities. Will have to broaden my search a little, beyond teaching faculty positions.
#AI is new, but the world has survived #disruption in the past. Canning. Gunpowder. Steam. Cars. Etc. The world changed. #GenerativeAI is not the first means to delegate thinking. Having servants or employees doesn't make the #manager less #intelligent. Now we're all opt-in managers. #genai #framing
June 3, 2026 at 6:54 AM
#AI is new, but the world has survived #disruption in the past. Canning. Gunpowder. Steam. Cars. Etc. The world changed. #GenerativeAI is not the first means to delegate thinking. Having servants or employees doesn't make the #manager less #intelligent. Now we're all opt-in managers. #genai #framing
#Authentication idea I probably won't pursue. Auth and #AgeVerification sometimes requires a photo of you holding your ID card, but generative #AI #genai can fake those. Video is not inherently better. Can #automate a #challenge-response protocol in a live video session via an IVR ("say banana").
May 27, 2026 at 7:08 PM
#Authentication idea I probably won't pursue. Auth and #AgeVerification sometimes requires a photo of you holding your ID card, but generative #AI #genai can fake those. Video is not inherently better. Can #automate a #challenge-response protocol in a live video session via an IVR ("say banana").
How it feels internally to be the most knowledgeable person in the room (about some topic): "huh, there's so much I don't know, I'm surprised nobody else has anything to add about this". It feels like your knowledge is typical. More so if learned a while ago or those often around you know the same.
May 11, 2026 at 9:23 PM
How it feels internally to be the most knowledgeable person in the room (about some topic): "huh, there's so much I don't know, I'm surprised nobody else has anything to add about this". It feels like your knowledge is typical. More so if learned a while ago or those often around you know the same.
Had a fun conversation with #Claude.ai tonight. I was looking for emphatic alternatives to #cussing or oaths since I choose to not use those. Due to my upbringing, I also generally avoid absolutes. #Claude concluded that absolutes function for me in a similar taboo-breaking role as cussing. :D 😁
May 2, 2026 at 7:46 AM
Had a fun conversation with #Claude.ai tonight. I was looking for emphatic alternatives to #cussing or oaths since I choose to not use those. Due to my upbringing, I also generally avoid absolutes. #Claude concluded that absolutes function for me in a similar taboo-breaking role as cussing. :D 😁
#PSA If you print a #QR code on something, ALWAYS provide the URL (or a shortened URL) as well. QR readers will never be as universal as minds are. It also helps prevent QR phishing #quishing. If you #email a #qrcode, ALWAYS provide the URL! I can't point my phone camera at my phone's email to scan.
April 29, 2026 at 5:55 PM
#PSA If you print a #QR code on something, ALWAYS provide the URL (or a shortened URL) as well. QR readers will never be as universal as minds are. It also helps prevent QR phishing #quishing. If you #email a #qrcode, ALWAYS provide the URL! I can't point my phone camera at my phone's email to scan.
Job interview today. Asked ahead for a 15 minute teaching demo of my choice - taught about recursion.
April 29, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Job interview today. Asked ahead for a 15 minute teaching demo of my choice - taught about recursion.
Walking in commencement and convocation at #BYU in a couple days. Official #graduation date is currently scheduled for 18 Jun 2026.
April 22, 2026 at 4:04 AM
Walking in commencement and convocation at #BYU in a couple days. Official #graduation date is currently scheduled for 18 Jun 2026.
Only 20 days left for #NSPW #NSPW2026 paper submissions. www.nspw.org/2026/cfp. I love the workshop, great place to learn about and get feedback for innovative #security ideas which might be hard to publish elsewhere for being too novel.
NSPW 2026 CFP | New Security Paradigms Workshop
NSPW 2026 invites three types of submissions:
www.nspw.org
April 10, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Only 20 days left for #NSPW #NSPW2026 paper submissions. www.nspw.org/2026/cfp. I love the workshop, great place to learn about and get feedback for innovative #security ideas which might be hard to publish elsewhere for being too novel.