🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1991Apr22.173346.2443@sctc.com> herndon@sctc.com
(William R. Herndon) writes:
>eugene@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) writes:
>
>>On the other hand, most computer security types are not familiar with
>>the issues of physical security.  I did meet one very good one with both.
>
>>I don't know.  Dismal area to work.  Mostly a social rather than technical
>>problem. 
>
> I hope that you are referring to the issues of "physical security" rather
> than the issues of "computer security".  To say that issues of computer 
> security are a social rather than a technical problem, demonstrates how
> little you really know about computer security.  Some of the most complex
> problems in computer science today are posed because of the demands of 
> computer security.

No, actually I was refering to computer security.  I didn't claim expertise.
I have strong skepticism of any one claiming expertise.  Experts can
afford to be in field which are well understood.  Computer security is
in its infancy.

No doubt problems such as cryptography, access verification, etc. are
major computer science problems.  But they are problems because of
social problems.  I'm not impressed by computer security books, but
the best books I saw all concluded in their opening pages it was a
social problem.  You must like playing measure-counter-measure games.
I have my limits, and I passed those years ago.

Computer security types seem to lack some of the following: understanding
of some of the existing laws, understanding of some of the issues
(Warren's recent conference might have helped some), the interactions
between physical security and computer security.  People or groups
are security problems because they circumvent barriers.  Placing thicker
armor is a monotonic way of thinking.  Just another barrier to be
circumvented.  A little humility can help.

--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@orville.nas.nasa.gov
  Resident Cynic, Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers
  {uunet,mailrus,other gateways}!ames!eugene