Internet Security 2 Essay, Research Paper
Internet Security
As we head into the next millennium many people are beginning to question the computer systems that so many of us depend on. This is not the first time that people have become scared at the end of a century, let alone a millennium. People have always had on thing or another to be worried about at these turning points in time. When people first heard of the Y2K problem they began to realize just how big of a problem security is on these systems. Not only do we depend on these systems for information; our entire lives are on computers. The nation began to acquire a sense of urgency to fix this problem because they thought about just how vulnerable we are; from bank records and accounts to their driving history and insurance information. There have been countless cases of breaches in security, including theft of money, because of the lack of security on the Internet. I feel that the need for greater security measures on the net is increasing as we move towards the millennium and bigger security problems are created as we depend on computers more and more everyday.
Computer Systems these days are protected in one of two ways, or both. The first is through passwords. Passwords work only to a certain extent. Many people lack the forethought to make their password something that is not easily guessable. Your name, birth date, or anything that could be guessed with a little bit of thought is a bad idea. The other way to protect a network is to use a firewall. This technology is often effective but can be bypassed, and is often picky about what to let through. In my opinion firewalls give a false sense of security and cannot be used as a sole means of protection. Given enough time most decent computer science majors or anyone really familiar with networks can bust through a firewall. This is why any thing important should be kept in separate folders with their own passwords or kept in an offline source.
Although I found many great cases of Internet crimes I have found the following quite interesting. There was a case in 1993 in which investigators in New York City found that three city Employees had found a flaw in city s real estate tax computer system and erased 20,000,000 dollars in overdue property taxes (Intranet Security XVII). Now, the implications of this crime are endless. If this break-in would have gone unnoticed it would have set off a whole domino affect on the tax system. These taxes that were erased go to the state and in turn the state pays the government part of the taxes. This undoubtedly would have continued if they went without getting caught and eventually would have driven up taxes for everyone else. In this instance the company and many other people were lucky to have caught the criminals, but just imagine how many of these crimes go unnoticed.
Another case is when the corporation Citibank had an incident in 1995 in which Russian hackers (a term on the Internet and computer world meaning breaking into another person s computer) stole over 10,000,000 dollars in fraudulent wire transfers by exploiting a hole in its systems provision for money transfers (Intranet Security XVII). This problem is what I think would be one of the best arguments for increased security on the Internet. This money is just ordinary people s money like yours and mine; for people to just be able to go in and take whatever they want is a scary thought.
An even greater argument for the security increases is in the statistics of the people that are doing the crimes, Hackers . In release 2.1 by Esther Dyson she says nearly every two out of three people that “hack” into the government s computers succeed and three out of four that do succeed are never caught (327). This is a major security breach. The book claims that hackers can easily access extremely important information or data. This does not only happen on the government s computers but businesses, corporations, non-profit organizations, and more. Only computers running certain software, which allows users on the Internet access to their information, are susceptible to hackers. A majority of hackers do not affect anything important; although, only the most knowledgeable and experienced hackers can affect anything important, if they do manage to access and change information, it is normally quickly remedied.
People hack for various reasons on the Internet. A majority of hackers break into secure places just to be able to say, “I broke in there.” This is a bragging right among the hackers world. The tighter the security on the site, the more they are able to brag about being able to break into it. The Pentagon is a favorite place of hackers. Hackers figured that this would be like the Fort Knox is to thieves. The Pentagon is one of the most insecure places on the Internet. Every two out of three people that try to break in, accomplishes the small feat; although, they never get to any of the important information. The computers at the Pentagon that hold secure, important data are not even connected to the outside world in any way. This includes modems, which run over phone lines, and any network such as the Internet. The only way for a hacker to break into the Pentagon s top secret files would be for them to physically be standing at a terminal in the Pentagon. These terminals are kept under twenty-four hour surveillance by guards and require special codes to gain access. So the hackers do not gain any important information in breaking into the Pentagon s computers.
Hacking into a site such as a bank where you can make thousands or millions of dollars is the supreme goal for most hackers on the Internet. Usually only the hackers with enough experience and knowledge attempt this. People can easily be caught at this if they leave signs of their “breaking and entering” in the bank s computers (Dyson 338). If they are caught, they can be prosecuted by the bank and the federal government and spend many years in jail for this serious offense. Hacking into a bank almost equals the penalty for murdering someone. This is why only the premier hackers will attempt this act.
Hackers usually do not affect a normal person on the Internet. If a person does not run any programs that would allow others to access information on their computers, then they do not have to worry about their data being compromised on the Internet. The people that run the computer systems at corporations connected to the Internet usually make back-ups of all their files at least once a day. This back up copies all changeable data from the computer to a removable storage device such as a tape back-up drive. These back-ups are the only true way to ensure that you will not be missing anything in the future. If a hacker changed something on a company’s computers, the systems administrator would be able to restore the information from the back- up the computer automatically created earlier. Software companies have made extensive research into security issues on networks, the Internet being one colossal network. These companies specialize in security software for Internet servers. They hire hackers to program and test their software. Although they go through such great attempts at security we are lacking that one great breakthrough that sends us into the next millennium with confidence of our security.
The last and what some people consider to be the worst of the security problem is computer viruses. Computer viruses have been around for a decade but they became infamous when the Michelangelo virus caused a scare on March 6, 1992(Dyson 265). According to the National Computer Security Association in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, there are six thousand known viruses worldwide and about two hundred new ones show up every month (Booht 51). These viruses are spread quickly and easily and can destroy all information on a computer’s hard drive. Although we do have programs to detect viruses and repair infected files the technology could not possibly keep up with two hundred new viruses every month. These viruses are a huge problem of being on the net; I myself have downloaded a few viruses that have caused quite a deal of problems. Once again, the only way to keep your computer truly safe is to constantly back up everything that you do; if I had not done that I would have had a lot of problems when I downloaded those viruses.
The changing of the millennium has brought about awareness to mostly everyone about the problems with computers. Considering the extent of how important computers are in our lives it is great that the change has opened peoples eyes to the possible implications that security, or lack there of could cause. Many times in the past the panic at the turn of the century was unnecessary, but this one is probably the most realistic worries ever. Internet security is one thing that cannot be overlooked, we use these machines so much that it becomes second nature and you do not even think about what would actually happen without computers. I feel that when we reach a new breakthrough in security it will open the doors for so much more to happen on the Internet.
Works Cited
Booht, Stephen A., “Doom Virus” Popular Mechanics 1 June 1995.
Dyson, Esther. Release 2.1. Broadway Books New York 1998.
McCarthy, Linda. Intranet Security Sun. Microsystems Press New York 1998.
Другие работы по теме:
Dsl Vs Cable Essay Research Paper 22
Dsl Vs. Cable Essay, Research Paper 2.2 Why focus on Internet access? Internet access has several desirable properties as an application to consider for exercising residential infrastructure. Internet technology is
Internet Censorship Essay Research Paper Censorship of
Internet Censorship Essay, Research Paper Censorship of inappropriate material has been an issue with every form of mass media. Now the new and upcoming Internet is becoming the focus. Software makers and service providers are choosing what the public should see. Does this seem right? How can a stranger choose what another person or their family sees on the Internet? Parents and adults should choose what they and their children are exposed to on the Internet.
Addicted To Internet Essay Research Paper ADDICTED
Addicted To Internet Essay, Research Paper ADDICTED TO INTERNET In the past several years many people have been getting computer literate. As time passes by, people also have been getting addicted to their
Cyber Porn And Internet Privac Essay Research
Paper Cyber Porn and Internet Privacy Two computer ethic controversies There are many controversial questions about computer issues today but there are many debates with cyber porn and internet privacy. The Internet is accessed by millions of people everyday, especially children. Cyber porn is all over the Internet and can be accessed by anyone from anywhere whether in school, home, or on the job.
Internet Shopping Essay Research Paper Internet shopping
Internet Shopping Essay, Research Paper Internet shopping is one of today’s most popular activities for shopper people. Shopping on the Internet can make people relax and take their time to think about the product that they want to buy. Internet shopping is getting used to be more familiar to people in this society today’s.
The Internet Essay Research Paper Information has
The Internet Essay, Research Paper Information has long been sought out by many generations throughout time. It is a powerful tool that has often been hard to find, until the evolution of the Internet. The Internet has
Internet Good Or Bad Essay Research Paper
The question that many people have on their minds is, “Is the Internet good or bad?” In this article, we will give you information so that you can make an educated decision for yourself. We will first concentrate on the bad issues of the Internet. Then, we will tell you the advantages of having the Internet. We hope this will help you make a good decision for your family or business.
Internet Search Essay Research Paper I recently
Internet Search Essay, Research Paper I recently took a workshop on how to use the Internet. I thought that writing an essay on ?how to use the Internet? would help me to remember what I learned
Is The Internet The New Pirates Home
? Essay, Research Paper Back in history, there were pirates that surrounded Hong Kong and European countries. They would look for treasures and keep an eye for gold. A passenger ship was one of the few ships that pirates look for since it contained jewelry and money from the people. It was easy to do. Just get in, take what you need, and get out.
Internet Piracy Essay Research Paper In this
Internet Piracy Essay, Research Paper In this day and age where technology is rampant and advance, it is critical that we comprehend the possibilities that such technology has, no matter whether it is good or bad. From our very own households, we can now ?get connected? and experience this technology first hand.
The Internet Vs The Library Essay Research
Paper The Internet vs. the Library Overall, when one compares the Internet vs. the Library, the Library is superior. This is because, though it takes a bit longer to use, the Library has a standard information research tool; the Dewey decimal system. This organized system makes finding books simple, and with the added assistance of a librarian, finding information can be easy.
Education On The Internet Essay Research Paper
Education on the Internet In today’s society, the internet has become a very important learning tool. It is used for day to day activities, such as a place to look up research, a method of getting in touch with friends and family, and somewhere to go to find information about almost anything imaginable. The most popular uses of the internet include entertainment and education.
Ipv4 Vs Ipv6 Essay Research Paper Evan
Ipv4 Vs. Ipv6 Essay, Research Paper Evan Gilden 2/12/01 CIT/TCT 120 Ipv4 vs. Ipv6 Ipv4 is short Internet Protocol Version 4, the same goes for Ipv6. Most of todays internet uses Ipv4 witch is almost 20 years old. There has been one magor problem with Ipv4, it is running out of IP addresses (IP addresses are a unique identifirer for a computer on the internet).
America Online Essay Research Paper America Online
America Online Essay, Research Paper America Online To Unveil Flat Fee For Internet Access The Internet is becoming more popular and more widely used, and the Market for internet access is growing rapidly. To stay
Information Security Essay Research Paper Emerging Opportunities
Information Security Essay, Research Paper Emerging Opportunities and The Internet – Information Security by Margaret Headley “Using encryption on the Internet is the equivalent of arranging an armoured car to deliver credit card information from someone living in a cardboard box to someone living on a park bench.” Gene Spafford, computer security researcher, Purdue University.
Internet Legislation Essay Research Paper subject
Internet Legislation Essay, Research Paper subject = LAW title = Internet Legislation papers = Internet Legislation With the recent popularity of the Internet many topics concerning it have hit main
Filtering The Net Essay Research Paper Filtering
Filtering The Net Essay, Research Paper Filtering the Net Over the last several years many attempts have been made to put a limit on what can be viewed on the Internet. In 1996, it was the Communications Decency Act and in 1999 the Child Online Protection Act. Both were shot down because they were said to violate the first amendment right to free speech.
Computers Essay Research Paper Why We StartedInternet
Computers! Essay, Research Paper Why We Started Internet Mental Health is a free encyclopedia of mental health information. It was designed by a Canadian psychiatrist, Dr. Phillip Long, and programmed by his colleague, Brian Chow.
Internet Advertising Essay Research Paper Internet AdvertisingInternet
Internet Advertising Essay, Research Paper Internet Advertising Internet Advertising is the way of the future and it is very evident since many companies and businesses have their own web sites and advertisements are located all over the World Wide Web. The Internet or World Wide Web is quickly becoming the most effective way for a business to advertise their products or services to customers.
Privacy And Personal Security On The Net
Essay, Research Paper Privacy and security are two things that are hard to find on the Internet today. Many debates have risen concerning the personal aspects of the Internet. Should you have privacy on the Internet? Or should companies have the privilege to gather information about you? I believe that your privacy and personal security should be top priority on the Internet.
The Internet And World Wide Web Defined
Essay, Research Paper Christopher L. Isaacs 1010 ? Technical Writing Extended Definition 00 March 6th The ?Internet? and ?World Wide Web? Defined In recent years the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) have become more and more popular as an information resource. Many people believe that the WWW is the same as the Internet.
Internet PC
’s: Next Wave Or Nonsense? Essay, Research Paper Internet PC’s: Next Wave or Nonsense? Call them what you will: Internet appliances. Network terminals. The whole
Internet Security Basics Essay Research Paper The
Internet Security Basics Essay, Research Paper The introduction of the Internet into today?s business world has been both exciting and terrifying at the same time. What was once a matter of internal security controls and training has now become a complex process with numerous unknown variables and problems.
The Internet 2 Essay Research Paper The
The Internet 2 Essay, Research Paper The Internet The Internet is a place with an infinite of possibilities. It is the biggest technological breakthrough ever created. The Internet symbolizes freedom. It is uncensored and unregulated by the government. And that is hard to come by these days. With the Internet anything is possible.
Internet Marketing Essay Research Paper Internet Marketing
Internet Marketing Essay, Research Paper Internet Marketing and Associated Topics Computers and the Internet are becoming faster and capable of new and exciting things every day. Through this evolution, businesses have begun to reach out to consumers in new, unprecedented ways. With the amazing growth of users of the Internet, and the enormous growth that is expected to continue, businesses are aware that there is tremendous potential to provide and promote products and services in previously inconceivable ways.
Internet Security Essay Research Paper Internet Security
Internet Security Essay, Research Paper Internet Security A couple of years ago when the words computer and internet were unheard of, the means by which people communicated were very limited by today s standards. The Internet has brought on a vast selection of information, all available by the click of the mouse; thus, deeming it the information super highway.
The Old Man And The See Essay
, Research Paper THE HISTORY OF INTERNET In the beginning of the 1970`s in USA was an older military network called ARPANET converted to Internetvork wish was a network between networks. Accept a few Universities
Home Computer Network Essay Research Paper Have
Home Computer Network Essay, Research Paper Have you ever needed to have more than one home computer for you and your family? Do you have two or more computers, but need to copy and/or share files and/or programs between them, but you don t know how? Do all of your computers need Internet access, but you don t want to have a phone line installed for each of them? Well, you can do all of this.
ECommerce Essay Research Paper ECOMMERCEApril 10 2000
E-Commerce Essay, Research Paper E-COMMERCE April 10 2000 E-Commerce Electronic commerce has its ups and downs for consumers. On one hand, online shopping holds the potential for more convenience and broader selections. On the other, it has bred confusion over the legitimacy of electronic records.