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Cyber War Mass Hysteria Is Hindering Security

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the hysteria-is-hawesome dept.

jhernik writes "International cyber threat initiatives are in danger of becoming overblown, the US government's security chief told the RSA Conference in San Francisco. 'Cyber war is a terrible metaphor,' said the US government's cybersecurity czar Howard Schmidt. 'Don't make it something it's not.' Internet attacks from hackers, spies and terrorist groups deserves serious attention, he said, but this should not be 'to the extent of mass hysteria.'"

6 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. Hes right but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How is this any different from The War on Drugs, The War on ChildPorn, The War on Terror??

    One way...

    American businesses lose money if there is mass hysteria & people use the internet less.
    There was no downside to the mass hysteria on The Wars on Things except for the truth
    being lost in the FUD.

    1. Re:Hes right but... by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 5, Funny

      What we need right about now is a War on War, man!

      [flashes a peace sign, rolls a doobie, doesn't trim pubic hair]

    2. Re:Hes right but... by HeckRuler · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There was no downside to the mass hysteria on The Wars on Things

      Buuwha!? I'm sorry, have you been under a rock or something?
      The mass hysteria over the war on drugs made the USA have one of the highest incarcerations per captia in the world.
      The mass hysteria over the war on childporn has given oppressive assholes the shoehorn to wantonly take over 85,000 websites. By accident.
      The mass hysteria over the war on terror has made flying a sexually abusive experience, and let Bush invade two nations, and arguably lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths.

      But oh hey, CORPUSA didn't lose their profit margins, so it must not be all that bad.

  2. Don't you mean... by BlackLungPop · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Cyberhysteria"?

  3. cyber cyber everywhere by Ancantus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Quote from TFA

    ” Cyber war is a terrible metaphor,” said the US government’s cybersecurity czar Howard Schmidt.

    It seems like 'Cyber War' is a terrible metaphor, but 'cybersecurity czar' is perfectly acceptable for eWeek

    --
    Violence is the last refuge of the incompetent. -- Isaac Asimov
  4. Schneier and McConnell yesterday by adenied · · Score: 4, Funny

    I was there for the Schneier / McConnell / Chertoff panel yesterday, mostly for the lulz and got some. Perhaps the best part was when Mike McConnell (former Director NSA and Director of National Intelligence) told Bruce Schneier that he was as big a supporter of privacy as anyone else, even him. The look on Schneier's face was priceless.