SCHNEIER’S SECURITY THEATRE
Another terrorist attempt, another set of countervailing rules. Are annoying U.S. airport procedures accomplishing anything? The latest terrorist (the “pants bomber”) should have been stopped by the old procedures had they worked properly (he was on a watch list). And he wouldn’t have been stopped by the new procedures (e.g., making everyone do nothing for the last hour of the flight). It’s time for a rethink. So lets look at some critically minded articles, most featuring Bruce Schneier (Beyond Fear, 2003; Schneier on Security, 2008). They talk about our addiction to “security theatre” over properly designed systems—systems that recover well when they fail.
The Things He Carried (2008) / Ad Lite Version
Homeland Insecurity (2002) / Ad Lite Version
Dominate. Intimidate. Control. (2004) / Ad Free Version
Safe, But Also Sorry (2009) / Ad Free Version
A Fetishistic Approach to Security … (2008)