“Computer security companies have been accused of ‘massively’ exaggerating the abilities of malicious hackers.
Dr Ian Levy, technical director of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, made the accusation in a speech.
He said the firms played up hackers’ abilities to help them sell security hardware and services.
Overplaying hackers’ skills let the firms claim only they could defeat attackers, a practice he likened to ‘witchcraft’.
In a keynote speech at the Usenix Enigma security conference, Dr Levy said it was dangerous to listen only to firms that made a living from cybersecurity.
‘We are allowing massively incentivised companies to define the public perception of the problem,’ he is reported as saying.
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Source: Security firms ‘overstate hackers’ abilities to boost sales’ – BBC News
