James Brown

Offensive security • Secure engineering consultant • Software developer

Deep experience in vulnerability research, exploit development, reverse engineering and security assessment across Windows, Linux, embedded systems, networks and cloud environments. Combines attacker-led technical investigation with defensive architecture, executive communication and the leadership of specialist security capabilities.

For consulting and security work,
see Services.

Where

I live in Hampshire in the UK with my family and two cats. I learnt to program on an Amstrad CPC and BBC Micro. Later I aquired an Amiga, but it was the PC that really got me interested in computing. Starting with an i386 and a copy of Borland C++, I’m mostly self taught and spent hours learning to program games in C++ and Assembly language because that was a necessity at the time. I transitioned from DOS to Windows with the rest of the world, and then started my career as an Offensive Security Engineer.

Then

Catch22 was originally a website dedicated to Windows programming, tutorials and software that I had developed in my spare time. I used to be a Microsoft MVP, but it’s been a long time since I did any pure Windows programming. This was mostly due to a lack of time, but now also lack of interest in this platform. I’m much more interested in Linux now. I’m keeping the original content here as it might still be of interest to people.

Now

My interests today are around open source, security, Linux, cryptography and home automation. Loxone is my system of choice. I reverse engineer things; whatever needs to be done to integrate islands of technology that were not designed to be open. I reverse-engineered my Sonos system in order to develop RoomTunes (once the top-rated music app for BlackBerry 10). I’m currently reverse-engineering my Andersen A2 car charger, primarily so that it will integrate with my Loxone home.