solving the wrong problem

[John Denker]

Perry E. Metzger wrote:

> We need a term for this sort of thing -- the steel tamper
> resistant lock added to the tissue paper door on the wrong vault
> entirely, at great expense, by a brilliant mind that does not
> understand the underlying threat model at all.
> 
> Anyone have a good phrase in mind that has the right sort of flavor
> for describing this sort of thing?

In a similar context, Whit Diffie once put up a nice
graphic:  A cozy little home protected by a picket fence.
he fence consisted of a single picket that was a mile
high ... while the rest of the perimeter went totally
unprotected.

So, unless/until somebody comes up with a better metaphor,
I'd vote for "one-picket fence".

I recognize that this metaphor is not sufficiently
pejorative, because a single picket is at least
arguably a step in the right direction, potentially
a small part of a real solution.


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