Comments on: A Crazy Idea Regarding the Obama Administration and Security http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security grep understanding Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:44:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Rob Lewis http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-224358 Rob Lewis Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:43:12 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-224358 <p>@shane,</p> <p>Maybe I was being a bit facetious, but intentionally.</p> <p>Lessig is a great thinker, but security is not his focus as far as I know either. Schneier is driving thinking about security theatre. Cryptography is a great tool that no one in business likes to use. Dr. Roger Schell, father of the Trusted System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) standard, commonly referred to as the Orange Book, calls cryptography "the opiate of the naive". The reason, one does not need to break it if one can easily steal the keys from insecure systems. Of course, we do still need it in the meantime.</p> <p>Ranum is a recognized innovator and knows and writes more than anyone about what would be required to fix the system, but is regarded by many as some kind of heretic because he tells it as it is, and his version of truth is too painful and too hard to swallow. Bejtlich is fantastic at getting the most out of a broken model, but true innovation means fixing and changing the model, not reacting faster.</p> <p>The basis for my sarcasm was a statement by Guy Kawasaki, who said:</p> <p>"Those on the first curve are unable to comprehend, let alone embrace the second curve". </p> <p>If this is true, then anyone on the first curve will be unable to innovate. I explored this position in a short essay in an Amazon review of "The New School of Information Security" under the title</p> <p>"Not much "new school" in The New School of Information Security" found on this page:</p> <p>http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0321502787/ref=cm<em>cr</em>dp_synop?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#RTBEMAG1DJOQU</p> <p>Is this the reason why we do not see any innovation in IT security? Something to think about.</p> @shane,

Maybe I was being a bit facetious, but intentionally.

Lessig is a great thinker, but security is not his focus as far as I know either. Schneier is driving thinking about security theatre. Cryptography is a great tool that no one in business likes to use. Dr. Roger Schell, father of the Trusted System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) standard, commonly referred to as the Orange Book, calls cryptography “the opiate of the naive”. The reason, one does not need to break it if one can easily steal the keys from insecure systems. Of course, we do still need it in the meantime.

Ranum is a recognized innovator and knows and writes more than anyone about what would be required to fix the system, but is regarded by many as some kind of heretic because he tells it as it is, and his version of truth is too painful and too hard to swallow. Bejtlich is fantastic at getting the most out of a broken model, but true innovation means fixing and changing the model, not reacting faster.

The basis for my sarcasm was a statement by Guy Kawasaki, who said:

“Those on the first curve are unable to comprehend, let alone embrace the second curve”.

If this is true, then anyone on the first curve will be unable to innovate. I explored this position in a short essay in an Amazon review of “The New School of Information Security” under the title

“Not much “new school” in The New School of Information Security” found on this page:

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0321502787/ref=cmcrdp_synop?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#RTBEMAG1DJOQU

Is this the reason why we do not see any innovation in IT security? Something to think about.

]]> By: Rob Lewis http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-253455 Rob Lewis Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:43:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-253455 <p>@shane,</p> <p>Maybe I was being a bit facetious, but intentionally.</p> <p>Lessig is a great thinker, but security is not his focus as far as I know either. Schneier is driving thinking about security theatre. Cryptography is a great tool that no one in business likes to use. Dr. Roger Schell, father of the Trusted System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) standard, commonly referred to as the Orange Book, calls cryptography "the opiate of the naive". The reason, one does not need to break it if one can easily steal the keys from insecure systems. Of course, we do still need it in the meantime.</p> <p>Ranum is a recognized innovator and knows and writes more than anyone about what would be required to fix the system, but is regarded by many as some kind of heretic because he tells it as it is, and his version of truth is too painful and too hard to swallow. Bejtlich is fantastic at getting the most out of a broken model, but true innovation means fixing and changing the model, not reacting faster.</p> <p>The basis for my sarcasm was a statement by Guy Kawasaki, who said:</p> <p>"Those on the first curve are unable to comprehend, let alone embrace the second curve". </p> <p>If this is true, then anyone on the first curve will be unable to innovate. I explored this position in a short essay in an Amazon review of "The New School of Information Security" under the title</p> <p>"Not much "new school" in The New School of Information Security" found on this page:</p> <p>http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0321502787/ref=cm<em>cr</em>dp_synop?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#RTBEMAG1DJOQU</p> <p>Is this the reason why we do not see any innovation in IT security? Something to think about.</p> @shane,

Maybe I was being a bit facetious, but intentionally.

Lessig is a great thinker, but security is not his focus as far as I know either. Schneier is driving thinking about security theatre. Cryptography is a great tool that no one in business likes to use. Dr. Roger Schell, father of the Trusted System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) standard, commonly referred to as the Orange Book, calls cryptography “the opiate of the naive”. The reason, one does not need to break it if one can easily steal the keys from insecure systems. Of course, we do still need it in the meantime.

Ranum is a recognized innovator and knows and writes more than anyone about what would be required to fix the system, but is regarded by many as some kind of heretic because he tells it as it is, and his version of truth is too painful and too hard to swallow. Bejtlich is fantastic at getting the most out of a broken model, but true innovation means fixing and changing the model, not reacting faster.

The basis for my sarcasm was a statement by Guy Kawasaki, who said:

“Those on the first curve are unable to comprehend, let alone embrace the second curve”.

If this is true, then anyone on the first curve will be unable to innovate. I explored this position in a short essay in an Amazon review of “The New School of Information Security” under the title

“Not much “new school” in The New School of Information Security” found on this page:

http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0321502787/ref=cmcrdp_synop?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=0&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending#RTBEMAG1DJOQU

Is this the reason why we do not see any innovation in IT security? Something to think about.

]]> By: shane http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-224085 shane Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:32:23 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-224085 <p>@Daniel, I have been reading Lessig and Schneier for years as well. I like them both but Lessig doesn't get in to security at all, more legality of technologies. Still, he would be a great adviser to Obama if he isn't already. He may never be an official adviser, but I'm sure he'd be up there.</p> <p>@Rob, was that sarcasm? Lessig: Creative Commons? Yeah that went no where /s. Do know how many books Schneier has written on cryptography? Schneier (and company) writes his own crypto algorithms that are used by other people. I know only little about Ranum but Bejitch has had a huge influence on the security as well.</p> <p>Though I have always been critical of Obama, I do recognize the potential for a leader to finally understand technology and the issues/threats with it. I imagine that the technology world will improve greatly under his watch.</p> @Daniel, I have been reading Lessig and Schneier for years as well. I like them both but Lessig doesn’t get in to security at all, more legality of technologies. Still, he would be a great adviser to Obama if he isn’t already. He may never be an official adviser, but I’m sure he’d be up there.

@Rob, was that sarcasm? Lessig: Creative Commons? Yeah that went no where /s. Do know how many books Schneier has written on cryptography? Schneier (and company) writes his own crypto algorithms that are used by other people. I know only little about Ranum but Bejitch has had a huge influence on the security as well.

Though I have always been critical of Obama, I do recognize the potential for a leader to finally understand technology and the issues/threats with it. I imagine that the technology world will improve greatly under his watch.

]]> By: shane http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-253454 shane Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:32:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-253454 <p>@Daniel, I have been reading Lessig and Schneier for years as well. I like them both but Lessig doesn't get in to security at all, more legality of technologies. Still, he would be a great adviser to Obama if he isn't already. He may never be an official adviser, but I'm sure he'd be up there.</p> <p>@Rob, was that sarcasm? Lessig: Creative Commons? Yeah that went no where /s. Do know how many books Schneier has written on cryptography? Schneier (and company) writes his own crypto algorithms that are used by other people. I know only little about Ranum but Bejitch has had a huge influence on the security as well.</p> <p>Though I have always been critical of Obama, I do recognize the potential for a leader to finally understand technology and the issues/threats with it. I imagine that the technology world will improve greatly under his watch.</p> @Daniel, I have been reading Lessig and Schneier for years as well. I like them both but Lessig doesn’t get in to security at all, more legality of technologies. Still, he would be a great adviser to Obama if he isn’t already. He may never be an official adviser, but I’m sure he’d be up there.

@Rob, was that sarcasm? Lessig: Creative Commons? Yeah that went no where /s. Do know how many books Schneier has written on cryptography? Schneier (and company) writes his own crypto algorithms that are used by other people. I know only little about Ranum but Bejitch has had a huge influence on the security as well.

Though I have always been critical of Obama, I do recognize the potential for a leader to finally understand technology and the issues/threats with it. I imagine that the technology world will improve greatly under his watch.

]]> By: Rob Lewis http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-223848 Rob Lewis Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:25:29 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-223848 <p>Thinkers are a dime a dozen. Presidents have always had technology advisory committees. Have they been beneficial?</p> <p>Besides, what have any of these guys done lately? LOL. We need innovators, not thinkers !!!</p> Thinkers are a dime a dozen. Presidents have always had technology advisory committees. Have they been beneficial?

Besides, what have any of these guys done lately? LOL. We need innovators, not thinkers !!!

]]> By: Rob Lewis http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-253453 Rob Lewis Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:25:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-253453 <p>Thinkers are a dime a dozen. Presidents have always had technology advisory committees. Have they been beneficial?</p> <p>Besides, what have any of these guys done lately? LOL. We need innovators, not thinkers !!!</p> Thinkers are a dime a dozen. Presidents have always had technology advisory committees. Have they been beneficial?

Besides, what have any of these guys done lately? LOL. We need innovators, not thinkers !!!

]]> By: Maxo http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-223791 Maxo Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:18:23 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-223791 <p>I am really hoping that Obama is a more researched based President than those that stood before him. My hope is that he is and that in the end the results speak for himself. I would have him server one term doing the right thing that two terms doing what his constituents think feel warm and fuzzy.</p> I am really hoping that Obama is a more researched based President than those that stood before him. My hope is that he is and that in the end the results speak for himself. I would have him server one term doing the right thing that two terms doing what his constituents think feel warm and fuzzy.

]]> By: Maxo http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-253452 Maxo Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:18:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-253452 <p>I am really hoping that Obama is a more researched based President than those that stood before him. My hope is that he is and that in the end the results speak for himself. I would have him server one term doing the right thing that two terms doing what his constituents think feel warm and fuzzy.</p> I am really hoping that Obama is a more researched based President than those that stood before him. My hope is that he is and that in the end the results speak for himself. I would have him server one term doing the right thing that two terms doing what his constituents think feel warm and fuzzy.

]]> By: Doc Rice http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-223670 Doc Rice Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:31:28 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-223670 <p>Nice idea and I'd like to be optimistic and believe something like this could happen. But that said, political leaders (including those in Congress) also have to cater to the uninformed masses and their perceptions. While I'd like to hope we'd become much more efficient in assessing our real security risks and addressing the root causes of issues rather than just the symptoms, I fear that useless security theater will prevail for some time due to the general public's ingrained biases and dependencies on easy, emotionally-satisfying results rather than complex strategies that directly address the underlying problems.</p> Nice idea and I’d like to be optimistic and believe something like this could happen. But that said, political leaders (including those in Congress) also have to cater to the uninformed masses and their perceptions. While I’d like to hope we’d become much more efficient in assessing our real security risks and addressing the root causes of issues rather than just the symptoms, I fear that useless security theater will prevail for some time due to the general public’s ingrained biases and dependencies on easy, emotionally-satisfying results rather than complex strategies that directly address the underlying problems.

]]> By: Doc Rice http://danielmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security/comment-page-1#comment-253451 Doc Rice Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:31:00 +0000 http://dmiessler.com/blog/a-crazy-idea-regarding-the-obama-administration-and-security#comment-253451 <p>Nice idea and I'd like to be optimistic and believe something like this could happen. But that said, political leaders (including those in Congress) also have to cater to the uninformed masses and their perceptions. While I'd like to hope we'd become much more efficient in assessing our real security risks and addressing the root causes of issues rather than just the symptoms, I fear that useless security theater will prevail for some time due to the general public's ingrained biases and dependencies on easy, emotionally-satisfying results rather than complex strategies that directly address the underlying problems.</p> Nice idea and I’d like to be optimistic and believe something like this could happen. But that said, political leaders (including those in Congress) also have to cater to the uninformed masses and their perceptions. While I’d like to hope we’d become much more efficient in assessing our real security risks and addressing the root causes of issues rather than just the symptoms, I fear that useless security theater will prevail for some time due to the general public’s ingrained biases and dependencies on easy, emotionally-satisfying results rather than complex strategies that directly address the underlying problems.

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