How Secure is Technology?

Crime has been a part of all written history. There has always been somebody who could not be trusted. However, with the introduction of the computer the number of ways in which criminals can accomplish their malicious intentions have dramatically increased. Previously, criminals had to risk actually going someplace to do whatever it is they wanted to do; they ran the risk of being seen and caught. With a computer and the Internet they no longer have to leave their home. There is a great deal of anonymity on the Internet. This was especially problematic during the early development of the Internet where the network was based largely on trust. There were relatively few security measures taken to secure a computer attached to the Internet. This allowed criminals to get access to great amounts of information fairly easily and with little risk of getting caught.

Since those early days of the Internet, many things have changed. People started to realize that there was a great risk in giving free access to a computer attached to the Internet. Passwords became stronger, and encryption began being used when sending and receiving sensitive data. Communities of people that were concerned with computer security formed, and they started publishing the problems they were finding. This brought great awareness to the problems that existed.

With the rise of each new technology, we should always be concerned with the security of our sensitive data. However, as a whole, the world has become aware that great attention needs to be given to making new technologies secure. This does not mean that their efforts are perfect. Many security holes still exist in new and existing technologies. With that in mind, perfect security is not what we desire. Perfect security greatly reduces the usability of anything. Think of what it would take to make your house perfectly secure. It would quickly become a very hard place to live in. The same is true of technologies. There will always be some risk of criminal activity, but is that risk great enough to overshadow the benefits gained by the technology? In the past, perhaps this was the case. Today, the benefits are great and the risk is ever diminishing.