The Concubine's Fog

Master Banzen was investigating the monks of the Spider Clan in a distant abbey. After examining the source code of their most critical web application, Banzen summoned the head abbot.

“Explain,” said Banzen, pointing to a screen where the application was running.

The master’s finger rested upon a small form which had been grayed out. Its text fields could not be typed in; its buttons could not be pressed.

“That form delivers information of a most sensitive nature,” said the abbot. “If the user lacks sufficient authorization, the form is disabled and appears thus: pallid and faint.”

Banzen stroked his wispy beard. “By the governor’s decree, the House of Concubines is shrouded in fog.”

Banzen then called up the page’s HTML source. Studying it briefly, he composed a URL in the location bar and hit Enter. The forbidden information appeared on the screen.

The head abbot’s face turned an ashen hue.

Said Banzen, “Fog makes an excellent curtain, but a poor wall.”