Technology’s Reach and Security’s Grasp

“Whether we look at the development of automobiles (first) and
safety features (much later), or industrialization (first) and
environmental protection (much, much later), the story is always
much the same: we reach for the candy before we grasp the reality
of the cavities. Only after the problems become too great to ignore
do we investigate the unintended consequences, realize how
difficult and expensive they are to address, and grudgingly start
to rein in our appetites and exercise a bit of prudent
self-discipline.

“Perhaps we should not be surprised, then, that the U.S.
government is only now becoming alarmed over the vulnerability to
which we have become exposed as a result of our whole-hearted
embrace of the Internet. With the operations of government,
defense, finance, commerce, power distribution, communications,
transportation, and just about everything else now dependent on the
healthy operation of the Internet, that alarm is well-justified.
And with the creation and storage now of virtually all data in
digital, rather than physical form, exposure of our financial as
well as our most intimate personal and health information is only a
hack away as well.”

Complete Story