Musings from Brian J. Noggle

Your Data Or Your Life

Maybe I'm just a simpleton working in the very self-important IT world, but when I read Charles Cooper's latest column, "Access to Tom Ridge or bust", I found it a little hard to worry that the Department of Homeland Security is spending too little (for the IT industry's taste) of its limited resources on protecting data:

Industry executives have long complained about the lack of attention given to an issue that rates more important than the occasional photo op.

There's a pattern here. Both previous cybersecurity czars, Richard Clarke and Howard Schmidt, urged the government to move faster to combat the threat to the nation's information infrastructure. But whatever progress has come has been at a snail's pace.

You can understand why the administration is not circling the wagons. Unlike Iraq or the economy, the state of the nation's Internet infrastructure won't be on many people's minds when they enter the voting booths Nov. 2. Out of sight, out of mind--unless, of course, the entire kit and caboodle comes crashing down because of an attack.

Until then, the Bushistas can continue to pursue a policy of benign neglect while pretending to be doing important work. It's great politics, and isn't that what this is really all about?

Oh, spare me. If my bank loses my data and takes a couple of days to restore from backups, I'll be fine. Even if they lose all the money we have in the bank, our Just In Time earning habits ensure we won't lose a lot of fiscal inventory. Uf the supply chain management of gas facilities prevents me from fueling my truck, I have a bike. I can walk. I can understand the four way stop concept if the stoplights go out, and if some stupid utility company put Internet-ready (that is insecure-already) flow controls that will leave me in the dark, I have pressboard to burn.

But if some jihadist cell streeams over the southern border and snipes, nukes, bombs, or otherwise kills me for the greater glory of its own fevered death fetish, I don't have to worry about enduring temporary discomfort, ainna?

Self-appointed technomessiahs need to gain a little perspective and learn the difference between life and their livelihoods before lamenting that not enough chow is put in their federal trough. To blame it on the Bush administration's political concerns is crass.

- posted by Brian J. @ 8:48 AM