Despite fearful rhetoric to the contrary, terrorism is not a transcendent threat. A terrorist attack cannot possibly destroy our country's way of life; it's only our reaction to that attack that can do that kind of damage.

I tell people: if it's in the news, don't worry about it, because by definition, news is something that almost never happens.

It's certainly easier to implement bad security and make it illegal for anyone to notice than it is to implement good security.

Terrorism is a crime against the mind. We win by refusing fear.

Societies without a reservoir of people who don't follow the rules lack an important mechanism for societal evolution. Vibrant societies need a dishonest minority; if society makes its dishonest minority too small, it stifles dissent as well as common crime.

People often represent the weakest link in the security chain and are chronically responsible for the failure of security systems.

Amateurs hack systems, professionals hack people.