Mick Brady

About Me

I'm a freelance writer and editor who travels to the beat of a different drum. One part of my journey is a straight shot down the technology freeway. I have an extensive background in developing, writing and editing content related to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy, corporate governance, digital transformation, cloud computing, emerging technologies and e-commerce. However, I frequently meander onto bumpy backroads, writing fiction and blog posts. The connective tissue joining my paths is creative thinking, which I consider essential to solving problems, achieving goals, and fulfilling personal potential. I've taught critical thinking courses as an adjunct instructor at the University of North Carolina, Asheville, and at Pepperdine University in Malibu. Prior to entering the freelance world, I was managing editor of an online business and technology news network for 14 years.

I have a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s in social science from the University of Illinois, a bachelor’s in drama from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and a Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting from the University of Southern California. A longtime resident of Ventura, California, I enjoy bicycling near the ocean, hiking in the mountains, and puttering in the garden. I’m a dedicated fan of Jeopardy! and I practice Spanish every day with Duolingo. I’m far from proficient, but that’s not the point -- the point is to keep learning and growing. Give me your challenges, and I’ll tackle them with zeal.

A Sampling of My Work

ISACA Journal •

Taming Unruly Data to Improve Compliance

A banking institution based in Toronto, Canada, with approximately CA$18 billion in annual revenue found itself facing a big data problem: A multipurpose proprietary software application, used across the organization for more than a decade, was out of sync with regulatory requirements. The discovery led to a 10-month journey of assessing and solving the problem.
The issue surfaced after the Canadian Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) and the Financial Transactions and...
InfoSecurity Professional Magazine •

Doxxing: It’s way more than public disclosures.

Doxxing, a threat actor term for “dropping documents,” or releasing private information, has become an insidious way to shame people around the world. Sometimes it is misguided retribution for behaviors others don’t appreciate, such as racism or bullying, or expressing controversial political views. Often it is an act of hatred or revenge, and the doxxing itself is fueled by racist, sexist or other malicious intent.
ISACA •

Eliminating the Embedded Malware Threat at the Binary Level

Validate your expertise and experience. Whether you are in or looking to land an entry-level position, an experienced IT practitioner or manager, or at the top of your field, ISACA® offers the credentials to prove you have what it takes to excel in your current and future roles. Take advantage of our CSX® cybersecurity certificates to prove your cybersecurity know-how and the specific skills you need for many technical roles. Likewise our COBIT® certificates show your understanding and ability t
Cloud Security INSIGHTS •

Looking for a Break in the Clouds: How to Build More Resilience During Turbulent Times

Business continuity (BC) and disaster recovery (DR) requirements have changed with the advent of cloud services, leading many organizations to reassess their programs. This presents an opportunity, suggested Wolfgang Goerlich, an advisory CISO at Cisco’s Duo Security. “It’s great to do the thing,” he said, referring to cloud continuity planning, “but what if we could do the thing and get more out of it?”

In
Retail TouchPoints •

Product Experience: The Art of Giving Customers What They Need to Know

(Ghost Author) Both individual consumers and business buyers have become sophisticated about their online shopping expectations, and a good customer experience (CX) strategy is now table stakes in B2C and B2B ecommerce. “Customer eXperience” is a complex mixture of tangible and intangible features that fit together like gears in a mechanism. When one tiny part is missing, inadequate or flawed, it can sabotage the machinery. Product eXperience (PX) is perhaps the most important part of the customer experience.
EC-Council •

2021 C|EH Hall of Fame Report

(Unnamed Author) The Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH) Hall of Fame Annual Report 2021 highlights the importance of training and certification—specifically, EC-Council’s C|EH program—in building a talent pool to fill the numerous (and vital) available positions in the cybersecurity sector. It also emphasizes the role of skills development in increasing job satisfaction among those already working in the field. The right training increases the supply of new entrants into the cybersecurity job market and encourages
Training Industry •

Give Customer-Facing Employees a Makeover

(Ghost Author) You’d think it would be hard to make people unhappy in a candy shop, but fine chocolate can’t compensate for the disappointment of being mistreated by an employee. I learned this the hard way during our family’s first post-lockdown reunion. I had taken my son and his grandparents to a candy store, and we were looking forward to a fun day out together — but as we strolled through the store, one of us accidentally sent an incorrectly sealed container of ice cream toppings tumbling to the floor.
TechNewsWorld •

Star Explorer Mae Jemison: The Sky Connects Us

Dr. Mae Jemison and I have a few things in common. We both grew up in houses that had scary basements with cobwebs, coal bins and wringer washing machines. We both wore out our Chicago Public Library cards. We both were tormented by siblings but taught by our parents to stick up for each other, which we did. I memorized the soundtrack of West Side Story word-for-word; Jemison danced in a production of the show. The list of similarities doesn’t stretch too long, however.

And Now for Something Completely Different...