Security turns out to be an abstract concept. That might still be useful but too many people keep swapping their own definitions in place of others and proceedi

Security turns out to be an abstract concept. That might still be useful but too many people keep swapping their own definitions in place of others and proceeding as if we're all talking about the same "security." We commonly hear more about "security snake oil" than snake oils of performance (also slippery to define) or usability (another definitional minefield). Why? I think it's because security fits into the Bermuda Triangle of: 1. loose terminology (that we all argue about) 2. no obvious, casually noticeable effect 3. unknown but real risk The same as UFOs, psychic phenomena, deities, etc. And we have an industry built around maintaining that mystique.