Facebook CSO: We Need More People-Centric Security

Facebook CSO: We Need More People-Centric Security

At the Annual Black Hat conference, Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos told the crowd that something needs to change in the security industry.

  • Jul 28, 2017
According to Facebook’s Chief Security Officer, the cybersecurity industry needs to be more focused on people less on technology.

At the annual Black Hat conference this year, Alex Stamos scolded the security industry for being too focused on technology and less focused on finding a mass solution that could help people stay safe in his keynote speech.

“We have perfected the art of finding problems without fixing real work issues,” Stamos told the crowd. “We focus too much on complexity, not harm.”

He cited examples, such as an insulin pump being hacked, that had little relation to real issues experienced by people who use technology rather than work with it or understand it well.

The security industry, according to Stamos, is concentrated too much on the small number of complex attacks aimed at large corporation that were mounted by the most sophisticated adversaries.

For Facebook, Stamos explained, their users are not being targeted by spies or nation-states. The company is more focused on how it can help its users dodge attacks and hacks that happen to its two billion users each day.

"The things that we see, that we come across every day, that cause people to lose control of their information are not that advanced," Stamos said. "Adversaries will do the simplest thing they need to do to make an attack work."

Stamos attributed the lack of focus on the smaller issues to the interest in the more complex hacks that threaten those who are of higher status. He said security experts have little interest or empathy for people, due to the way that they believed there would be fewer breaches and less data loss if people were just perfect.

To Stamos, the growing cybersecurity industry means there is a real chance at improving people’s lives, so why aren’t the experts trying harder?

Watch the entire keynote speech on Facebook’s Security page here.

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”