Dan Simon is wrong July 8, 1998

“What is Security?” “Security is about implementing people’s preferences for privacy, trust and information sharing (i.e., their `Security Policies’)” “Security is about implementing people’s preferences for privacy, trust and information sharing (i.e., their `Security Policies’)” –Wrong (or incomplete) Security is also about eliminating unforeseen consequences Security is also about eliminating unforeseen consequences Constructing the policy is the hard part Constructing the policy is the hard part

You can’t handle the truth Who should be able to open the front door on my house? Who should be able to open the front door on my house? –Me, my family, our guests –Police, firefighters, paramedics  But they should be logged and audited –Locksmiths? It’s hard to construct the right lists It’s hard to construct the right lists Physical metaphors may not help Physical metaphors may not help

Social constructs Security policies are based on experience Security policies are based on experience Less experience on computers than in real world Less experience on computers than in real world Unforeseen consequences may be far more numerous Unforeseen consequences may be far more numerous Predicting consequences is computationally complex Predicting consequences is computationally complex Analogies may not maintain consequences Analogies may not maintain consequences

Desiderata I need an administrator I need an administrator –I’m not alone My policy might simply parameterize the administrator’s policy My policy might simply parameterize the administrator’s policy I need auditing I need auditing I need undo I need undo I need someone to explain my policy to me I need someone to explain my policy to me