Insecurity by obscurity

Today, many people who own a computer don't have a clue about its "inner workings". We're content to let our programs run without worrying about the 1's and 0's running around inside. Unfortunately, when we plugged these systems into the Internet a decade or so ago, we set ourselves up to be attacked by those "in the know". All forms of malware programs began to surface, and some are just as insidious today.

I deem this concept "insecurity by obscurity", a play on the "security by obscurity" mindset often found in IT departments. The obscurity of how a computer works and how programs execute leads us to make poor decisions in how we interact with the Internet. We unknowingly or mistakingly download and execute dangerous programs. We are lulled into believing a password box has our best interests at heart. If we can't see what we're typing, how could anyone else?

Security experts continue to combat these forms of malware, but the total solution involves empowering computer users with the knowledge they need. There has been progress in this area with viruses and spyware becoming household terms (and therefore virus scanners and spyware removers following suit) but my fear is that we will constantly be one step behind in securing the information and assets that exist on our own computers.