mi2g: Welcome to the FUD Factory Richard Forno / www.infowarrior.org #2004-12 Copyright � 2004 by Author. Permission granted to reproduce with credit.
Source URL: http://www.infowarrior.org/articles/2004-12.html - - - - - Everyone's favorite FUD Factory -- "security intelligence" company mi2g -- is at it again. This week, the firm posted a "news alert" sensationally entitled 'The rise of corporate hate sites - lies, damned lies and extortion'. While the topic of "corporate hate sites" is an interesting and even relevant one for today's day and age, it appears that the true goal of this mi2g "news alert" was to attack security pundit Rob Rosenberger's website Vmyths.Com for his analysis and commentary about security-related companies, including mi2g. (For those unaware, Rob is one of the few pundits who calls things as he sees them, and, while refreshing, that sometimes runs contrary to what companies want the public to know.) It's pathetic, if not somewhat amusing, to see mi2g stooping to such desperate levels that it feels obligated to apply the "hate site" moniker to a website that disagrees with its corporate views....however, for a firm that thrives on the development, packaging, marketing, and sales of hysteria, misdirection, selective analysis, and the continuing propagation of Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD), this is simply business-as-usual. At least Rosenberger publicly cites his sources and cross-checks his facts. For example, one glaring omission in this report is that while mi2g claims a growth in the number of "corporate hate sites" on the Internet, its report does not account for the explosive growth of websites of all sorts during that time (including, quite logically, "corporate hate sites") -- meaning that mi2g's scary statistics on the this allegedly-new "digital risk" are valid only within the vacuum that they're presented. Caveat reader! You can read the report if you like, but I'll save you some time -- according to mi2g, the real enemy in cyberspace isn't hackers, it's people whose opinions you disagree with. And that's quite evident when reading mi2g's statement: in its 14 paragraphs, there are 6 dedicated to attacking and attempting to discredit Rosenberger and Vmyths while implicitly begging the public for sympathy. Six out of 14. My proprietary BESPOAKE� analysis shows that to be almost half of the entire document -- with that much attention, one would think mi2g wants to portray Rosenberger as the Fourth Horseman of the Internet. As I wrote back in 2002, let's not forget that mi2g started off as an e-business enabler focused on operating portal sites (such as Carlounge.Com and Lawlounge.Com) under the corporate motto "Bringing The Web To The World." Suddenly, in 1999 with the digital apocalypse of Y2K looming ahead, the firm morphed into an internet security company that "by integrating state-of-the-art software engineering technology with super computing capability is revolutionising the world of eCommerce and for the first time maximising the return from the internet whilst minimising the risk." From cars to cyberterrorism in only a few short years. PT Barnum would be proud. (Perhaps mi2g's new corporate motto should be "Bringing FUD to The World One News Release at a Time.") Is mi2g so insecure with its public perception that it had to concoct and sensationally-hype an ominous-sounding "digital risk" in order to justify its attack on a respected website expressing an opinion and asking legitimate-but-still-unanswered questions about its services? You tell me -- but keep in mind this is the same "security intelligence" company now declaring that the greatest cyber-danger these days isn't hackers, technical vulnerabilities, exploitable software, or human complacency but rather independent thinking and holding companies accountable for their statements and services. My sources tell me that mi2g soon will announce it has reason to believe that Saddam Hussein's missing WMD are stockpiled in Rosenberger's Texas basement because it rained in London today. Damn that Rosenberger - is there anything he can't do? mi2g's statement: http://www.mi2g.com/cgi/mi2g/press/021204.php More info on mi2g and its history: http://www.infowarrior.org/articles/2002-12.html http://vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=64&page=1 http://www.attrition.org/errata/charlatan.html You are a subscribed member of the infowarrior list. Visit www.infowarrior.org for list information or to unsubscribe. This message may be redistributed freely in its entirety. Any and all copyrights appearing in list messages are maintained by their respective owners.
