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June 28, 2007, 11:25 AM ET
Vint Cerf Speaks
One of the "fathers of the Internet," Vinton G. Cerf, has definite views about how his child has grown up. He shares some of them in an audio interview today.
Cerf, who is concerned about the rising number of security attacks on Internet sites, says hackers have it easier because the Internet has low standards for confirming identities of the people who send data.
He also blames operating systems, like Windows and the Mac OS, for poor security standards. At the same time, he worries that an Internet with greater central control may stamp out the creativity and experimental spirit that gave rise to such successes such as Google and Skype.
A massive effort by government and academe to build a new "Internet lab," as has been reported, may be "putting the cart before the horse," Cerf adds. The project, which could cost as much as $300-million, may well lack a clear sense of what it is supposed to test, he warns. Figure out what you want to learn, Cerf says, and then start building -- not the other way around. --Josh Fischman
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