Paranoid - and proud of it

What a great week for the paranoid among us. News stories like "Help Desk Worker Pleads Guilty To Running Bot Net" and "Illegal immigrant finds work as spook for the FBI and CIA" justify our attitude towards security. Of course many will counter with the fact that these are isolated cases, but as we always reply, it only takes one isolated case. Where did you buy that new computer? Have you just had a tech repair your computer or perhaps instal something new? How much personal information was the tech able to access while it was in the shop for repairs/upgrades? Now tell the truth in answer to this next question. How many of you performed a basic security scan when you brought your new or repaired computer home?

Again, many will counter that they trust their techs and retailers - and that it's only in isolated cases we hear of indiscretions by these groups. Heard it twice this week - and as the first line on my website says - "There is now a definite need to create a culture of security". It seems that culture needs to become stronger with each passing moment.