Re: Hackers could be planning major attack, says White House

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: "Robert G. Ferrell" <rferrell () texas net>

At 01:41 AM 11/14/02 -0600, InfoSec News wrote:

> Sachs said there has been a longstanding myth that
> open source technologies are safer than proprietary systems
> because their design can be improved by anyone who wants
> to examine them. The Slapper worm is helping to dispel that
> notion, he said.

The only myth that needs dispelling around here is that monolithic
proprietary software vendors have any economic incentive to improve
their security.  Open Source never claimed to be bullet-proof, but the
statement here that proprietary software is somehow less susceptible
to security flaws is flatly contradicted by the simplest observable
statistics.  Look up the number of serious vulnerabilities in any
given proprietary product over the past year and compare that to the
number discovered in any comparable Open Source offering.  I think
you'll find that the assertion that Open Source is 'safer' is still
quite valid.

This is just another subtle piece of mudslinging by folks in the upper
echelons of government who are dedicated to helping Microsoft and
other proprietary vendors maintain their iron grip on the industry.  
It's not as though we haven't been through this before (Standard Oil,
U. S. Steel, ad nauseum).  Those who cannot remember the past are
(obviously) condemned to repeat it.

RGF

Robert G. Ferrell
rferrell () texas net
http://rferrell.home.texas.net/rgflit.html

"Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when
you have forgotten your aim."

    --Santayana



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