Customer Reviews

The Myth of Homeland Security

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The Myth of Homeland Security is an excellent debunking of the counter-terrorism security nonsense that we're all being forced to put up with. Marcus has written an honest, straightforward, sensible book. I don't agree with every point he makes, but it's refreshing to read someone who actually takes a stand on the issues and supports his stance with intelligent arguments and not rhetoric. The fact that this book is enjoyable to read is a bonus.

As the range of opinions in this space suggest, Marcus is the sort of person who inspires a range of intense reactions in people. His book on homeland security will have the same effect -- whether his presentation of the situation offends or amuses, it's sure to make you think.

We've all been impacted by the post-9/11 security strategies implemented by the federal Homeland Security initiatives, and we've probably all wondered what good those changes have made. Marcus has gone the extra step here, trying to collect "the real dope" about new laws and requirements and to discuss them in a relatively objective way. He didn't get very far, in most cases, and not for lack of effort. It's an eerie portent of the problems that Americans face in trying to balance the need for protection with the requirement for liberty and privacy.

In collecting these questions and answers, Marcus has given us all an outline of how to evaluate the situation individually. He hasn't given us one single simple answer -- there isn't one -- but he's shown readers of all backgrounds a way to think critically about homeland security issues.

I purchased and read this entertaining romp despite having skimmed it at the bookstore and reading this poor ad hominem argument:

"After watching the way the worldwide media and the international community reacted to the question of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, I don't think they'd see a smoking gun if you stuck it right against their foreheads." (p. 220)

I purchased it anyway, because although I think that's an incredible feeble aside (Mr. Ranum doesn't bother to say what smoking guns he thinks have been established, and it seems clear as of this writing that there are no WMDs in Iraq, and no good evidence that there were any post-1994), elsewhere in my initial skimming I saw what looked to be very interesting information about the Homeland Security Act and the USA PATRIOT Act. Largely because of this material, I did find the book to be worth my time (if not quite worth the dollars I spent on it--I should have waited for a paperback edition).

The book is definitely a polemic, not a researched and referenced scholarly tome--there are no references or footnotes, beyond the suggested further reading material on pp. xvi-xvii. There is much to disagree with besides the above example, as other reviewers here have noted. It's short on conclusions and suggested remedies, though there are a few radical (i.e., politically impossible) suggestions, such as abolishing the INS and starting over from scratch (probably not a bad idea at all).

I recommend it for those interested in a lightweight, quick read to get a quick overview of the problems of securing an entire nation and the means that are being adopted with that alleged goal, but if you are looking for depth and detail, with solidly argued conclusions and recommendations, you'll need to look elsewhere.

Let's set the record straight. This book is a 231 page political rant, regardless of the author's claim on p. 31 to be "nonideological." I have the slightly odd benefit of reading this book with a master's degree in public policy on the wall, but I work as a hands-on, FreeBSD-running computer security consultant. I imagine many readers are also members of the technical community, yet are unaware of books addressing similar topics. "The Myth of Homeland Security" cannot compare to a serious book like James Q. Wilson's "Bureaucracy: What Government Agencies Do and Why They Do It." I'll tell you why and conclude with my rationale for 4 stars, nonetheless.

On p. xvi Ranum accurately reports "I'm making some inflammatory observations." True enough. He repeatedly insults the media (p. 13), the FBI (pp. 22-23, 26, elsewhere), contractors, bureaucrats, pen testers -- you name it. He continues: "I don't want you, the reader, to ignore the substance of what I have to say by getting bogged down in the details of my research. So I didn't quote sources." Political Science 101: quote your sources. Wilson gives 30 pages of endnotes to back up his arguments; Ranum gives zero.

Some of his arguments are completely illogical. Ranum says on p. 3: "conceiving a defense against a possible threat will automatically encourage someone to make that threat a reality." Hmm, so if someone bullet-proofs his car window, an enemy is going to buy a gun which can't possibly damage the car? You may disagree with me, but the following sentence (p. 4) shows Ranum doesn't know what he's talking about: "The information warfare scare-hype gave birth to any number of organizations that build defensive information warfare capabilities -- as well as stimulating shadowy efforts to build offensive information weapons."

This shows Ranum has no insight regarding national info ops capabilities. I served four years in info ops units in the Air Force. I can't reveal what I know (Ranum's laughing, I'm sure), but I can say the author is clueless on this topic. We get a confirming admission of this on p. 27: "I don't know about the last few years, but as recently as 1996 I know the Pentagon's backbone network was un-firewalled." 1996? Hint: my last unit was officially created in 1999-2000. The world changes fast.

So why do I give "The Myth" 4 stars? At least somebody is raising important issues. Ranum may be the crazy guy yelling crude remarks at a quiet moment during a political rally, but thank goodness he's there. It's great to see someone realize what a mess our appropriations process has become, and decide to join the fray. Political scientists spend their entire lives chipping away at the same problems. Welcome to the party, Mr. Ranum, and thanks for your work.

Ranum's book is engaging, unsettling, entertaining, and disturbing. Yet, I think it is an accurate assessment of the morass that is "homeland security." MJR may not make any friends in the FBI, INS, or DHS, but as he turns his keen analytical mind towards security issues broader than an area for which he is world-renowned -- computer and network security -- he brings clarity to this seemingly unfathomable topic.

Many security practitioners have recognized the "when you don't know what to do, do something" aspect of some homeland security initiatives. Ranum identifies the agencies and actions that shape homeland security, and makes suggestions for change. Warning: Not everything is fixable, and he makes that clear also. But the beginning of any solution is to first recognize the real problems -- the real risks. The next step is to assess what you are already doing. The third is to toss out what is not working, reform what is marginal, and implement what is missing. In this book, Ranum suggests solutions.

The security of the US homeland, and all that it entails, affects Americans, certainly, as well as the whole world. Mr. Ranum is a skilled writer and instructor. Never satisfied to merely lecture, he endeavors to "cause one to learn." Though he is famous in a highly technical field, the "techie" as well as the "artsy" will be able to read this book, as Ranum makes the subject matter accessible and -- although the subject matter is "life and death" -- enjoyable.

In this beautifully written book Ranum presents some very good points about the way we as a country are approaching homeland security. His experience in the information security field combined with his analytical and systematic approach to solving problems leads to some remarkable findings. The frightening terrorist experiences Americans have been through over the past few years have resulted in a distorted view of the organizations protecting our country - they've become our mental "feel safe" crutch. Ranum looks at the security problems our country faces and the current solutions with refreshingly new eyes - avoiding the distortion - and presents some very powerful insight. I wish I learned half this much from every book I read!

This book is highly recommended for everyone, but it's a MUST read for one group of people: Americans. Get it, read it. It's one of the most interesting books I've read in a long time. This is definately one you'll be passing on to your friends.

What a compelling book! Marcus Ranum takes the overwhelming topic of Homeland Security and addresses it in a format that is easy to read and understand. He uses stories, examples and humor to give the reader a snapshot of what Homeland Security is, and what it isn't. Admittedly, not all the issues Ranum discusses are "fixable", but he offers many realistic solutions for improvement. He covers such subjects as daily life under Code Orange, immigration, airline security, intelligence, the media, and computer security.
Ranum's expertise comes across with honesty, integrity and wit. We are indeed fortunate to get his timely insight and unique perspective.
Very informative, hard to put down--------

Ranum knows what he is talking about.

If only the folks in Washington, DC would read this book, we would be in better shape.

At times, Ranum points too many fingers, and he totally misses the mark on the middle-east crisis - but that is a minor part of the book. Overall, an instant classis.

Everyone is infosec should read this.

I'm sure Jefferson and the other Founders believed that intelligent and well-informed citizens would step forward to help the Republic in times of crisis. Such people would strip bare (some) of the hidden agendas. They would clarify complicated issues so that their fellow-citizens would be able to ask their vendors and politicians some hard questions. The electorate would be equipped to discount sensationalist news "reports", and worry intelligently about real problems rather than illusions.

Marcus Ranum has paid us the compliment of writing just such a work.

I disagree with some of his points -- for example, I am unbothered by the feedback loop that reveals ever-more Microsoft security bugs -- but I think he's asking a lot of the right questions, and I think he does real public service when he asks, over and over again, why the government, a huge Inforation Technology consumer, doesn't have a more unified approach to buying and deploying IT products -- the sort of question everyone in Congress should be echoing.

Marcus points out at least one real outrage in the PATRIOT Act that I'd never seen discussed elsewhere: a tax break called the "Johnny Spann Patriot Trust" seemingly aimed at the well-to-do in government -- it's just the sort of thing you might want to bring up the next time you encounter some government type saying that the PATRIOT Act is just fine as-is.

The book is pitched for the non-technical citizen, and Marcus is at his best when he exposes some of the Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt tactics used by various players in the Information Security business to fatten their wallets. Buy one for yourself, and three for your Senators and Representative!

Disclaimer: I'm quoted (briefly) in the book, and Marcus and I are friends -- he sent me a free copy of the book.

Very interesting book. Gives a good overview of the Homeland Security status and effectively illustrates the futile efforts to protect everything ultimately protects nothing. Also good effort describing the "shark feed" of vendors sopping up billions in tax dollars by trotting out dubious products and services to address Homeland Security. The book diverges in Chapter 9 Electronic Pearl Harbor where it is written more for an Information Technology type.