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Comment by comboy | Hacker News Reader

I think ransomware is the best thing that happened in computer security in a long time.

All these companies keeping lots of people data or even being relevant to national security having completely no incentive to stay secure. Now There is incentive to test their security.

A single person being able to compromise your company when paid a lot is a security issue that needs to be addressed.

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They could have started incentivizing after the Equifax hack. Personal data of hundreds of millions of people spilled over the web, everyone plus their dog gets to monitor their credit report or swap credit cards, yet Equifax still exists, and no meaningful consequences for anyone, including the CEO who sold his shares before the intrusion become public. Why is that even permitted?

I was going to say fine these companies a fair amount if there's a data breach;

But they would just turn around and add their costs on to the consumer.

I'll get hammered for this, but there's a part of me that would like to just outlaw all bitcoins worldwide, and even that might not work unless every country banned them?

This sounds like the kind of argument a ransomware developer would use to delude themselves... or quite a lot like the "Bitcoin is actually good for the environment!" people.

Maybe let's try more substantive arguments than a genetic fallacy.

Wasn't that what Jesus said about Judas Iskariot? To paraphrase: there must necessarily be evil in the world, but woe to the one who makes himself its conduit.

I know what you're getting at... but as far as I see it, all it means is that every company i've contracted to lately installs horrifically limiting corporate safety-dreck that ruins your battery and performance, it's really becoming a lot less fun working with computers nowadays. Everything is so slow and limited.

The proper Milton Friedman / Reagan capitalism solution is to let the hacked oil company to bankrupt, wipe out the cap table and then competent new owners can take over for cheap

To add, I'm pretty sure ransomware groups provide tips on how to beef up security and how they got hacked in the first place.

Like dentistry, you can pay a little upfront for a better toothbrush or you can pay the dentist way more to repair your teeth later on.

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