Do We Really Need a Security Industry?

netbuzz noted that Bruce Schneir's latest column discusses the security industry where he points out that "The primary reason the IT security industry exists is because IT products and services aren't naturally secure. If computers were already secure against viruses, there wouldn't be any need for antivirus products. If bad network traffic couldn't be used to attack computers, no one would bother buying a firewall. If there were no more buffer overflows, no one would have to buy products to protect against their effects. If the IT products we purchased were secure out of the box, we wouldn't have to spend billions every year making them secure."

Comments

Re:O RLY?

[Timesprout]

Exactly because in the best American tradition we would all carry firearms and could perforate any burglars or villans with bullet holes. Obviously this has side benefits in providing free and realistic target practise for everyone and afterwards there can be a group discussion about weapon performance and what really is the right gun for you.

Re:Yeah

[R2.0]

But to extend the analogy, the IT industry would be like homebuilders that DON't install locks on the doors and windows, with the excuse that "unlocking doors to enter them is too complex for the homeowners". Think Windows 9x - ALL the files are made available by the system, eve if one hits "cancel" at the login prompt.

Lets egt the IT industry to put locks on teh doors first. Then we can push them for the security system preinstalled.

Re:Do we really need law enforcement?

[roman_mir]

The primary reason for existance of law enforcement is as a control and a punishment tool by the government, it is impossible to rule law abiding people, you need to take the law abiding people and make them into criminals, then you can control them. Police doesn't exist to protect you, it exists to protect the government and to harass you.