CNET's in-depth Coverage of IT security

museumpeace writes "Starting today CNET news is running a 3 day series of reports and analysis of government and industry responses to the challenge of making America safe. While it primarily focuses on the technology content of these tangled issues, the report also tries to sort out the impact politics-as-usual is having on this presumably critical national concern...there is plenty of muck to rake: "As if chickpeas, lentils and mohair have anything to do with national security. One congressman even stated that a peanut subsidy, with a $3.5 billion price tag, 'strengthens America's national security,'" the 335,000-member group said. "Members of Congress have been cloaking old-fashioned pork in the robes of 'security' for the 'homeland.'"Lots to read here and registered CNET readers can put in their two cents. Throwing Money at Techology is the title of the leading report for today and that sums up much of what is going on."

Comments

Re:Thoughts on their strategies.

[cbrocious]

I'm just going to throw my opinion in here. > Day 1: Throwing money at technology. - I have no problem with this. Most of us in some way work in the IT field and this means more money and jobs. This is much like the phrase "When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail." in that it's simply not using the right tool for the job. When you simply through money at a problem it doesn't go away; it's masked. Rather than fixing the problem at the source, you obfuscate it and make it seem like it isn't there. Although this works in the short term, it really isn't a good long term strategy. > Day 2: Companies profiting from fear. - It's usually the stinkin' rich guys fearing for their luxury sports cars. This means they enlist security companies to safeguard themselves. More money for the little guys. This is not true at all. A good example is the companies selling gasmasks. Between the FUD put forth by the US government about "potential terrorist attacks" (including the warning system in place now) and the media pushing everyone to buy gas masks, a lot of the "little guys" got muscled into buying something they not only didn't _need_, but couldn't easily afford. > Day 3: Global assault on anonymity. - This one I have a problem with. I'm a little worried about private companies tracking our movements and stalking us for our money. We have a choice not to deal with that company and take our money elsewhere. But when the government does it, there is no escape. It's either let them do it or flee the country (not a very easy task for some). We don't always have the choice of not dealing with a company. There are many companies that have such a monopoly on a given field that we can't do without them. And when the government does it (or even attempts to), we all should be writing letters to our senators, our representatives, and the president. There are no guarantees, but the more people that do it, the better chance of it getting overturned.