Security ensures Privacy
Once again, Bruce Schneier says something both more succinctly and more eloquently than I can.
Aside from encouraging everyone to go and read his blog - and to regularly read it - I'd like to point out that you should own your information and no one else should be able to use it without your consent.
The thing that's most chilling is that J. Michael McConnell actually feels bold enough to say "We have a saying in this business: 'Privacy and security are a zero-sum game.'"
This is what he actually thinks. In order for you to be safer, you must hand over your anonymity, your privacy, your bank records, your emails, your mail, your packages, your shoes, your laptop and at various points your person. You must submit to the will of Allah the State. Your virtue is measured by how well you submit.
Have any of you ever seen Big Brother?
Comments
If privacy and security were truly a zero-sum game, I'd put my social security number on my shirt every time I walked in a bad neighborhood. Such a loss in privacy would surely result in a substantial gain in security.
Maybe he just understand what a zero-sum game is? I never really was impressed with him when he was a partner with Booz Allen.
Posted by: Josh Kaminoff | February 15, 2008 11:59 AM
@Josh, again, you're right on the money. I love the way you made that point; I'm going to plagiarize you later in conversation to make myself appear clever.
J. Michael McConnell was a partner at Booz Allen?
Between him and Tony Fratto, the U.S. is turning into a fascist police state. These guys need to be out of a job.
Reading J. Michael McConnell's words leaves me woozy; his thinking is so wrongheaded and backwards that it boggles my mind.
How does he keep getting employed?
Posted by: Nathan | February 15, 2008 4:04 PM
And if things go REALLY bad, just pull your pants down. That kind of privacy loss will deflect bullets. Although you have to remember that anyone who pulls a gun on you is also losing some privacy somewhere, so it all evens out.
Yeah, he was a senior partner with Booz Allen Hamilton when he was nominated for DNI. He had to quit his 2 million+ salary and sell his shares before taking it. I'm sure he'll walk right back into it with a higher salary when this is over. If memory serves, the last intel job he had was director for the NSA 11 or 12 years ago.
I think what he realy intended to say was that on a large scale security and privacy tend to be inversely related (not saying that's true either, but it's probably closer). The zero-sum game part was probably some buzz word he picked up in a meeting.
Posted by: Josh Kaminoff | February 16, 2008 3:27 AM