Published By: Economist Posted By: Eric Lubow 10/25/2002
When the world's richest man decides it is time for his company to change direction, it is worth asking why. Only rarely does Bill Gates send an e-mail memo to the thousands of employees at Microsoft, the world's largest software company, of which he is chairman. He famously sent such a memo in December 1995, in which he announced that Microsoft had to become "hardcore" about the Internet. In January this year Mr Gates sent another round-robin. Its subject? The importance of computer security.
Until recently, most people were either unaware of computer security or regarded it as unimportant. That used to be broadly true, except in a few specialised areas--such as banking, aerospace and military applications--that rely on computers and networks being hard to break into and not going wrong. But now consumers, companies and governments around the world are sitting up and taking notice. Why?
The obvious answer seems to be that last year's terrorist attacks in America have heightened awareness of security in all its forms. But the deeper reason is that a long-term cultural shift is under way. Digital security has been growing in importance for years as more and more aspects of business and personal life have come to depend on computers. Computing, in short, is in the midst of a transition from an optional tool to a ubiquitous utility. And people expect utilities to be reliable. One definition of a utility, indeed, is a service that is so reliable that people notice it only when it does not work. Telephone service (on fixed lines, at least), electricity, gas and water supplies all meet this definition. Computing clearly does not, at least not yet.
News: Security Sources
