Schneier on Security

Peter E Retep • July 26, 2010 1:39 PM

Profiling is a term that has changed as much in meaning as has consumption over the same time frame.

Social astrology of any type generates a bad name for itself among those who desire hard and fast predictability, while it appeals to those who wish their interpretations of its pronouncements to be both true and genuine.

This phrenology-by-observation social astrology is an example of the former.
VICAP signature and surveillance analysis adjunct to a crime scene is an example of the latter.

The chief danger to our security is when those charged to be Authorities begin to confuse the two.
One of the signal momentys in history was when a wax effigy of the new queen was discovered and Elizabeth 1 was closeted with her security and intelliegece advisors for several days as they taught her the difference between magical intentional witchcraft and poisoning by field agents acting as assassins.

Dare we hope we have learned anything from that?

Thank you, Bruce, for the brief trip down history lane.