On Sun, 13 Mar 2005 20:58:01 +0100, [EMAIL PROTECTED] said: > For instance, if the entire IRS database (and all backups) went up in a > puff of smoke, the internet as a whole would likely experience only a > small disturbance.
Actually, I *DID* mention an IRS machine, so I *am* aware of the definition of "critical" infrastructure in your sense. Even over at the IRS, the vast majority of boxes are *not* "critical" in that if they get whacked, the whole IRS comes screeching to a halt. Yes, there's some critical database boxes and the like over there, and over at the Social Security Administration, and in the military, and Dept of Interior, and so on. But the vast majority of machines in *all* those places are just workstations on the desks of civil service drones. Proof: Western Civilization doesn't come to a grinding halt every time a virus gets loose in the government systems, any more than it comes to a halt when the same virus gets loose inside Ford Motor Company. By what magical property do "most systems" inside government become "critical", when the same system on the desktop of somebody doing the same function in a corporate environment doesn't qualify as such? Loss of the database server that has your payroll data on it is "critical". Loss of the desktop computer that somebody uses to update the data isn't critical - or if it *is*, it won't be for long - your replacement will find a way to make sure the function can be re-imaged onto another system quickly. ;)
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