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Schneier: Why are people terrified of Olympics?

Security polymath Bruce Schneier told ZDNet UK that the hype over computer security around Olympics 2012 was "kind of silly".Never one for beating around the bush, Schneier asked whether David Blunkett, who has been giving dire warnings of cybergeddon, was trying to secure funding for something.
Written by Tom Espiner, Contributor

Security polymath Bruce Schneier told ZDNet UK that the hype over computer security around Olympics 2012 was "kind of silly".

Never one for beating around the bush, Schneier asked whether David Blunkett, who has been giving dire warnings of cybergeddon, was trying to secure funding for something.

"Is he [Blunkett] looking for funding? The NSA did the same thing around electricity grids when it was looking for funding."

"What is it about the Olympics that has everyone so terrified?" Schneier continued. "The Canadians are also making a noise about the winter Olympics. I think it's kind of silly. It seems like people are jockeying for funding."

Schneier added that there was "a lot of CYA going on in different governments, and there's power to be grabbed." He has written extensively and disparagingly about CYA (or Cover Your Arse) security -- measures which are ineffectual but are put in place so in the eventuality of something going wrong, the people responsible can point to those measures to save their jobs.

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