Quotes by Bruce Schneier

“Terrorism isn't a crime against people or property. It's a crime against our minds, using the death of innocents and destruction of property to make us fearful. Terrorists use the media to magnify ...”

“Even though we don't know which companies the NSA has compromised or by what means knowing that they could have compromised any of them is enough to make us mistrustful of all of them. This is go...”

“For if we are observed in all matters, we are constantly under threat of correction, judgment, criticism, even plagiarism of our own uniqueness. We become children, fettered under watchful eyes, co...”

“Computer security can simply be protecting your equipment and files from disgruntled employees, spies, and anything that goes bump in the night, but there is much more. Computer security helps ensu...”

“I am regularly asked what the average Internet user can do to ensure his security. My first answer is usually 'Nothing you're screwed'. ”

“People don't understand computers. Computers are magical boxes that do things. People believe what computers tell them.”

“Air travel survived decades of terrorism, including attacks which resulted in the deaths of everyone on the plane. It survived 9/11. It'll survive the next successful attack. The only real worry is...”

“If you think technology can solve your security problems, then you don't understand the problems and you don't understand the technology.”

“There are two types of encryption: one that will prevent your sister from reading your diary and one that will prevent your government.”

“When a big company lays you off, they often give you a year's salary to 'go pursue a dream.' If you're stupid, you panic and get another job. If you're smart, you take the money and use the time to...”

“If you ask amateurs to act as front-line security personnel, you shouldn't be surprised when you get amateur security.”

“Even though we don't know which companies the NSA has compromised – or by what means – knowing that they could have compromised any of them is enough to make us mistrustful of all of them. This is ...”

“Anyone, from the most clueless amateur to the best cryptographer, can create an algorithm that he himself can't break.”

“There are two kinds of cryptography in this world: cryptography that will stop your kid sister from reading your files, and cryptography that will stop major governments from reading your files.”

“Attacks always get better, they never get worse.”

“The lesson here is that it is insufficient to protect ourselves with laws; we need to protect ourselves with mathematics. Encryption is too important to be left solely to governments.”

“A few years ago I heard a quotation, and I am going to modify it here: If you think technology can solve your security problems, then you don't understand the problems and you don't understand the ...”

“It's certainly easier to implement bad security and make it illegal for anyone to notice than it is to implement good security.”

“Digital files cannot be made uncopyable, any more than water can be made not wet.”

“Every time I write about the impossibility of effectively protecting digital files on a general-purpose computer, I get responses from people decrying the death of copyright. How will authors and a...”