Sleeping with one eye open: A reaction to The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll

There is an old adage in the English language that says that a man should sleep with one eye open. This means that, even in circumstances where a person thinks he or she is safe, he or she should always be wary of unseen or hidden danger. After all, it is always this kind of danger that comes around to hurt you the most.

While reading The Cuckoo's Egg by Cliff Stoll, I found myself evaluating my personal computer security measures. The book had clearly highlighted the principle that every human who uses an electronic device places a certain amount of trust in it. On a daily basis, we trust these devices with very detailed information from all aspects of our lives. We also trust that these devices will keep our personal information safe from harm, so that it won't be exploited by outsiders who want to cause harm. The problem isn't the fact that we choose to trust our electronic devices; rather, the problem is that we blindly trust our electronic devices. This is the equivalent of sleeping with both eyes closed.

The truth is that the world of computers and technology has never been one where people could sleep with both eyes closed. It is full of loopholes, back doors, and people with both the smarts and the malicious intent to compromise other people's private information. The only reason that people do close both eyes in regards to their electronics is because they don't realize the danger that is out there. It is my personal belief that if people were to learn more about the dangers of the world of computing, they would definitely start sleeping with one eye open, or possibly even both. As for my part, I have been woken up, and I don't believe that I will ever sleep with both eyes closed again.