Mark Curphey - SecurityBuddha.com

This blog is an update on Security LinkUp, a free application and service to manage face-to-face security groups such as local community groups, product user groups, training sessions or just plain old get together’s over a beer like CitySec. We support the notion of Communities which have Groups that hold Meetings.

If you run a security community and would like to use LinkUp please drop me a note and we can get you alpha testing from the middle of next week. Its totally free. After release of course you will be able to sign up online. If a community is already using LinkUp users will be able to apply to start a local group online. The community manager can then approve and the group is set up automatically. People who run groups can setup meetings and the application will automatically maintain a slick and simple, up to date web page with all the details for anyone who plans to observe or attend.

Delay: It will likely be released next Friday. Non-free work took priority and we wanted to do it right. That means a decent UI and making sure it was appropriately secure. We have also adding a lot of neat new things.

Name Change: FaceTime is an IM security product and while there is no link, it was close enough to be a potential lawsuit. We therefore changed the name to Security LinkUp.

Screenshots:

*These are from the dev server meaning its “in development” and many parts of the UI are not completed. They will be by next Friday.

Finding a LinkUp

Search by community type or scroll the WindowsLive map.

Get an Overview

A little AJAX dust gives you a map and summary of the next meeting you are browsing.

Group Home Page

The group home page is automatically maintained by the application with the latest meetings and presentations (optional). Note: This is Alex in front of the worlds largest omette made with 15,000 eggs!

Meeting Page

If you want to attend a meeting you can RSVP (optional) and get the location, agenda all in one place. You can even get walking directions from your office.

We have all sorts of cool idea for release two including automatically ordering pizza based off the RSVP list and favorite topping selections!

I’ll post some screens of the admin interface used for running a group next week.

We will probably start building a second free app code-named called Security Signal next week which is all about adding value and reposting “value-added” + filtered content to blogs, lists etc. The idea is specialists can create and publish trusted pipes of high Signal Strength  content.  Like our other stuff well build it in a way it can easily be integrated into blogs or even into other security tools and portals.