Another Internet

Patrick Dempsey has an interesting article explaining why we need to create another more secure internet. He explains that the internet has become a haven for cybercriminals so this seems to be the only solution. I agree that cybercrime is a major problem and since it almost always crosses international boundaries it's become a major challenge for law enforcement. I think that there are better ways to go about solving this problem than creating a whole new internet. Even if it were possible to create another more secure internet what would happen when criminals figure out how to get around its' security. It would be better to start by trying to fix a few things that are wrong with our current internet. The real problem though maybe just that law enforcement is not evolving fast enough in order to keep ahead of all the new criminal exploits brought about by the growth of the internet.

The Cuckoo's Egg

Cliff Stoll in his book The Cuckoo's Egg makes several important observations about the role of computers in society. In the beginning of chapter 56 we read, "The computer has become a common denominator that knows no intellectual, political, or bureaucratic bounds; the Sherwin Williams of necessity that covers the world, spanning all points of view." Computer security should be a top priority for everyone regardless of whether their main concern is to protect national interests, maintain their privacy or avoid monetary loss. Cliff Stoll has been involved with the internet from its' beginning and quite a few things have changed since the book was written, but the main points are still relevant today. Fortunately software updates are more easily obtainable now over the internet preventing network-wide exploits from being easily taken advantage of. Reading the book helped me realize the importance of protecting important data from outside intrusion. Maintaining the integrity of a network depends on every user protecting his or her password, a task that becomes increasingly more difficult as the number of users goes up.

The internet as a system is based on trust. Password crackers, virus writers and spammers only violate that trust. Arguing that a virus that spreads over the internet is only a small prank helping to improve security is just like a thief that breaks into homes in a small rural town in order to impress on the residents a need to buy large locks. Regarding viruses that cripple network resources, "Perhaps you'd thank the person who let the air out of your tires--award him a medal for raising your consciousness about automotive security." Cliff Stoll spent months doing nothing but tracking Markus Hess and after all of that lost work time Markus is only sentenced to a three year prison term for espionage. It might be interesting to hear the story from the side of Markus Hess and the intelligence agencies involved especially what they thought of the phony SDInet files.

It would be nice if such malicious internet users didn't exist. The biggest problem, however, is how we deal with these annoyances and how we implement computer security. It's important to keep the networks open while at the same time not allowing ourselves to become consumed with mutual suspicion and surveillance. Ideally the protection of sensitive data would be ensured while at the same time allowing for the free flow of information, which is what makes the internet so great.

Addictive Technology

New Scientist has an interesting article on a group of researchers from Northampton University studying the effects of habit-forming technology. "We need to pay attention to how people react to potentially habit-forming technologies and respond with appropriate education and policies," explains Nada Kakabadse. It's true that advances in technology may often come with unwanted side-effects. With the constant connectivity they offer Blackberry's, iPhones and other PDA's definitely have the potential to be overused and take time away from more productive activities. I wonder what kind of warning label these products should start coming out with. Maybe a section of the user's manual could be dedicated to recognizing the signs of addiction to this particular technology and ways to prevent it from taking over your life. Video game console manufacturers should certainly look into doing something like this so they can avoid the blame for all the wasted time their products have helped bring about. Most people wouldn't read the additional material anyway, this way at least the company could say they've done their part. I agree that more research should be done on the effects of technology in people's daily lives. I also hope that there will always be a few people with enough restraint to prevent technology addiction from becoming an epidemic.

Family History and the Internet

familysearch.org offers access to 4 databases and is a great resource available to those seeking to research their family history. The biggest challenge for family history research today is getting the word out and making those resources more accessible and easier to use. I found the resources helpful when researching my own family history. The confusing part is deciding which database to search and understanding the results and limitations of each one. Searching ancestral file will bring up several pedigree charts for the same person. These charts may each contain different branches from a given family. The IGI is helpful for putting all these charts together into one big list. It's difficult sometimes to find what has already been researched in a given area and where more research can be done. More improvement could be made in family history forums and making them more searchable. A lot of work has been put into these databases and hopefully improvements will continue to be made towards improving the user interface and facilitating collaboration among individuals.