Writing
Divan-e-Cyber: as with cybersecurity, interpretation and attribution count.
Browse by topic: Detection & SOC · AI security · Microsoft Security · Exposure management · Community & personal
-
Part 3: Who Closes the Second Loop?”
Read more: Part 3: Who Closes the Second Loop?”Series: Part 3 of 3 Parts 1 and 2 of this series made two arguments. First: CTEM’s mobilization stage closes the loop on findings. It doesn’t close the loop on fixes. AI-proposed remediations re-enter your codebase as unverified code, and most vulnerability management workflows have no process for that. Second: fix verification isn’t a single…
-
CTEM Part 2
Read more: CTEM Part 2“Fix Verification Isn’t a Code Review. It’s a Risk Decision.” by Mona Ghadiri Part 1 of this series ended with a question: for your last ten AI-remediated findings, was the fix scanned before it merged? If that question made you uncomfortable, this part is for you. The instinct most security teams reach for is more…
-
Closing the Loop in AI Code Fixes
Read more: Closing the Loop in AI Code FixesCTEM Was Built for a Different ProblemContinuous Threat Exposure Management gave security teams something they badly needed: a systematic way to move from reactive alert-handling to proactive exposure reduction. Scope your environment. Discover what’s exposed. Prioritize by real risk. Validate that risk. Mobilize a fix.The framework is sound. But every stage of it was designed…
-
You named it.
Read more: You named it.Persian last names Persians didn’t have last names until the 20th century, when in 1925 Reza Shah mandated it. My full last name, Mashhadi Ghadiri, falls into two of the 7 categories of Persian last names. The first part, Mashhadi, refers to someone who has made the pilgrimage to Mashhad, one of the holiest cities…
-
Two Very Different Languages — Or Are They?
Read more: Two Very Different Languages — Or Are They?People are always surprised when I say this, but learning Farsi and learning cybersecurity have a lot in common. One is the language of my heritage. The other, the language of my profession. But both require the same things: pattern recognition, patience, humility, and the ability to sit with complexity. When I started learning cybersecurity,…
-
How I Became a Microsoft MVP
Read more: How I Became a Microsoft MVPWho me? When I first heard about the Microsoft MVP program, I thought it was reserved for tech celebrities — the people with massive Twitter followings, YouTube channels, or entire careers built on evangelism. I never thought I’d be one of them. I was a product human who had been working with Sentinel and Microsoft…
-
Why I partnered with Team Copilot
Read more: Why I partnered with Team CopilotWhat a month it’s been with Team Copilot! I’ve been toying around with the phrase “applied cybersecurity” for a while, but now I’m living it! I wanted to give back beyond my focus on Security Operations Centers to something tangible and groundbreaking. I wanted to partner with more women and allies creating content. I wanted…
-
🔐 From Ghazals to Gateways: Why all access should be conditional
Read more: 🔐 From Ghazals to Gateways: Why all access should be conditionalThe ghazal is all about layered meaning, selective revelation, and emotional precision — just like a well-architected system. A ghazal (غزل) is a classical Persian poetic form — rich, emotional, and deeply structured. It’s a series of couplets (usually 5–15), where: 💫 Each couplet is self-contained, like a standalone thought 🌀 They all end with…
🔐 Ghazal: “All Access Is Conditional”
(a modern security poem in ghazal form)
In this realm of cloud and claim, all access is conditional
The lover may knock, but still — permission is provisional
—
The gate is silent, the ID speaks, its posture holds the key
From signal comes salvation — detection is intuitional
—
Trust no device, no sign-in time, unless the risk aligns
The dance of context and control is wholly intuitional
—
Her token glowed, yet prompts appeared — a second factor asked
The veil may lift, but only when the bond is traditional
—
No open ports, no phantom guests, no silent lateral flow
My realm is built on principle, protection constitutional
—
From Persia’s gardens to Azure clouds, the guardians still remain
Their watchful eyes in every log — the shield is unadditional
—
And Mona writes, like Hafez would, of XDR and fate
To love the user is to test — the trust must be conditional*
Poetry inspired by a cybersecurity mindset
Exploring the intersection of creativity and security through poetry. Mona reflects on thoughts and lessons that shape her approach.
© 2026 Mona Ghadiri. All content, including text, images, and original poetry, is the intellectual property of Mona Ghadiri unless otherwise noted. Unauthorized use or reproduction is prohibited.
