GeekMasher's Blog

Hi — I’m Mathew Payne (you may know me online as @GeekMasher).

I focus on practical application security: helping engineering teams shift left using static analysis, developer-friendly tooling, and automation.

Background

I’m focused on application security, developer workflows and secure automation.

What I do

• Static code analysis, SAST integrations and CodeQL work
• Penetration testing and application security assessments
• Training, workshops, and Webinars
• Container security and DevSecOps enablement
• Secure code review and automated security testing
• Building open-source security tools and small developer utilities

My goal is simple: help teams find and fix security issues earlier in the development lifecycle so security becomes an enabler rather than a blocker.

Career highlights

I studied Ethical Hacking and Countermeatures at Abertay University, which shaped how I think about systems and attacker behaviour. I began in consultancy focussed on penetration testing, threat modelling, and training, before moving into application security and tooling.

Today I work with engineering teams to integrate security into their CI/CD pipelines, adopt SCA/SBOM practices, and make static analysis actionable for developers.

Speaking, projects and writing

I speak and run workshops on container security, SCA/SBOMs, static analysis, and practical DevSecOps. Slides, demos and code live in the presentations repository — perfect if you want the full slide deck or demo artefacts.

If you’re organising an event or want a hands-on workshop, open an issue on a repository or drop a note on GitHub.

What I write about

You’ll find recurring themes across the site:

• Security deep-dives: practical, long-form tutorials on CodeQL, SAST, SCA and vulnerability hunting.
• Tooling & how-tos: configuration guides and productivity notes (ZSH, dotfiles, developer workflows).
• Dev-focused engineering: CI/CD, DevSecOps patterns and integrating security into development workflows.
• Language & platform experiments: hands-on notes and tutorials (Rust is a recurring topic).
• Talks and presentations: summaries, slide decks and demo rundowns.
• Projects and launches: open-source project announcements and quick-start guides (e.g., Konarr).

I prefer practical, example-driven posts so you can reproduce ideas quickly and apply them to real projects.

Outside of work

• Reading (tech and business)
• Running and keeping fit
• Photography and gaming

Get in touch

Find my work on GitHub: @GeekMasher. For talks, collaborations, or questions, open an issue on one of my repositories or reach out via GitHub.