$25 billion for information security gaffes?

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2055445312987608116.post-60275195802230548342008-07-23T15:21:00.005-04:002008-07-23T15:45:50.741-04:00$25 billion for information security gaffes?What if the government could come running to protect us every time we or one of our colleagues made a bad security decision - intentional or not? Imagine: <ul><li>setting an Allow All rule in your firewall</li><li>making all of your databases accessible via the Internet</li><li>revoking any and all password policies</li><li>never testing your systems for vulnerabilities</li></ul>....or, <ul><li>avoiding data backups because, well, you just can... </li></ul>Everything we do in life - every choice we make has consequences (well, almost)...Make a dumb mistake with information security and really bad things can happen: people have their identities stolen, employees get fired, businesses get fined - even entire companies go away. But make a dumb mistake by buying more house than you can afford or lending money to people who aren't qualified and you get rewarded. Wow... Well, I guess I was right in <a href="http://securityonwheels.blogspot.com/2008/05/forthcoming-information-security.html" target="blank">my other post about the housing bailout</a>. <a href="http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gx4E4YKBYt45ccUQMHBOv6HpMuVwD92360G00" target="blank">This time it's "only" $25 billion that the U.S. Taxpayers are having to fork over to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac</a> - two agencies the government itself created...but what the heck. That's what this country's all about anyway: punish achievement and reward failure. Funny how the politicians want to impose all these information security laws and regulations all the while they ignore the basic <a href="http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html" target="blank">Rule of Law</a> themselves. Shame on our so-called leaders.Kevin Beaverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530259626414440991noreply@blogger.com