The internet is a wonderful place. It’s full of cats, tiny reptiles, brutal fan wars, anonymous taking down websites all over the place, rogue nations attacking infrastructure, cyber criminals after your cold hard cash… hang on. Where did it all go wrong, and should we just start again?
The BBC has an interesting (and somewhat lengthy) article arguing that while the internet has become a fundamental part of our social and economic structure, the fact that it wasn’t built from the ground up as a secure environment means that efforts to secure it — which are frequently frustrated by groups such as Anonymous, whether or not you support its rather nebulous ‘agenda’ — are ultimately doomed to fail.
‘It’s analogous to a house. By default a house should be built to allow it to be occupied safely.
If you chose to start knocking down walls then it is your fault if the house collapses. But if the foundations of any structure are unsound, no matter how strong or unmodified the building on top, there is always a significant risk of safety being undermined through no fault of yours.’
It’s an interesting read, although not an entirely new take on the topic. [BBC]