Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!caen!news.cs.indiana.edu!msi.umn.edu!noc.MR.NET!ns!nscultrix1.network.com!dotytr From: dotytr@nscultrix1.network.com (Ted R. Doty) Subject: Re: What do you think about security functions in modems? Message-ID: <1991Mar29.144808.28535@ns.network.com> Followup-To: ted.doty@network.com Summary: Don't think people will *pay* for security Keywords: security modems Sender: ted.doty@network.com (Ted Doty) Nntp-Posting-Host: nscultrix1 Organization: Network Systems Corporation References: <3888.27f10f22@hayes.uucp> <8242@crash.cts.com> Date: Fri, 29 Mar 91 14:48:08 GMT While it's all well and good to try to implement security in comms products, I suspect that it is an easy way to go out of business (did anyone notice when Tempest Technologies Inc. went into liquidation?). The *real* problem is that most customers don't think they need more security, and sure don't want to pay for it. Yes, there are a number of exceptions - customers who understand and support (with their $) effective security. But for each of these, there must be a thousand who don't. Remember the Internet worm? Is security really any better now than two years ago? From a practical point of view, do *you* want to have to manage the distribution of a million keys? 10000? I know I don't. Can you convince the vendors to do this? (answer: sure - if they can charge customers for the service ... see above). My suspicion is that security will remained confined to a few sites that really need it (U.S. Government), and that the rest of the world will some how get by. I'd like to be wrong about this. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ted Doty, Network Systems Corporation | phone: +1 301 596-2270 8965 Guilford Road, Suite 250 | fax: +1 301 381-3320 Columbia, MD, 21046 USA | voice mail: (800) 233-1485 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- These opinions are mine; if you want the opinions of Network Systems, why don't you ask them?