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This doesn't mean we should stop fighting for our privacy, only that when it comes to national security, our privacy must come second.

Prejudice

The high-tech business has always been open to all colors and creeds. Any pockets of prejudice that festered were overshadowed by the international flavor of our beloved industry. But in the wake of the terrible attacks on New York and Washington, bigotry is rearing its despicable head. Founders of companies, inventors of technology, and high-ranking and once respected executives are getting the evil eye simply because of how they look. Questions like "Is he from the Middle East?" and "Could he be plotting against us?" are clogging the minds of many Americans -- most of whom would swear on their lives that they are not prejudiced. Unfortunately, many of the people who helped build this great business are the victims.

Osama.com

These days there's an Internet angle to every story. As such, bin Laden now has one. According to recent reports, bin Laden used the Internet, and perhaps even instant messaging, to communicate with the idiots who follow him. Of course, if bin Laden were on AOL and his followers on MSN, the messages never would have gotten through.

By the way, Osama.com takes you to Osama Writing Instruments, not to the terrorist himself.

Soon after I wrote the above item, I came across yet another story pushing the terrorist Web angle. We all know you can find just about anything on the Web, and if you're a budding terrorist, you won't be left out. Yep, fanatics of all kinds can find everything they need right there on the good old Internet. Sure, we've all heard of the bomb-building sites -- but did you know you could find instructions on how to raise money for a holy war, train fighters and found an Islamic state? Yes indeed, it's all there.

Now the authorities are surfing along with the terrorists, trying to shut down sites that cross the line. ISPs are also taking a closer look and putting the kibosh on terror pages.

You Got Your 15 Minutes, Now Shut Up!

Alleged computer-security researcher Adrian Lamo (should be pronounced lame-o) got his wish -- he is now mildly famous. Lame-o subtly changed news stories on Yahoo, claiming to teach the Web world how vulnerable it is to the launch of these understated attacks. Then he happily spoke at length with MSNBC.com, making sure his name was spelled right. This proves my point that hackers are more interested in notoriety than they are in teaching us constructive lessons.

Sounds Like It Hurts

When I first caught wind of a Web site called Human Firewall, it sounded painful. But not following the advice posted on the site could cause real agony. To ensure data security, IT pros set up firewalls, IDS systems, PKIs, passwords, retinal scans -- you name it. But we will never be safe until we examine the human issues. Policies must be explained and enforced, and workers must be given a code of conduct and warned in detail about hackers' scams. Humans, the site explains, must protect data just as tirelessly as a Check Point firewall. Scope out www.humanfirewall.org for more details.