[Klug-general] Linux to offer a paradigm-shift in computer security

[Karl Lattimer]

On Wed, 2007-11-28 at 10:13 +0000, Karl Buckland wrote:
> Stephen Ryan wrote:
> > thanks to all for the constructive advice and for some small pokes in 
> > the eye.
> >  
> > I believe the answer lies in developing a new perspective on security 
> > and not following the same line as everybody else. When you can't win 
> > the game, you invent a new game. You change the rules. I believe that 
> > today's approach to security is ultimately futile. The game is futile.
> > What is required is a radical rethink. Such a rethink can only come 
> > from those involved in "security intelligence (R&D)" vs. where we are 
> > 99% of our time "implementing yesterdays futile security measures".

I'm still yet to see a use case! I can't see this as anything more than
a futile effort on your part, you're flogging a dead horse and without
technology such as quantum unity we're all going to be vulnerable in
some way.

The problem isn't the OS's, it isn't anything to do with technology, it
comes down to a problem of users being dumb and clicking run to the
virus ridden emails, or a problem of the current version of the IP
protocol being ripe with exploitable holes (TCP sequence prediction to
name but one). 

Its not something which has a magic bullet solution its a distributed
problem which needs a distributed solution. IPv6 helps, not asking the
users questions they're likely to not know the answer to and make the
wrong choice is another almost solution. 


> >  
> > I believe that Linux is the basis for supporting this change and that 
> > KLUG can be the first to develop it.
> >  
> > cheers and all the best,
> >  
> > Stephen Ryan
> > www.intrench.com <http://www.intrench.com/>
> > www.brandspy.org <http://www.brandspy.org/>

> With all due respect, this sounds a little silly to me.

I agree, at the moment I'm more interested in the paradigm shift the
desktop is seeing, security hasn't worried me since i moved to linux. 

> 
> But anyway, it's all very good saying that a new perspective on security 
> is needed - what would that change be? If anyone had any good ideas on 
> that front then we might already be reaping the benefits...

Ban email, ban internet explorer. You've just cut out 99% of virus
attack vectors. 

K,