A long, long, long time ago on an operating system far, far, far away my primary job was writing code. While trying to figure out if I designed my system well enough to withstand the onslaught of my user community, (because users always use systems in ways they weren’t designed to be used), a senior colleague once told me, “If you can think of it, it can happen”. Apparently he was right because in the NetworkWorld article Sci-fi Writers: New Tech Will Bring More Security Challenges, science fiction writers are telling us the very same thing.
According to our sci-fi thinkers our next attacks will come from another universe. So forget about this universe, now you’re supposed to defend against hackers from another universal stealing your identity from this universe. Well truthfully, if they aren’t pretending to be me in this universe, why should I care that they are pretending to be me in another universe? As long as we aren’t dipping into the same bank account for our morning cup of java and my doctor doesn’t think I have six arms do I really need to upgrade to the multi-universe identity theft plan now? I really don’t think the credit card company will believe me when I tell them that brand new 50 inch flat panel TV was purchased by the guy in the next universe who stole my identity. Talk to me when our universes start sharing more than science fiction stories.
Then I’m told that devices will become so small they will be embedded in my skin and I will be under constant attacks from a mere handshake. Reality check! How many strangers walk up to you on the street and shake your hand just to say hello? These days you can’t even get people to look at you when you walk by, let alone get close enough to touch you, so if we continue with our current social mannerisms of avoiding human contact at all costs, then these attackers will be very easy to recognize (not to mention that personal stun gun will make them drop like a stone).
And what about the quantum computers that break encryption codes as fast as they are written? Well, that sounds like WarGames all over again. I have faith that those quantum computers will create and decode all the possible encryption codes (no doubt before anyone can even finish their coffee), publish all the answers, and just stop working. Once published no one, not even the bad actors will be able to hide forcing the world to, dare I say it, be truthful. But then we can’t forget all those virtual worlds where we will need truth-telling technology to decide for us what is genuine verses what is not because apparently we will not be able to do it ourselves. This of course begs the question if we can’t tell what is real analyzing our own data, then how are the people writing this truth-telling technology supposed to figure it out for us? Clearly psychiatry is the profession of the future…”Tell me Kari, why do you feel this world is not real?”
While I can think of it, I’m having a hard time believing it will happen. My kids on the other hand, are headed to med school and I'm off to shop for couches.