[ISN] The Cybersecurity Myth

http://www.cringely.com/2009/10/the-cybersecurity-myth/

Listen to this post in Bob's sexy, sexy voice
http://www.cringely.com/podcast/20091002.mp3

Robert X. Cringely 
October 2nd, 2009

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said this week it will hire up 
to 1,000 cybersecurity experts over the next three years to help protect 
U.S. computer networks. This was part of National Cybersecurity 
Awareness Month and the announcement was made by DHS Secretary Janet 
Napolitano, who also said they probably won.t need to hire all 1,000 
experts, which is good because I am pretty sure THERE AREN.T ONE 
THOUSAND CIVILIAN CYBERSECURITY EXPERTS IN THE ENTIRE FRIGGIN. WORLD!!!!

So I polled six old friends who ARE cybersecurity experts and they 
kinda-sorta agreed with me.  More on this below.

But first I have to marvel that I even know six cybersecurity experts 
and - even more amazing - I'm pretty sure they don't know each other. 
They seem to be like badgers, solitary creatures who only come out to 
mate.

They are cynics, too.  One questioned the term "cybersecurity" as being 
inappropriate.

"(It) depends on your definition of expert," said expert number one, who 
works deep in the military-industrial complex. "If you mean someone who 
can spell 'cyber' then sure (there are 1,000). If you mean those who 
know that 'cyber' is short for 'cybernetics' and has little to do with 
computers then probably not. I still occasionally use the title 
'Cybernetic Psychophysicist'"

Sure enough, there's a very detailed definition of cybernetics here and 
it doesn't intrinsically have very much to do with computers or 
networks, though don't tell that to the DHS without first taking off 
your shoes and placing the definition in a one quart plastic bag.

[...]


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