The Crypto Winter

[Eric Cordian]

Faustine writes:

> Right. I suppose there's not much that can be done for people who expect
> "security" to be handed down to them from the sky on a silver
> platter. I'm sure it couldn't be more obvious to most here that if you
> don't put out the effort to take responsibility for your own security,
> you aren't going to have it--for your computer or anything else.

To the consumer, a computer is an appliance.  It is purchased to do some
specific set of things, with OS and applications pre-loaded.  Its software
and hardware are never upgraded, and when it isn't new and shiney any
more, it is traded in and a newer model is acquired.

To expect the consumer to do anything complicated to his computer is like
expecting the owner of a TV to upgrade it from Comb Filter to Comb Filter
Pro, and to add additional RAM and a line doubler.

Comsumers aren't going to use any security that isn't on the machine when
they get it.  Just like they aren't going to use an OS other than Windows,
because it isn't on the machine when they get it.

> But then, that sounds suspiciously resonant with "if they're too lazy or
> stupid to get it, then screw em", doesn't it.

No, it sounds suspiciously resonant with "I understand that the appliance
market is different from the government, commercial, and educational
markets."

> I think the real flaw there--what keeps
> me so uncomforable with it (even though my gut tells me it's a logical
> conclusion)--is reflected in the sheer number of people I've seen change their
> minds once they found out a little more about how insecure they really are.

We call these people hobbyists.  The size of the hobbyist market will
never be more than a fraction of the size of the appliance market.

-- 
Eric Michael Cordian 0+
O:.T:.O:. Mathematical Munitions Division
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law"