Re: [tlug] System security and public policy [was: Anyone seen this gizmo yet?]

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Edward Middleton writes:

 > > ..  You need to say what you think Microsoft would do if they
 > > were faced with the possibility of class action suits on the
 > > scale of what hit the tobacco industry in the U.S. ...
 > 
 > I think they would replace Marketing driven security with Lawyer driven
 > security.

Ah, but that would be an improvement.  Class action lawsuits are a
relatively level playing field.  The lawyers would say "you damn well
better do something that the experts will call 'big improvement',
because you gonna git yer butts whupped, boys."

 > Wouldn't that be great, we could have lawyers and judges deciding
 > what is secure.

This is the case anyway, especially for banks.  Banks have long since
had legal standards for security imposed on them, by legislatures,
courts, regulators, and insurance companies.