Do We Really Need a Security Industry?

netbuzz noted that Bruce Schneir's latest column discusses the security industry where he points out that "The primary reason the IT security industry exists is because IT products and services aren't naturally secure. If computers were already secure against viruses, there wouldn't be any need for antivirus products. If bad network traffic couldn't be used to attack computers, no one would bother buying a firewall. If there were no more buffer overflows, no one would have to buy products to protect against their effects. If the IT products we purchased were secure out of the box, we wouldn't have to spend billions every year making them secure."

And if

[0racle]

If a frog had wings he wouldn't bump his as ass it hopped.

Nothings perfect, those imperfections can be exploited. There will always be a need for security products.

Well then, let me be the first to say

[w.p.richardson]

If if's and but's were candy and nuts, then what a wonderful world it would be!

Blah, blah, blah ...

[PhxBlue]

If computers were already secure against viruses, there wouldn't be any need for antivirus products. If bad network traffic couldn't be used to attack computers, no one would bother buying a firewall. ...

And if pigs flew out of my arse, I wouldn't need to go to the supermarket to buy bacon. What's his point?

That's gross

[Lurker2288]

You'd eat bacon from your own ass pigs? Remind me not to come to your house for BLTs.

Re:Finally!

[pturing]

I suppose you're posting this comment via a snail-mail to http gateway.

A reason to implement the Evil Bit

[Random BedHead Ed]

If bad network traffic couldn't be used to attack computers, no one would bother buying a firewall.

Sounds like a good reason to implement the Evil Bit [faqs.org] for all IP traffic from now on. (Of course, if you own stock in a firewall distributor or other security company, better diversify before they implement this RFC.)

Re:And if

[Floritard]

How did this get +3 Funny? He screwed the order up and didn't even bother to use the funnier colloquialism "bump it's ass a'hoppin'!" No imagination. Then again I could tell you an even funnier and more cliché quip, but then I'd have to kill ya! Ha!

Bosco

[Dr. Eggman]

We live in a world where people will trade their password for a bar of chocolate.

In many cases, they don't need to trade the chocolate because we also live in a world where people name their passwords after chocolate.

Re:In other news

[wirelessbuzzers]

If people didn't commit crimes there wouldn't be a need for police.

We'd still need analogy police. Speaking of which, you're under arrest.

Re:That's gross

[drinkypoo]

You'd eat bacon from your own ass pigs? Remind me not to come to your house for BLTs.

Just don't ask where the tomatoes come from.