Been there done that

Tuesday, 19 March 13

Been there; done thatWhat I learnt from the final project


Who am I?

• Joseph Hallett

• Graduated last summer

• Won a prize for my project

• Linux security engineer for MathEmbedded


Platform Independent Programming

• Steganographic technique for writing byte code that run on many architectures

Grab me afterwards if you want to talk


How did I pick?

• I like security, steganography, static analysis

• Chatting with Dan about steganography…

• He showed me a paper…

• Asked if I could do a project on it…

• He said okay!


What did I do?

• Mucking about with assembly and steganography


What did I do?

• New technique for writing byte code that could be run on multiple architectures

• Replicated the existing work

• Extended it to a new architecture (XS1)

• Critically analyzed the steganographic bits


What should you do?

• Look at something new

• Copy it

• Extend it

• Critique it


How hard was it?

• Really hard


How hard was it?

• …but the most fun

• Get to study what you want

• And in great depth

• And maybe do something new


Any problems?


Any problems?

• Make sure you use find the right tools

• I rushed… used wrong thing

• Compile times measured in days

• Thought about it more

• Did it in hours (using Radare2)


Any problems?

• Don’t worry if something doesn’t work

• Steganography didn’t really work

• Make sure you know why

• And make sure you have evidence to back you up


Any problems?

• It is possible to write a thesis in five days

• If you don’t need sleep

• Have an infinite supply of caffeine

• You don’t mind becoming a zombie

• Editing is for wusses

• …don’t do it.


Any problems?

• Don’t under-estimate the reading

• You will need to cite things

• Papers are a pain to organize

• Citations need to be consistent

• Google Scholar is rubbish for this


Tips?

• Meet with your supervisor regularly

• They will tell you if you’re slipping

• They can point you in the right direction

• Not working on your thesis is fun


Tips?

• Start early

• Little and often

• Set yourself goals

• Don’t let it build up


Tips?

• Writing well is hard

• It’s my job and I still struggle with it

• Get the structure right first

• Edit it; read it aloud

• Read other peoples

• Know when to stop


Don’t go mad!

• Have some fun with it

• Mine had multiple references to the Journal of Craptology

• One about stegosauruses

• Hidden message on one page


But once it is done…

• You are going to be proud of it

• People are going to want to read it

• Co-workers

• Each other

• Employers


But once it is done…

• I got my job by talking to a guest speaker about it and a problem I was having

• He offered me my job

• Job interviewers asked about it

• Potential PhD supervisors will read it


And now I’m free…

• It is harder to get access to research outside of university

• Harder to speak to experts

• You’ll miss it


Recap

• Enjoy it

• Get on with it

• Do something you’re proud of



One more thing…

• Check after graduation if you won a prize

• Don’t tell your parents you didn’t

• …then let them talk you into skipping the prize giving…

• …then finding you did win a prize

• They will never let you live that down


Documents

Been there done that