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Is James Bond a Secret Agent? Well in The Spy Who Loved Me, he is welcomed by Carl Stronberg: “Good evening Mr Bond, I’ve been expecting you”. And also by Blofeld in Diamonds Are Forever: “We’ve been expecting you”. So, no, not a ‘Secret’ agent.
Not only is his identity not a secret, throughout his adventures various adversaries have tested his physical strength, his combat abilities both armed and unarmed, his driving, swimming, diving and skiing skills (to mention a few), and his mental strength and mental agility. And this information is shared with all, along with his recovery capabilities. Additionally James Bond’s likes and dislikes for food, drink and company, are known in detail by his friends and his enemies.
In summary, Bond’s identity is well known, his strengths and weaknesses are fully documented, and are in the public domain, and they have been regularly tested and retested.
But what gives Bond the edge in every situation he comes up against, and the key to his continuing success, are his secret gadgets. Their ingenuity has included specially adapted briefcases, various weapons and explosive devices, and numerous vehicles with unique special features. Throughout his adventures, the gadgets have typically become more complex, and once used, therefore known to others, have been replaced by new and improved ones.
Why does Information security need James Bond? Well, because he’s a great demonstration of how cryptography works. James Bond is an ‘algorithm,’ originating from a known source, well documented and thoroughly tested and retested. His gadgets, the ‘key’ to success, are unknown to others and are replaced as soon as their secrecy is breached. And details of those gadgets that have gone before form a ‘revocation list’ for villains!
