Which Experts to listen too?

Kia Ora,

These days all we hear is 'they have the advice of the experts', but which experts do we listen too.

For example the experts over the earthquakes here can't even agree what has happened, what is going to happen & if there is a faultline under Christchurch (depsite one report talking about the Addington fault rupturing in the mid 1800's after this quake struck).

What prompted this post though was the front page article in the Christchurch 'Press' about the security hole in internet explorer.

Now this was one of the first things we received a warning about on arrival to work in Iraq from the US military. There are security issues with internet explorer, yahoo messenger & msn messenger we recommend you do not use them. This was in 2004.

Now for years there had been a rumour that there were holes so the US military could access your computer so thought it might be a good idea to listen.

Since then I find if you go onto European security sites they detect if you have internet explorer or not & you get a well done if say using Firefox.

Then there has been the odd clipping about European countries such as Denmark issuing a warning.
National security on the Web.(online material): An article from: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Meanwhile back here in New Zealand almost every issue I have had with some software has been put down to not having internet explorer. Often been told I need to have it to which the reply has gone along the lines "you can't actually tell me that as has been proven in court cases in Europe & the US. Anyway it is poor security."

Until today, when internet security experts have being seen quoted on TV, I am always told that they or their internet security expert have no knowledge of this & there is no issue. All of a sudden they are experts on it!

So it has taken nearly seven years for New Zealand internet security experts to catch up with what we found out in 2004.

Others have blamed the anti virus I use & said I need to turn it off! What person involved in the internet security tells someone to turn off their anti virus?
The Future of the Internet--And How to Stop It
This has resulted in a very good personal phone call from the CEO of the providers of the anti virus Chillisoft where their exasperation at been held to blame for others short comings was quite evident.

When it comes to internet security I do what I can but it is not my field of experience but it appears a lot of 'experts' have less knowledge than I do which is a real worry & try to baffle people with bullshit.

Personally I have a lot of knowledge of security & many different experiences but would never like to call myself an expert. As much as I will give my opinion there will always be someone else with more or different experiences that can be brought to bear.

The problem with a lot of them they have never actually been at the coal face so their views are not in line with what is reality.
Electronic Commerce: Technical, Business, and Legal Issues
Like many would not be aware that in the local area there have been two armed robberies not generally known about or a series of burglaries also not widely known about. Burglaries well that is normal until(if) they get to court, but at least until recently it seems if the police know about serious crime the media are informed shortly after in this country. That appears to be changing.

With the lack of coal face experience they wouldn't of picked up the two appearing to be casing the banks or the person that appears to be homeless hanging around.

How can someone be an expert when they have never experienced the situation or the issues that arise?

So who do you trust?

The 'expert' with the graphs & statistics to back them up or the person with the experience & anecdotes to back it up? Personally the person with experience will get my vote.

http://www.foxhoundsecurity.co.nz