"Security Expert" Dan Verton resorts to cheap meta keyword bait on his site danverton.com. This is considered an extremely cheap tactic for generating hits to a web site and is indicative of a site not receiving visitors due to its own merit. This is also a huge dis-service to search engines that generate results partially based on meta content.

June 5, 2003

(meta name="keywords" content="verton, cyber, black ice, hacker, security, al-qaeda, bin laden, homeland security, computerworld, computer, intelligence, computer world, virus, critical infrastructure, terrorist, terrorism, iraq, dan verton, security journal, speaker, speakers bureau, cyber-terrorism, osborne, september 11, 9/11, schmidt, clarke, ridge, CIA, NSA, privacy, civil liberties, sars, bio-terrorism, chemical, nuclear, matrix, summer reading, reading list, PHP, linux, CIO, summit, bestseller, best seller, blog, web log, information security handbook, information security, handbook, x-men, reloaded,")

When this page was put online, it took Verton a day or two to find it and respond to me with "get a life, kid, before you grow up : and find yourself still doing this stupid shit". He also took the hint and removed some of the meta keywords he was using for hits, despite not answering my reply to his insult.

August 28, 2003

(meta name="keywords" content="cyber, terror, terrorism, verton, dan verton, black ice, hackers, blackout, power failure, clarke, schmidt, security, information security, assurance, homeland security, ridge, al-qaeda, al-qaida, bin laden, laden, espionage, spy, national security, journal, cyber-terrorism, cyberterrorism, intelligence, computerworld, federal computer week, matrix, good harbor, tritak, information warfare, speakers, speaker, iraq, writers, clancy, black out, cybersecurity, cyber security, USA Today, New York Times, news")