'Cybersecurity': how do you protect something you can't define?

[Commentary] Watching this misinformation penetrate the highest levels of governments has highlighted the need for a pragmatic approach to information security. But even without bogus figures ricocheting around the political echo chamber, FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) remains the most effective tool in a security vendor's sales kit.

In one sense, FUD gets its power from the fact that cyber threats like Stuxnet, the US-Israeli attack virus found damaging centrifuges in Iran's nuclear facility, make for such engaging stories. From website breaches to government-sponsored malware attacks to Mat Honan's cautionary tale about a digital life destroyed by hackers, it's clear that computer security has become a hugely compelling topic which taps into the deep fears of the countless corporations, governments, and individuals it threatens.