The Praetorian Prefect tries to ride to the rescue and a blog fight ensues

Its been a while since I have done one of these, but lets see if I still have it. It seems Daniel Kennedy, the Praetorian Prefect (sounds like a WWE character doesn’t it? Should I be Hulk Hogan) has come to the defense of Peter Stephenson in my NAC Twilight Zone post from earlier today. The Prefect writes a rather long comment with his opinion in this matter. I could have continued this little blog tussle in the side ring of the comments section. But it is long enough, I have enough to say and damn it, its the holiday season. Lets take it to the center ring and get reaaddyy to ruumble!

To start it off here are the Prefects comments in their entirety:

Knowing Peter Stephenson, I haven't found him to be biased. I can base that on the fact that many vendors whose products are reviewed don't like his and his son's findings very much (usually a good sign of someone who's not 'in the bag'). They also have taken the time to explain their lab setup, methodology, and link the results back to both. Sounds like StillSecure might be on that list.
You've "watched a budding relationship"? Senior people at security product companies are supposed to form relationships with trade magazines, and especially those who test their products. People who don't are boneheads who shouldn't be in sales. But you talk around this fact to suggest that the reviews of the lab are biased because of this relationship. That's a bold piece of conjecture without better proof.
It looks and sounds like a pretty honest and up front operation. You get the results they found based on the environment they have and the inputs they are looking for. If they don't match the inputs you want to use for a buy decision, their findings probably won't be helpful to you. Still, the reviews are basically free, I understand what they're doing, I know their competency level, and thus this is helpful in determining players to look at in each space. Better than a quadrant anyhow.
Regarding this product, you have two entries, one from October that is the actual review, and this bizarre stub of a page in November that contains none of the regular review ratings. Sounds like a plain old clerical mistake. Picking it for the award? A little bizarre, but clearly it was fresh in everyone's mind over there (and no surprise that the most recently released product has features other products haven't had over the years). Its a little strange, but a far cry from then moving to claim that the Stephensons are publishing biased reviews.
Aren't you the guy who tackled me at a security conference because I picked up a StillSecure T-shirt?

OK, lets take this apart with my 10 reasons why Constantine was right to dissolve the Praetorian Guards:

1. Good Daniel, you know Peter too and have not found him to be biased. Has he reviewed any of your products? Have you been involved in any reviews he has done? Have you ever done any business with Peter? Was this when he worked in the lab at Norwich University or after he left and started doing consulting?

2. You are basing the fact that he must not be biased because you have heard vendors complain about his findings. Well that sounds downright scientific to me! Maybe they are bitching because they have a reason to? Maybe the fact that the testing there is a bit “out of the ordinary” yields the results that we see. Take a look at what products they choose for awards and consistently SC Mag product reviews like to choose winners “off the beaten path”.

3. They take the time to explain the methodology and lab set up you say?  Daniel what if I told you I have won best buy awards from SC Magazine lab doing a phone demo of my product and power point slides? They never actually touched the product. Would you think it was such a good set up then?  Before you run off at the mouth, you should make sure you have the facts straight.

4. StillSecure is on the list of disgruntled vendors. Wrong again my Praetorian friend. In fact StillSecure has done extremely well on SC Magazine reviews.  Just about all of our products have taken 5 stars, best buys and been finalist in reader choice awards at SC Magazine. Most recently in September I believe, our MSSP service took a best buy.  So you are very wrong on that front.  Not to mention that I don’t work at StillSecure any more. So any ax to grind from the StillSecure front is moot.

5. The relationship between Peter and a CEO of a company.  Daniel ask around the community, they will tell you I can schmooze with the best of them.  I was not referring to that type of relationship building. But I don’t want to get sued either. Yes I was vague. I am going to remain vague.  But I have my own good reasons to say what I did. The important thing is that relationship should not carry over to an OEM client without disclosure. 

6. Better than a quadrant you say. Perhaps. But Daniel that assumes the tests are what you think they are. Yes, they should be taken with a grain of salt and as I said most people think all magazine reviews (not just SC Mag) are bought and paid for anyway.

7. Daniel you say I have two entries? Go read the post again and click all the links. There is a full review in the NAC group test for October.  There is a separate “product review” in November (yes that is bizzare, but BlackBox didn’t have the product up on the website in time for the October issue). Then there is the special mention for Innovation of the year in December. (would you give an OEM of an existing product an award for innovation?) Finally there is today’s press release from BlacBox itself that Veri-NAC has been picked as one of the 20 top security products of the last 20 years by your friend at SC. A little strange? More than just a little Daniel.  So Romans were good in math, how do you get 2? By my math it is 4 times in the last 4 months.

8. I am not saying they are biased reviews, they are pushing this product in an unusual way and it begs the question of why.

9. Did I tackle you at a security conference for taking a StillSecure t-shirt? Usually if I tackle you, you stay down, so I am not sure. Maybe I didn’t get a clean shot in. But I always liked to think t-shirts were for customers and not adult trick or treaters. Which one were you?

10. (Just because I need a 10 for my top 10 list). Don’t come on my blog spouting off without the facts to back them up.  Have a happy holiday.