Thinking Security: Stopping Next Year’s Hackers

Preface

Most computer security books tell you what to do and what not to do. This one tells you why.

The list of security dos and don’ts is long: run antivirus software, get a firewall, lock everything down, follow extensive checklists, encrypt everything in sight, watch everything that goes on in your network, (especially) bring in over-priced consultants, and so on. The results are dismaying: companies are spending a great deal on security, but we read of massive computer-related attacks. Clearly, something is wrong.

The root of the problem is twofold: we’re protecting (and spending money on protecting) the wrong things, and we’re hurting productivity in the process. Unlike automobile locks, which increase a car’s functionality by enabling ...