Be Insecure, Be Very Insecure

se’cure
­adjective
1. free from or not exposed to danger or harm; safe.
2. dependable; firm; not liable to fail, yield, become displaced, etc., as a
support or a fastening: The building was secure, even in an earthquake.
3. affording safety, as a place: He needed a secure hideout.
4. in safe custody or keeping: Here in the vault the necklace was secure.
5. free from care; without anxiety: emotionally secure.
6. firmly established, as a relationship or reputation: He earned a secure
place among the baseball immortals.
7. sure; certain; assured: secure of victory; secure in religious belief.
8. safe from penetration or interception by unauthorized persons: secure radio
communications between army units.

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It dawned on me recently that when some people talk about a site being “secure”
(#8) or not, what they’re really saying is that *they* don’t feel secure (#5).

As Michael pointed out in a recent show, one study shows that the number of
people who recognize a phish email is dismally low. So apparently if Grandma
Jane eBayer is getting mail that purports to be from eBay and PayPal on a daily
basis, it reinforces her perception that neither eBay nor PayPal are secure
(#8), even though it’s actually her lack of knowledge about what maketh a phish that is the prime cause of her anxiety.

Add to that the persistent rumor that some of the malicious emails come from
insiders. “How else could they know my real name?” Grandma Jane doesn’t
remember the contests she entered or the online warranty cards she’s filled
out, and she will not believe you if you remind her. She thinks privacy
policies are in place to protect her privacy. She’s certainly never read one
or considered the implications.

Compounding the problem is that when company reps try to educate Grandma Jane,
she just tunes them out and tunes in QVC instead. Those nice hosts, she
almost feels like she knows them. And such pretty jewelry, and what a great
value. All she has to do is pick up her old analog cordless phone and give her
credit card number.

So safe, so certain. Shucks, she’s been doing it for the
last forty years, starting with that Veg-O-Matic guy, Ron Popeil.

Pay no attention Jane to the man parked at the curb, operating that scanner.

Your identity is secure.

fLufF