Tone at the top ...

[rslade]

Japan's minister of cybersecurity ... doesn't use computers ...

[Flyslinger2]

He has a point. I've not yet heard of anyone hacking a No.2 pencil (with eraser) nor a bound tablet of lined 8.5 X 11 paper.

This is hyper critical media at its worst.  This guy was elected/appointed/drafted/bribed into taking this position.  He is there to manage and run a large organization.  He is not there to know how to protect your boot sectors.

[rslade]

People who understand what they don't manage being managed by people who manage what they don't understand ...

[PC509]

While I would expect some familiarity with the field in which he is managing, a lot of C level or other managers have more knowledge about making policy than they do any real technical skills. But, without some basic knowledge, you can make policy that really doesn't make sense. Even with some basic skills, it can still be harmful (Equifax breach).

Of course, it's nothing new to have someone very unqualified to be elected to a place of power. 

[Shannon]

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@Flyslinger2 wrote:

This is hyper critical media at its worst.  This guy was elected/appointed/drafted/bribed into taking this position.  He is there to manage and run a large organization.  He is not there to know how to protect your boot sectors.

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How he got  there excuse him not having knowledge about what he's managing. (No doubt the media should criticize the system rather than him, but they might mean crossing lines for them)

Even if he is familiar with the technology, refraining from using it implies that he doesn't trust his own skills --- which is of concern, given what he's in charge of...

[Shannon]

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@PC509 wrote:

Of course, it's nothing new to have someone very unqualified to be elected to a place of power. 

---

Reminds me of something at an organisation I was with...

Following a ransomware that affected a few clients, there was an emergency meeting presided by the CEO --- who knew little of IT. When a member of the IT team related how he took a server offline after the attack, the CEO demanded that he justify not following a procedure to do that.

In an attempt to explain himself, the guy told the CEO that if there's a fire one would immediately attempt to extinguish it if possible, rather than risk damage.

(Huge mistake --- his words sparked an 'eternal flame' within the CEO, that would continue to scald him after many times that)

Definitely a case where the management's ignorance wasn't bliss...