It's interesting that the terms of the debate is always put in all-or-nothing trade-offs. Either we keep the problem-laden, insecure, and ill-conceived "Internet" or we trade off open platforms, anonymity and privacy for "something better". There seems to be a bit of a disconnect in Markoff's piece. He moves from challenges to network security (like the Conficker story) and, in an unusual non-sequitor, concludes that the libertarian ethos of anonymity and privacy built into the Internet's code is a big obstacle to addressing security concerns. But really, the problem posed by Conficker and the other anecdotes about botnets and malware have nothing to do with privacy and anonymity. They're the result of network software and operating systems badly written by people who care little about end-user security concerns. Sure, isolated incidents of hacking or informational espionage are network and national security challenges, but this happens not because of any inherent TCP/IP vulnerability or weakness, but network administrators not doing their diligence; or industry coders getting programs out on the market for consumption without properly locking things down for security purposes.

-- JonPenney - 23 Feb 2009