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[IP] more on cybersecurity neglected





Begin forwarded message:

From: Johan Ovlinger <johan@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: October 18, 2004 7:49:23 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: Ip <ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [IP] more on cybersecurity neglected

David Farber wrote:
Begin forwarded message:
From: Rich Kulawiec <rsk@xxxxxxx>
And the chilling part is that it's only going to get worse: I find myself
wondering if there is an upper bound on the number of systems that will
be compromised/hijacked other than the number of systems that *can* be
compromised/hijacked.
The fix? There is no fix, at least not one that most people will accept.
---Rsk

Bruce Schneier suggests (and I tend to agree) that the only way we'll see substantial improvements to computer security is when computer owners and software vendors become liable for havok wreaked with their computers.

He predicts a new form of insurance: security liability insurance. Just like it is cheaper to insure a car or house with a good security system, it would be cheaper to insure a computer running a secure operating system.

But you're right; this would require a degree of regulation of the internet that most users would find unappealing (*), and doesn't address the rest of the world (see the recent thread on broadband in korea).

(*) would it be legal to connect home-brew computers running free OS'es to the internet, or would only certain computers be allowed, like cars on our roads? "Wow, that PC is fast! Is it internet legal?"

Johan

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