RSA: Wozniak, Newmark Favor Education To Combat Cyber Crime

When it comes to IT security, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is all for early user education as opposed to complex security solutions.

That was the overriding message shared by Wozniak, as well as Craigslist founder Craig Newmark, and Bob Sullivan, MSNBC technology writer, during the final RSA Conference keynote, hosted by Hugh Thompson, chief security strategist for People Security.

Craig Newmark At RSA

During the talk show format keynote Friday, all three guests said security solutions needed to factor in users' inherent trust in cyberspace, despite escalating cyber threats, malware attacks and identity theft that routinely exploits users' behavior online.

"We do have to figure out better ways to communicate with people about technology that complements our own instincts about trust," Newmark said.

Wozniak said that often implementing high-tech security solutions to combat malware attacks and cyber fraud didn't work. Instead, he said that he favored finding a solution that works best for the users based on their behavior. As an example, Wozniak pointed to security solutions such e-mail encryption, which allows users to security transmit e-mail that can only be accessed by the recipient.

"Nobody uses that. Nobody does it. So why are (users) going to suddenly start?" he said.

To address security issues, Wozniak said user education about online behavior over high-end technological security solutions was the better antidote to cybercrime. "I think it's a matter of education," he said. "We have to recognize what's safe and what's not."

Speakers agreed that safe online behavior practices become instinctual when they're taught early in life. "You stick with those core values though life and it's hard to reteach them later on," Wozniak said.

Newmark, however, said that one security solution that complements users' inherent trust was visual certificate technology.

"We rely on who we trust,' Newmark said. "Trust is the new black, that's how our lives our run."

Newmark also added that it was incumbent upon technology companies to develop strategic partnerships with the public sector and educate the community about identity theft and safe online behavior practices.

"We have the job of helping protect our communities," Newmark said. "We all know stuff. We can work together in a public private partnership to make things happen."

"Americans are very optimistic as a people," said Sullivan, who recently authored the book "Stop Getting Ripped Off."

"We have a choice to make," he said. "I myself would like to see a world that's safer for dreamers rather than world where everyone is skeptical."

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