Wired: Echelon Furor Ends in a Whimper

[Owen Lewis]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ukcrypto-admin@chiark.greenend.org.uk
> [mailto:ukcrypto-admin@chiark.greenend.org.uk]On Behalf Of Brian Gladman
> Sent: 11 July 2001 09:36
> To: UK Crypto Posting
> Subject: Re: Wired: Echelon Furor Ends in a Whimper
>
> It is hence hardly a surprise that governments are now increasingly
> concerned about civil infrastructure protection but they face a legacy of
> 50+ years of government investment in insecurity.  The consequences of the
> continuing inbalance of UK government investment in information
> expolitation
> and information protection was the primary cause of major disagreements
> between GCHQ and myself in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

It is an interesting conundrum, isn't it? Moreover it's to be found in all
countries and all walks of life. People and organisations will pay more and,
in particular, will pay more readily to gain an advantageous position,
compared to that which they (with reluctance) will pay to secure properly
what they already have.

Whereas govts do not think in terms of profit, I'm pretty sure that the
universal motivation to the attitudes described is sub-consciously 'profit'
driven. Profit is the reward for risk. Where risk is eliminated, profit
flies out of the window. Security can never be a profit generator. At best,
security diminishes risk. It is a key decision for senior management as to
how far risk should be diminished. Those who are technically expert but are
not in an organisation's senior management can and should advise on options
and possible outcomes. They rarely if ever see sufficient of the whole game
plan to evaluate properly their advice against the requirements of the whole
game. Then too there is the sheer bumbling inefficiency that many large
organisations can demonstrate from time to time. And we should not forget to
mention personalities and personal interests interest.

It can be hurtful when expert advice is neglected or even ignored. Those of
us who peddle advice need thick hides and cups of cocoa at bedtime.

Owen