Economist.com - Securing the cloud

"Until recently, most people were either unaware of computer security or regarded it as unimportant. That used to be broadly true, except in a few specialised areas—such as banking, aerospace and military applications—that rely on computers and networks being hard to break into and not going wrong. But now consumers, companies and governments around the world are sitting up and taking notice. Why?"

A very good article on the increasing importance, and the public awareness of the problems of information security.  It cites the emerging view of computer and network as utilities - along the lines of phone and water - and the hightened awareness of security in general after 9/11 as reasons for the burgeoning public awareness of the problem, and industries reaction to this awareness.