From Daniel Dresner, Manchester, UK
First, it was Y2K. Now, it’s proofing the security of our technology against quantum computing (well covered by Karmela Padavic-Callaghan). Both challenges continue to add evidence that ignorance, wilful or otherwise, isn’t bliss in cyberland (25 April, p 10).
However, perhaps one change we can make is to demote the language we assign to criminals and agents of hostile nation states and stop calling them “hackers”. Marcus Ranum’s 2005 essay “The 6 Dumbest Ideas in Computer Security” made it clear that they are undeserving of the title to the extent that our admiration weakens our defences. I still lament the term being used for our adversaries when – as the saying goes – some of my best friends are hackers.
Hackers, of the ethical variety, bridge the air gap between responsible cyber and criminality with the simple morality of consent. If we are to rise above the fear, uncertainty and doubt that characterise too much of our communication of good and poor cyber practices, perhaps we can eliminate the false glamour that perpetuates 20 years later.
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