I am saddened to hear that the current crisis in the UK parliament over members' expenses has resulted in the demise of the Home Secretary. I enjoyed being interviewed last year on national radio to comment on her claims that the UK government's proposed ID card system would be "unhackable". A bold claim indeed, and I said as much at the time.
Anyone involved in IT security will recognize that there are no absolutes as strong as "unhackable" and that there are threats from more than outsiders. (Her claim was that as the ID card database would not be connected to the outside world it would be safe.)
When they pushed her off the docks in Belfast harbour they said that the Titanic was unsinkable. It is a shame the Home Secretary has found herself in need of a lifeboat.
