A Socio Technical Perspective on Internet Security: Why the Problem Is Even Harder Than We Think

Abstract

The problem of security on the Internet is persistent and intractable. In this talk, I will take a different perspective on the problem, and start by asserting that we do not know what it means to make the Internet more secure. I will argue that the problem is not a technical one, but one that can only be understood in a larger context. I will propose some models of this larger context, and then, as time permits, talk about how we might attack the problem if we had the option of starting from scratch.

Bio

David Clark is a Senior Research Scientist at the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, where he has worked since receiving his Ph.D. there in 1973. Since the mid 70s, Dr. Clark has been leading the development of the Internet; from 1981-1989 he acted as Chief Protocol Architect in this development, and chaired the Internet Activities Board. More recent activities include extensions to the Internet to support real-time traffic, pricing and related economic issues, and policy issues surrounding the Internet, such as broadband local loop deployment. His current research looks at re-definition of the architectural underpinnings of the Internet, and the relation of technology and architecture to economic, societal and policy considerations. Dr. Clark is past chairman of the Computer Science and Telecommunications Board of the National Academies, and has contributed to a number of studies on the societal and policy impact of computer communications. He is co-director of the MIT Communications Futures Program, a project for industry collaboration and coordination along the communications value chain.