The Raven

An adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s famous poem of the Raven.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten security lore.
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my computer door.
`’Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, `tapping at my computer door –
Only this, and nothing more.’

Password secrets, password length, password change, password strength,
Passwords borrowed, passwords posted, passwords sharing, and passwords broken.
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my computer door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you – here I opened wide the door; –
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Keystroke loggers and network sniffers, are the tools of password grifters,
But what other tricks of guile will gently rap at my computer door?
Social engineering, phishing scams, chain email and email spam,
Fill me with fantastic terrors never felt before.
My frightened heart fast beating, I stood in horror repeating,
`Let this end – please nothing more.’

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
Laptop thieves and dumpster divers, wireless connections, and war drivers,
`How many threats must I explore? ‘

Let my heart be still a moment and from these threats be turning
My mind is reeling, but wait – there’s more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no user ever dared to dream before.
Viruses, worms, malicious code and Trojans, of any one I could be chosen,
And then what cost would be the compromise?
What if I am not protected and this treachery goes undetected,
I must ensure this happens nevermore.

Much I marvelled these ungainly, security threats to hear so plainly,
I must go beyond detected and make certain I’m protected,
From that someone rapping, tapping at my computer door.
Hesitating then no longer, my resolve now grown stronger,
`Security be that word, our sign of parting, fiend!’
`Get thee back into the tempest – be gone forever more! ‘

And the raven, never flitting, still is waiting, still is sitting,
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
Of an opportunity to enter my computer door.
But I’m no longer napping, and so when gently he comes tapping,
He will find no further welcoming to explore,
And he shall come nevermore.