The horrific events of September 11, 2001 have brought grief, anger, fear, and many other emotions. As we write these words a few weeks later, risks issues are now squarely on the world’s center stage, particularly technological risks relating to security and privacy. With the nightmare of recent events still in a haze of emotions, […]
Peter G. Neumann
Advertisement
Inside Risks: Computers: Boon or Bane?
Predicting the long-term effects of computers is both difficult and easy: we won’t get it right, but we won’t see ourselves proven wrong. Rather than try, we present some alternatives allowing readers to make their own predictions. Computers play an increasing role in enabling and mediating communication between people. They have great potential for improving […]
Inside Risks: What to Know About
In this column, we assert that deeper knowledge of fundamental principles of computer technology and their implications will be increasingly essential in the future for a wide spectrum of individuals and groups, each with its own particular needs. Our lives are becoming ever more dependent on understanding computer-related systems and the risks involved. Although this […]
Inside Risks: System Integrity Revisited
Consider a computer product specification with data input, tabulation, reporting, and audit capabilities. The read error must not exceed one in a million, although the input device is allowed to reject any data it considers to be marginal. Although the system is intended for use in secure applications, only functional (black box) acceptance testing has […]
For evaluating the proposed U.S. missile-defense shield, President Clinton has outlined four criteria relating to strategic value, technological and operational feasibility, cost, and impact on international stability. Strategic value is difficult to assess without considering the feasibility; if the desired results are technologically infeasible, then the strategic value may be minimal. Feasibility remains an open […]
Inside Risks: Risks in Retrospect
Having now completed 10 years of "Inside Risks," we reflect here on what has happened in that time. In short, our basic conclusions have not changed much over the years—despite many advances in the technology. Indeed, this lack of change itself seems like a serious risk. Overall, the potential risks have monotonously if not monotonically […]
The Internet is expanding at an unprecedented rate. However, along with the enormous potential benefits, almost all of the risks discussed here in past columns are relevant, in many cases made worse by the Internet, due to widespread remote-access capabilities, ever-increasing communication speeds, the Net’s exponential growth, and weak infrastructure. This month we summarize some […]
Inside Risks: Denial-of-Service Attacks
A Funny Thing Happened on my Way to the (Risks) Forum this month. I had planned to write a column on the ever-burgeoning risks of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks relating to the Internet, private networks, computer systems, cable modems, and DSL (for which spoofing is a serious risk), and the critical infrastructures that we considered here […]
Inside Risks: A Tale of Two Thousands
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, but now it is time to reflect on the lessons of Y2K.
Inside Risks: Risks of Insiders
This month we consider some of the risks associated with insiders. An insider is someone who has been (explicitly or implicitly) granted privileges authorizing use of a particular system or facility. This concept is clearly relative to virtual space and real time, because at any given moment a user may be an insider with respect […]
Shape the Future of Computing
ACM encourages its members to take a direct hand in shaping the future of the association. There are more ways than ever to get involved.
Get Involved