Security News > 2005 > February > [Vmyths.com ALERT] mi2g issues absurdly precise guesstimates

Forwarded from: Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert Vmyths.com Virus Hysteria Alert Truth About Computer Security Hysteria 16 February 2005 CATEGORY: Hysteria related to a publicity stunt On 16 February 2005, computer security firm "mi2g" unveiled its guesstimates for "global economic damage" over the last nine years resulting from "all types of digital risk manifestations." Vmyths dismisses mi2g's figures as a blatant publicity stunt. Every guess in mi2g's report is absurdly precise. In 2004, for example, they calculated the total "global economic damage" at $456,134,500,000 to $557,497,700,000. These figures reveal an accuracy of plus or minus $100,000, worldwide, for "all types of digital risk manifestations" in 2004. mi2g used SEVEN significant figures in many of their guesses. In economic terms, it means mi2g's underlying data must be accurate TO THE DIME, if not to the penny. As in, "the MyDoom attack caused precisely $368,714.2 in total economic damage to corporate site X, while the Klez virus caused precisely $117,644.9 in total economic damage to military site Y..." No respected economics expert will declare five significant figures -- let alone seven! -- for the total cost of the World Trade Center attack in September 2001. It would violate the economic analogy for Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. Yet mi2g offers absurdly precise global computer security economic damage guesstimates for every year back to 1995. mi2g has never explained how THEY ALONE can acquire enough absurdly accurate microeconomic data to satisfy their macroeconomic forecast model. Assuming such a model even exists. mi2g has repeatedly declared "$1,500.00" for the cost of one manday. But here's the catch: they won't call it a manday. Rather, they call it an "equivalent person day." mi2g has never adequately defined this term. We've highlighted mi2g in multiple Hysteria Alerts and we maintain a "Hysteria roll call" resource on them dating back to 1999: mi2g "Hysteria roll call" resource: http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=64&page=1 Hysteria Alerts archive: http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=34&page=1 mi2g has threatened to sue Vmyths for libel (see for details). For the record: we stand by our criticisms. However, Vmyths prides itself for an industry-leading "corrections and clarifications" page. Anyone may write to VeaCulpa () Vmyths com to contest our claims & accusations. Anyone may visit http://Vmyths.com/rant.cfm?id=470&page=4 to rebut our opinions & criticisms. Do the math, folks. mi2g's guesstimates are a publicity stunt. Stay tuned to Vmyths. Rob Rosenberger, editor http://Vmyths.com Rob () Vmyths com (319) 646-2800 CATEGORY: Hysteria related to a publicity stunt --------------- Useful links ------------------ Remember this when virus hysteria strikes http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=31&page=1 Common clichés in the antivirus world http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=22&page=1 False Authority Syndrome http://Vmyths.com/fas/fas1.cfm _________________________________________ Bellua Cyber Security Asia 2005 - http://www.bellua.com/bcs2005

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http://Vmyths.com/resource.cfm?id=64&page=1