[wordup] Info Security Rant ...

[Adam Shand]

I'm not quite sure how to preface this, but it made me laugh so I'm  
posting it.  Basically I think the message for the "geeks" to  
remember is that the gap between those with the tech knowhow and  
those without is growing more then most of us geeks can even  
comprehend without giggling insanely and pointing fingers.

Not that I have a lot of sympathy for wanton ignorance, but all this  
net stuff is still vastly more complicated and filled with caveats  
then it really needs to be.

Adam.

From: Beetle <b33t13 at gmail...

This has been the rant I've been on recently, and it really hit home  
after visiting a neighbor who requested help for getting "that  
Internet thing working again".

His box was owned.  And I didn't discover this UNTIL I got his ISP  
client software reinstalled again so he could putt-putt @ 56k.  I  
started to try and explain away the pop-ups at first, but they were  
nearly a streaming activity--and his eyes glazed over.  He homed in  
on the email notification sound of some sort, and took control from  
me. He didn't want to hear about "patches" or "reinstalls" or "worms"  
or "botnets" etc.  He just wanted "that Internet thing" again.

And he got it, albeit in its bastardized-you-now-belong-to-a-botnet  
form.  I'll admit, he was a badass at ALT-F4, and it was so hilarious  
to see him ALT-F4-ing his way through recurring vulgar pop-ups while  
he read email, that I just realized he actually thought this is what  
the Internet was.  This was Internet normalcy.  Much like TV.  You  
just put-up with the crap commercials every so often so that you can  
watch Jennifer Garner.

I can only imagine what his Internet experience was like before he  
learned "that ALT-F4 trick thingy".

Moral of the story, and remembering that sales of the T-mobile  
Sidekick went throught the roof after the public heard that Paris  
Hilton's account was hacked, the world does not care about security  
and even after having the ramifications of insecurity explained, the  
world doesn't WANT security.  They would much rather just evolve to  
live with whatever the Internet throws their way.  Even if it  
requires mastering a blazingling-fast-almost-precognitive ALT-F4 kung- 
fu to survive.

I believe my neighbor's grandchildren will be born with an extra  
thumb and finger each--suitably evolved a la Darwin's dream to ALT-F4  
into Internet oblivion if need be.  And tickle the hell out of their  
siblings.

Sincerely,
Beetle