Stone Aged Security

Humans have been stealing from each other since we first chose to pile rocks up in a cave.  The current media frenzy might make us think of cybercrime as a new issue, but it is really just the most recent incarnation of what is the probably the second oldest profession.

The same societies, defences, attacks and innovations that were created in the physical world have all been rediscovered and recreated in the online world.  No-one seems to have noticed this before now.

Stone Age Society (10,000 BC)

The stone age is generally considered to be the advent of agriculture at the end of the last ice age.  Before this everything was done manually and just-in-time.  Society developed towns, and people started to develop specialised skills, but each skill replaced a manual process from before.  There were very few defences and very little interconnectivity.

Stone Age IT (1940)

The IT stone age is generally considered to be the advent of programmable digital computers at the end of the last world war.  Before this everything was done manually and just-in-time.  Engineers developed computers, and people started to develop specialised skills, but each skill replaced a manual process from before.  There were very few defences and very little interconnectivity.

Bronze Age Society (3,000 BC)

The bronze age is defined by the advent of the use of bronze as the primary material for tools and weapons.  It took nearly 7,000 years.  Society developed cities, and the primary government was the city state.  Improvements in efficient trade and commerce were limited by slow communication and lack of coordination.  When necessary armies were raised from farmers.

Bronze Age IT (1975)

The IT bronze age is defined by the advent of the use of microprocessors as the primary building block for computers.  It was 200x faster, and took only 35 years.  Engineers developed CPU designs, and the primary way of using them were via open documentation.  Improvements in efficient trade and commerce were limited by slow communication and lack of coordination.  When necessary armies were raised from enthusiasts.

Iron Age Society (1,000 BC)

The iron age is defined by the advent of the use of steel.  It took about 2,000 years.  Society developed global empires and the first gamers.  The empires were defended by standing armies, but eventually failed as the God-given right to rule crumbled, and plagues ravaged the land.

Iron Age IT (1985)

The IT iron age is defined by the advent of the use of desktop computers.  It was also 200x faster, and took only 10 years.  Engineers developed Microsoft and the first gamers.  The companies were defended by standing armies of lawyers, but eventually failed as the monopoly abuse caused them to crumble, and computer viruses ravaged the land.

Middle Ages Society (500 AD)

After 1500 years, feudalism replaced nation-states and monarchs ruled.  Knowledge was democratised, and the first open universities and printing technologies were created.  Pillage and piracy became a real source of income.  Walled castles were built to keep the enemies out, but weren't effective because trade became more important than protection.

Middle Ages IT (1993)

After 8 years, feudalism replaced monopolies and ideas ruled.  Computing was democratised, and the public Internet was created.  Pillage and piracy became a real source of income.  Firewalls were created to keep the enemies out, but weren't effective because commerce became more important than protection.

Industrial Age Society (1800 AD)

After 1300 years, coal and steam were developed as a new source of power.  Society moved from monarchies to republics.  Laws replaced swords as the way of settling differences, and defences moved out to the state, and in to the building level.

Industrial Age IT (1999)

After 6 years, high-speed broadband was developed as a new source of power.  Innovation moved from established companies to start-ups.  EULAs replaced dongles as the way of protecting software, and defences moved out to the ISP, and in to the host level.

We are now in the Social Stone Age.  It seems unlikely that anyone will look back to IT to see how it will turn out, so I'm sure that we will develop the same societies, defences, attacks and innovations all over again!

Phil Kernick Chief Technology Officer
@philkernick www.cqr.com