How the Tech Industry is failing you, Part 2

You do the right things. You only surf to “legitimate” Websites. You never open attachments sent in e-mails without investigating them first. You’ve paid the $29.99 for a year’s worth of protection. Good for you! I salute you.

But, you get infected anyway, and now you’re being told the safest thing to do is wipe your drive and start fresh.

That really, really,.. um,.. what’s the word I’m looking for?.. stinks!
(We here at Tech–for Everyone [me, myself, and I] were sorely tempted to use a word with more tang and, vigorosity.)
And thinking about this makes me Mad As Heck (please see yesterday’s video clip).

The reason “why” is: we are being sold second-rate crud. It’s been that way for.. well, forever.
Sure, we pay top dollar for it, but it’s half-baked, untested, and has more security holes in it than Swiss cheese. (OK. Some of it is free [or, cheap], but it’s still crud.)

Software, hardware– take your pick.

Let me give you a “for instance”– if you were a big corporation and had a large budget, you could buy a UTM/WSG device to (help) protect your network (Unified Threat Management/Web Security Gateway). This device would include a firewall capable of opening each Internet data packet and scanning it for malware/porn/company secrets/encrypted data/”bad” destinations/you name it, both entering and leaving. It would include a spam/e-mail filter that interactively queries a database of “bad” IP address and URL’s (a service like TrustedSource.org), in real time. The device would also include a built-in antivirus/anti-malware engine.
The device would include all the latest and greatest security technology, and use the latest “Enterprise-grade” security techniques.

I want one of those!!!
Only… I don’t have $30,000 to spend on a box to put in front of my DSL modem.

Here’s my point– it doesn’t cost $30K to make the dang box. It costs, like.. I don’t know, $12? $20?

The reason they can charge $30K is the companies that sell them take on some legal liabilities. The box itself is a power-supply, a circuit board, some RAM, and a few chips.. peanuts.
How about this, security appliance companies, I’ll waive my rights to sue you if I lose data, and you sell me a UTM/WSG for, oh.. say..$39.99. Deal?
Stop laughing. You’ll sell millions of them.
(How many homes are connected to the WWW? )

Or how about you motherboard manufacturers? Why don’t you put a little dedicated RAM, and some EPROM’s on, and build some WSG into your board? Sell a secure mainboard.. for $40 more than a plain-Jane board. Huh? Why not? Maybe a little dedicated AV engine?

Well, I’m running out of space for today. But I’ve got more to say.
When one of you IT Brightboys get smart, and apply my idea(s) to your products, (a secure home WAP. Anyone?) you can mail my commission c/o Tech–for Everyone. (Get it?)

And please think about this, Mr. (or Ms.) “IT” CEO.. if you guys don’t get your acts together, the Internet as we know it is finished. It’s bro-ken. (monosyllables sometimes help.)

Today’s free link: (For a limited time!) My friend and fellow tech writer Bill Mullins has “scooped” me again, and is onto a great one today folks. If you’re running a Windows machine, you really should click here, and read about this download opportunity. Save you $40.

* from http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

Copyright 2007-8 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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