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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: net.text,net.unix
Subject: Re: Use of ``vi'' for business office word-processing
Message-ID: <7154@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 26-Sep-86 17:07:39 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.7154
Posted: Fri Sep 26 17:07:39 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 26-Sep-86 17:07:39 EDT
References: <1246@kitty.UUCP> <141@rayssd.UUCP> <2433@phri.UUCP>, <2046@saber.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 24

> Security is another important issue.  Much clerical data (pay rates, customer
> lists, job evaluations) is much safer on a floppy disk in a drawer than on a
> UNIX system.  Only constant vigilance can keep any UNIX system secure, and
> that vigilance is most unlikely in an office environment.

However, that data won't stay on floppies.  Sooner or later the office will
discover how wonderful hard disks are compared to floppies.  Somewhat later
they will discover how much time is saved by networking.  And then we're
back to the same old situation:  sensitive data must be kept on floppy to
be secure, but only constant vigilance will ensure that this is really done
when the alternatives are so much less hassle.

Actually, only constant vigilance is going to keep anything really secure.
What sort of drawer are those floppies in?  Is it locked?  Always?  Is the
lock the type you can open with a paper clip?  How many people are allowed
in the room (if it's a general office, probably a great many)?  Who has keys?
How many people who've left the company still have keys?  Is all this really
relevant, when the disks are probably sitting in an unlocked floppy box
beside the machine because it's too much hassle to constantly dig them out
of the locked drawer?  Security *demands* constant vigilance of the people
involved, regardless of the nature of the system.
-- 
				Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
				{allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry