Information Warfare: October 29, 2002

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A growing problem with government and military Internet security is getting technical people who know what they are doing AND have a security clearance. Because of the war on terror, and the increase in people needing security clearances, a key hiring factor for an Internet expert is whether or not they have a security clearance. And it now takes a lot longer to get a security clearance because more people need them and the examination process is more rigorous. As a result, the people with the best qualifications are often bypassed in favor of someone who already has a security clearance. This is a time bomb, as the Internet security in many government and military organizations is, well, it's bad. Bureaucrats are more interested in showing that they "did all that could be done" than in actually solving the problem. For government work, this approach makes sense. So security experts with the best paperwork, not the best skills will continue to be hired.