Clean Slate vs. Quick Fix
According to Peter G. Neumann, an 80- year old computer scientist, 'Most of the people responsible (for computer security) don't want to hear about complexity. They are interested in quick and dirty solutions.' (NYT Science Times, John Markoff-10/30/12).
Uh, oh. Many experts agree with him that a "clean slate" effort is needed to secure our networks, and that means complex re-design. The stakes are high. Leon E. Panetta, defense secretary, recently warned about cyberwarfare as a threat to global security.
The good news is, a 'cyber resilience' research group has spawned dozens of efforts - but who in the business world will be the visionary to say "Stop - we have to take the time to fix things the right way?" Dr. Neumann bemoans the trend for us to repeat mistakes from the past, to allow vulnerabilities to endure.
Sounds like human nature has evolved slower than computer systems.
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