Truth About Computer Security Hysteria
[Editor's note: Turn down the volumn if you listen to the audio version of this column. Don't say we didn't warn you...]
PBS Frontline 'Cyber War!' episode
Rob Rosenberger,
Vmyths co-founderSaturday, 19 April 2003 PBS ISSUED A press release for an upcoming Frontline episode titled "Cyber War!" Check out this tidbit:
Following the broadcast, visit FRONTLINE's Web site at www.pbs.org/frontline for extended coverage of this story, including ... a forum with cybersecurity experts from CERT, Akamai, Symantec, and Sandia Labs who will field questions from viewers.
If you get to ask a question of the PBS panel, I hope you'll ask "does Symantec still arm China for a cyber-war against the U.S.?"Wow, someone from Symantec will sit on this panel? Talk about irony! Symantec admits they armed China with cyber-war technology from ca.1998 until at least 2001. More importantly, Symantec refused to arm the United States with that very same cyber-war technology during that very same period. I doubt this fact will come out in Frontline's "Cyber War!" episode... ...But maybe it'll come out during the interactive forum. If you get to ask a question of the PBS panel, I hope you'll ask "does Symantec still arm China for a cyber-war against the U.S.?" Oh, and guess what? Frontline's "Cyber War!" episode will highlight Richard Clarke — ironically, the man at the White House who tacitly approved Symantec's transfer of cyber-war technology to China. Sadly, I don't expect Frontline will divulge this fact, either. Michael Kirk wrote, directed, and produced the "Cyber War!" episode for Frontline. Kirk also wrote, directed, and produced "The Man Who Knew" — another Frontline episode featuring Richard Clarke. Coincidence? PBS, eh? Hmph. Our cyber-war coverage is being brought to us by the letter "D" and the number "7"...