Uncreative Labs

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I often hear from the Linux afficianados that security and ease of use are mutually exclusive, especially when it comes to Microsoft software. I have yet to see a good essay or article on how this is so. Why does easy software have automatically mean swiss cheese?

Any links to intelligent articles on why this is so would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Cool

Ki Mendrossen
Chief of Staff
Ambassador Sarek of Vulcan

Posted: Tue Oct 04, 2005 6:06 pm

Quote:

Why does easy software have automatically mean swiss cheese?

Laziness. Lazy lazy lazy lazy.
Time limits.
Lack of skill.

I'll explain it this way: Most programmers either put in the time to make software easy, or to make it secure. They don't always do both.

I wish I had some articles for you to read, but you'll have to do your own searching.

Btw, do you find PHPBB bulletin boards easy to use? They're generally not insecure if up-to-date. We'll be updating this board soon, nothing should change to the users.

Posted: Wed Oct 05, 2005 6:25 am

This might help some

http://www.tekforums.co.uk:81/index.php?showtopic=59495

Joined: 19 Oct 2004 Posts: 138 Location: Lynnwood,WA

Easy software is usually swiss cheese because it's designed so someone can be a total dork and screw it up without having a panic as there are "back doors" everywhere to get into it from or get it to work when damaged. Unfortunatley, most of these "back doors" STILL require more thinking power than the usual end user is willing to put out.

However, secure software is built with security in mind. For example, Windows VS. Linux. Windows is designed so even a clueless na na can run it, while Linux is designed as a robust, sexure O/S at the expense of having a "safe mode" and such to get through. You can always place a guard at the door, but what good is he when he's drunk and laying in bed rather than guarding whatever it is he's supposed to be guarding every once in awhile. Put up a brick rooml, if you forget to put in a door, you are going to have a HELL of a time getting in. If you get my drift.

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 10:05 pm

Ki, I don't often do research for other people like I did for you. (Actually, it was a lucky coincidence!) However, I just saw a guy affiliated with HP give a talk on how security and ease of use is not mutually exclusive.

I don't have time or the memory (it'll take a week to digest all the info I got the last few days) to tell you exact details, but I'll give you some terms to search on:

HP security
Polaris
ACM Reflections Projections 2005
Web Calculus
Secure Bookmarks
Marc Stiegler

I will see when the video of the presentation comes out if I can post it for distribution. Good Luck.

Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 1:05 am

http://www.acm.uiuc.edu/conference/webcast.php

I don't see anything prohibiting distribution of the video, so this is the site where it's hosted. Marc Stiegler gave an interesting talk on security and usability, so that's the one you want.