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July 19, 2006

Medcalf's Law

Medcalf's Law:

Any internet service that is not designed from the start to be secure will degrade to worthlessness as its utility is discovered by crackers and spammers.

Fact:

The basic protocols of the Internet are not designed for security. These include the fundamental transports (IP, TCP, UDB) as well as common services (SMTP for email, for example).

Conclusion:

The Internet is doomed to degrade into worthlessness or be replaced by a system designed to be secure.

Sorry, just got tired of deleting the spam that leaks through my various filters. Had to vent.

Posted by jeff at July 19, 2006 9:49 AM

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Comments

Doomed to degrade? Aren't we there?

Posted by: Dave at July 19, 2006 9:22 PM

I think this a specific case of the uncredited general law that an object cannot take on properties for which it has not been designed.

Posted by: queuno at July 21, 2006 10:16 PM