Security Philosophy - Country and Network

[lokki]

Here's an example of one of the biggest challenges in the security arena:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040807/325/eztig.html

In summary, the article points out that there may have been a security breach, or at least very poor protocol. It involves a news source investigating and uncovering sensitive information, then leaking that to the public.

If taken at face value, the blame should be distributed between the media source, and the government people involved.

So, I'd like to hear people's perceptions on what security means to them personally. Constant alerts breed indifference (fatigue, as noted in the article). Some learn to live with it, which then makes it almost useless as it soon becomes so much noise in the background.

This applies as much to personal security as it does to network/personal computing security. Without the blamestorm, let's get some philosophical discussion going on individual approaches to security.

[mattsiegman]

I wish the media would know when to shut up....

[Jaded]

This may be a red herring to protect the real mole. I would suspect (certainly of British intelligence) that once the plot was uncovered, the residences of those involved would be bugged, etc. in the hopes of identifying other terrorists. Then when the plot nears the critical point-of-no-return they round up the terrorists and toss out the name of someone in custody in order to protect their real source. SOP and I hope it works.

This is one instance where we may not know the truth for a very long time -- if ever. I hope there are some Cold War veterans still involved in the game.

[Jaded]

Sticking to the thread:

Computing security for me includes firewall, anti-virus, and judicious use of the suspend button on my cable modem until I can isolate any suspicious activity.

Information security includes paper shredder and removable media.

I always lock my house and vehicle, stay aware of my surroundings and most importantly, I stay out of places where trouble is likely to exist (unless my work takes me there).

I can count on one hand the times in my life where I accidently found myself in an unsafe environment -- the rest of the times I was there by design and I would need more fingers and toes to count those lol.

[lokki]

While I agree with both of you (I actually thought the exact same thing as Jaded when I started reading), my point was to get people's ideas of security in general, not bashing media idiots

Maybe a question is better to kick things off...

Do you think about security in your everyday life?

I suspect Jaded/Gamer unconsciously scans for potential threats and exits on entering any building. For myself, I look for breach indicators and materials. Anyone do something by routine or habit?

[Spathiphyllum]

Originally posted by lokki
Anyone do something by routine or habit?

I keep a Batphone nearby.

[Jaded]

Originally posted by Spathiphyllum
I keep a Batphone nearby.

Is it really you Commissioner?

[Spathiphyllum]

Originally posted by Jaded
Is it really you Commissioner?

I'm sorry, but as part of my security routine, I can neither disclose such information nor acknowledge that the Commissioner exists. Just let it be known that the winged mammal is on speed-dial. I have a Batsignal for backup if I get disconnected.

Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen

aka JQ Public

[lokki]

am I gonna have to get Connie in here to get this topic on... eh... topic?

[Spathiphyllum]

Originally posted by lokki
am I gonna have to get Connie in here to get this topic on... eh... topic?

Are you threatening me? I swear, I'm lifting the Batphone off the hook... Don't make me dial.

[Spathiphyllum]

Originally posted by lokki
...not bashing media idiots ...
Do you think about security in your everyday life?

Well, I can't help myself - I wish the media idiots would mute themselves a bit more often. And those with sensitive information need to shut the heck up. It's pretty clear to me that there are too many in government positions that like to gossip. Open government is necessary but some of these guys/gals need to be muzzled.

On the more personal note... if life on the computer can be called "life", I'd say I try to keep an eye out for unusual material posted on the net and acquired by my network logs. Checking out and reporting hackers and fraudsters is an occasional habit though I don't know that it really falls under a category of looking out for terrorist activities. Observing port scans doesn't provide much useful intent by the outside party, for example, other than to know that someone is looking for your online keys.

It's interesting sometimes what one innocently observes and only later realizes that the observation might have been important. An example - prior to 9/11/01, I remember seeing a video on a cable channel late at night a couple of times that looked like an Al Qaeda training video. You know the type... robed and armed men running the paces in the training playground with Arabic music blaring in the background. It seemed really odd and I wondered, along with other family members, what the heck I was watching. I was almost ready to call up the cable provider to ask what they were doing presenting a militant video and who was producing it; alas, after a couple of weekends, it disappeared and we never saw it again. I didn't report it and it left my frontal lobes but always stayed in the back of my mind. Really makes me wonder, and worry, what it was that I couldn't understand...

[Connie]

Originally posted by lokki
am I gonna have to get Connie in here to get this topic on... eh... topic?

I gave up on you all a long time ago.

[mattsiegman]

/me waves the magical on-topic stick

[Jaded]

As slow as the forums have been lately, you should be able to keep track

[lokki]

What about personal security? Does anyone think about problems they may encounter when going out in public? Perhaps to a public event, like a concert or rally? How about when driving down the street to the corner market?

Since I've started my most recent job, I've gotten in the habit of making mental notes of many things around me, like exits, types of people, situations. I've become very aware of potential risks. But even more interesting is that I'm thinking in advance about these things.

This doesn't stop me from going out, nor does it change my mind about doing things. It simply keeps me in a more alert state. I still enjoy the things I do, and can let myself ease up during certain activities like hiking, etc. I've always been a bit more aware than most when in public, but I am now just a little bit tighter.

In my job, I have to be on the lookout for security threats of all kinds... documents left out, tampering with computer systems, people without proper credentials or escorts. These are things most people don't have to worry about day to day. And I face the possibility that my actions and reporting may cause a coworker to lose their job, just like I face if I screw up.

I thought this would be stressful, but I've integrated it pretty well. I think that's what frightens me... I've gotten used to the idea that threats are out there, active, and may be hiding in the most innocuous spots. I am in no way desensitized, but rather heightened. However, I don't want this to be the way of things in the US.

What we're looking at, right now, is a perpetual state of alert. I'm not talking about terror specifically, but thugs, gangs, dumped toxins, devastating weather, fad diets, and blamestorming. We have people stealing software, selling drugs online, fighting to leave 'God' in the pledge of allegiance. There are 'days of silence' and noisy protests against them. And we have the election.

With all of this going on, we have to worry about saving for college, paying into retirement, and not driving drunk. There is religion for some, chemicals for others, and maybe introspection for the rest. There are sensitivites, proclivities, wants, needs, addictions, preferences, biases, fear and baggage.

So I ask again... do you think about security in your everyday life?

Perhaps better... what is security to you?