From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Tue Jan 09 2001 - 13:16:19 MST
>May be useful
>http://www.whalecommunications.com/fr_0300.htm
>[but I am not an expert]
This product solves the wrong problem. It allows communications
through a device without maintaining a constant physical connection.
Wireless technology already does that. So does store-and-forward
technologies like e-mail. So do old telephone switches which used to
rely on flipping tiny gates between circuits. In fact, the entire
Internet is based on switching technology. No connection across the
Internet is expected to maintain a physical circuit at all times.
None of this helps security in any way. The functionality available
to customers and hackers alike is unaffected by this technology.
The real problem with security is not physical connectivity, it is
logical connectivity. If a data is allowed in, viruses can be
transmitted. If data is allowed out, confidential data can be lost.
If two-way conversations are allowed, hackers can try to trick
servers. If data filtering is used to block bad data, then there is
a constant battle between the latest rules blocking the latest known
attacks. If flawed protocols are allowed through, then security
holes are opened. If flawed protocols are blocked, then their
functionality is no longer available to customers.
The fact that the physical wire isn't connected is a non-issue. The
data communications challenges still remain the same. Security
depends on what data is allowed through and what data is blocked.
The physical mechanisms used to convey the data is immaterial.
-- Harvey Newstrom <HarveyNewstrom.com>
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