Last week, Bruce Schneier kindly agreed to participate in a quorum we were putting together on the now-infamous incident in which an Apple employee apparently left a new prototype iPhone in a California bar. Our quorum didn’t come together, but Schneier has posted his excellent response on his blog. “Apple needs to fix its security problem,” he concludes, “but only after it figures out where the problem is.”[%comments]
What Should Apple Do?
TAGS: Bruce Schneier, security
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Of course this was not an accident. There was nothing brilliant about it either: it’s not like “accidentally” leaking information is anything new or difficult. And Apple is most certainly not seen as powerful and omniscient. It is perceived as a manufacturer of not very functional devices that give the childish crowd, predominantly in the U.S., the feeling of being very cool. The grown-ups’ version of smoking in high school bathroom. The funniest part is that the fans believe others, too, regard them as rebels. Wake up, people. You are about as rebellious and cool as 12-y.o. “vampires” with oh-so-menacing plastic teeth.
Disclaimer: It *is* ok to use Apple products if you have reasons to do so that don’t make you look like an idiot. It is not ok to pretend it is anything more than, say, choosing a Sony television over a Samsung television or the other way around.
@ Tim @ J.: I definitely think something fishy was going on with this. This is a company that is so secretive that it forces engineers to cover their projects with black cloth. Even employees don’t know about other group’s projects.
Here’s a good article from Apple Insider:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/06/23/report_details_apples_unusual_veil_of_secrecy.html
I heard some talking heads in the Times Cast say, pompously I must add, “Apple should not end up in the wrong side of 1984 commercial”, obviously referring to “big brother”.
This is very backward thinking. These two people think it is a free publicity for Apple.
Let’s think straight; Apple has a teams of hundreds of well-paid Engineers, developers, ergonomics experts, etc., trying to outdo the competition and keep their distance from them by expending millions of dollars. That is their investment, future profitability and bread and butter.
And you as Times reporters justify stolen property, disclosure of trade secrets of a serious innovator by some con artist in the name of “news reporting”.
You better go to school, and take a few more courses including some ethics classes and promise not to yield thievery.
I heard cheap shots before but this takes the cake.
Abetting is the thing you do in an episode crime where “aiding and abetting” is involved.
Steve Jobs should spare no $ to get these people where they belong to the state penitentiary.
You might believe it was a stunt for publicity, until the police got involved at Apple’s request. If Apple were the true source of the action, then they would be playing a very dangerous game.