Frequently Asked Questions

What is application security (AppSec), and how can I learn it?

AppSec is anything you do to ensure that the software you are creating or protecting, is secure. Whether it’s a formal process, or it’s doing one-off efforts, all if it is YOU fighting the good fight. And we can definitely help you with this!

Do you give live (virtual) training?

Absolutely! You can learn more on my training page or email me for details!
tanya@shehackspurple.ca

Do you have a mailing list?

Yes I do! If you want to join my newsletter, sign up here. You can count on my newsletter being content-heavy, full of events, and community-focused. It arrives monthly-ish.

I’m trying to get into information security in general and I’m not sure how. Where do I start?

There’s no one ‘right’ answer to this question, but we will provide a whole bunch of suggestions in the following video.

I’m trying to get into application security and I’m not sure where to start. Am I in the right place?

Yes, you are in the right place!

What is #CyberMentoringMonday? How can I be involved? How can I be a good mentor? How can I make sure I’m being a good mentee?

If you want to find a professional mentor, each Monday on Twitter Tanya Janca runs a campaign called #CyberMentoringMonday. Every Monday you can tag her and she will retweet you, to try to help you find a mentor.

Follow these tips for best results:

  • Make sure you have your direct messages (DMs) open so someone can message you.
  • Make sure you use the #CyberMentoringMonday hashtag in your tweet, so that people can find you.
  • Make sure you represent yourself well. Your tweet is your first impression, make a good one!

Tell me about Alice and Bob Learn Application Security, Tanya’s first book. What level of knowledge do I need to read it? What does it cover? Tell me everything!

It’s especially beneficial for software developers and anyone who wants to work in application security, but it’s written assuming no security knowledge on the part of the reader. Watch the video for more details, visit the Alice and Bob Learn webpage, or watch our playlist on YouTube all about it! Or better yet, buy it!

Are you willing to volunteer/just answer a few questions/review a blog post/have a zoom call/perform other unpaid work for me?

No. Tanya receives requests constantly for free consulting and other unpaid work, and the answer is no. She cannot provide free consulting, technical guidance, phone calls for you to ‘just pick Tanya’s brain for a few minutes’ or any other unpaid work. That said, she gives a lot of stuff away for free on their social media, YouTube channel and newsletter. If Tanya wants to add additional volunteering to her already full roster, she will reach out to you.