Stories by: Bruce Schneier

Bruce Schneier, security technologist and CTO of Counterpane Internet Security, answers readers' questions about computer network defences and sloppy end users.

Information insecurity is costing us billions. We pay for it in theft -- information and financial theft. We pay for it in productivity loss, both when networks stop working and in the dozens of minor security inconveniences we all have to endure. We pay for it when we have to buy security products and services to reduce those other two losses. We pay for security, year after year.

At the Crypto 2004 conference in California, this month, researchers announced several weaknesses in common hash functions. These results, while mathematically significant, aren't cause for alarm. But even so, it's probably time for the cryptography community to get together and create a new hash standard.

New networking services, wireless devices and the latest products regularly turn network security upside down. It's no wonder CIOs can't keep up.