On Security
Brian Behlendorf thinks that computer systems are going to be
understood in far more biological terms in the future. We talk about
viruses and anti-viruses. How about vaccines? He points out that many
viruses and worms are not harmful but they could be. In this way they
are like vaccines, where an infectious agent spreads and causes an
immune response. Perhaps the best way to provide security is to send
out harmless but annoying viruses to keep the computing immune system
well-primed.
Linus thinks if you are paranoid about security, as one foreign defense
force person in the audience asking the question was, you would feel
safer examining the code for trojans. While a lot of work, in open
source it is always possible, while with proprietary systems, it is not
always. Also, in terms of stupidity in coding he points out that a lot
of corners are cut where the developer knows no one can see the code.
In open source “if you see someone has a comment that it does not
work in a particular case, you ask yourself What drugs is he on?”.
