Dan Geer on Epidemiology and Computer Viruses

Dan Geer, an expert on risk and information security, visited the Berkman Center this week to share his perspective on data security. Geer generated controversy last year for his report, CyberInsecurity: The Cost of Monopoly which explains the national security threat posed by a culture in which all computers run the same operatings systems and share the same vulnerabilities. Geer spoke about the alarming possibilities for the spread of computer viruses and the potential damage they could cause. Solutions? Though Geer staunchly defends freedoms in computing, at the same time, he believes a Center for Disease Control for computing or a system for quarantining computer viruses could be essential to address the mounting risks for information security.