Question

Email viruses are typically launched by people who modify header information to hide their identity. Brightmail’s Enrique Salem says that in the future, your email reader will authenticate the sender before putting the message in your inbox. That way, you will know the source of all the emails you read. Alan Nugent of Novell says, “I’m kind of a fan of eliminating anonymity if that is the price for security”. Will eliminating anonymity make computers more secure?

Action Items

• Debate the opinion of Mr. Salem.
• Debate the opinion of Mr. Alan.
• Give pros and cons both for anonymity and for security.
• Relate anonymity and security with the help of a practical example from real life.
• Finally, write your answer with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ to the following statement “Will eliminating anonymity make computers more secure?” along with a justification/reason in one or two lines.

Submission Instructions

Post your ideas and responses on the discussion board. At least one posting and two responses/comments on other students posts are mandatory.