February 12, 2004

Is the Internet Safer? No. First user's minds must change

My spin: PC World reported that the cybersecurity branch of the federal Homeland Security Department is taking stock not quite a year after its inception, pointing to some education programs and urging more partnerships with private industry. The article goes on to read that this year, the National Cyber Security Division plans to expand its recently launched National Cyber Alert System and enlist help from industry in achieving its goals. These include expanding its Web site to boost public awareness of security issues and determining how to guard against cyberattacks on the nation's digital infrastructure.

I'm not so sure if the Internet can be "safter" unless the minds of those using it change. People, and every day more and more "first time" users are online must know how to be secure and protect themselves.

They can't be "click" happy and click on all sorts of attachments in email messages. If they get some message that says "you've got a virus - click here" is it REALLY a message from their anti-virus program or from some rogue web site?

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