RE: [fw-wiz] You'll never get fired for recommending IBM - sorry - Microsoft

MHawkins_at_TULLIB.COM
Date: 12/17/03

  • Next message: Marcus J. Ranum: "RE: [fw-wiz] You'll never get fired for recommending IBM - sorry - Microsoft" 
    To: mjr@ranum.com, breno@gamebox.net
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 22:15:47 -0500

    What do you call a monolithic representation of a predominantly identical
    membership within a group?

    Mike H

    -----Original Message-----
    From: firewall-wizards-admin@honor.icsalabs.com
    [mailto:firewall-wizards-admin@honor.icsalabs.com]On Behalf Of Marcus J.
    Ranum
    Sent: Tuesday, December 16, 2003 7:58 PM
    To: Breno Jacinto; Hawkins, Michael
    Cc: firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com
    Subject: Re: [fw-wiz] You'll never get fired for recommending IBM -
    sorry - Microsoft

    >> Regarding monoculture, let me use a common analogy. My car is no more or
    >> less secure than any other

    Hang on a second!! "Monoculture" in *computing* is an analogy already!!
    Don't use one analogy to try to bolster another one!!

    Arguing by analogy is deceptive, since the choice of analogy can
    conceal or distort information. Generally analogies are used to
    illustrate - but they're only really useful if you're dealing with
    concepts that nobody has established referents for. That's not
    the case when computer security practitioners are talking with
    other computer security practitioners.

    I wrote a brief rant that explains some of my objections to the use
    of "monoculture" analogy in computer security. See:
    http://www.ranum.com/security/computer_security/rants/monoculture.html

    Anyhow, I think "monoculture" is a flawed analogy. Trying to use
    an automotive analogy to explain away flaws is a flawed analogy
    is too many levels of indirection for my taste! Why can't we just
    talk about computer security when we're trying to talk about
    computer security? ;)

    mjr.

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