| Hackers cost governments, corporations, and | | | | some devastating impact on the target, such as |
| even normal people billions of dollars per year. You | | | | deleting files, or even damaging the computer. |
| might ask, sure, there are those out there for | | | | Just like human viruses, such as AIDS, which |
| profit, but what about the college student who | | | | changes form constantly to avoid destruction, |
| was just doing it for fun? Profit or fun, it's still | | | | some computer viruses, called polymorphic |
| theft. In some cases theft of money, in others, | | | | viruses, change slightly so that any previous |
| theft of information. Just because a person uses | | | | anti-virus software will no longer detect it. This is |
| a computer should not impact the severity of | | | | why there are constantly new virus protection |
| their punishment. A murderer's punishment is not | | | | tools and utilities. |
| affected by which weapon he chooses to employ, | | | | Viruses aren't the only threat, though. When a |
| so why should a thief's punishment be affected? | | | | company or organization starts a web page, they |
| Usually, information is stolen for the express | | | | must have a wall of some type to keep people |
| purpose of making money, either directly, or | | | | on the Internet from accessing parts of their |
| through the sale of the information obtained, or | | | | computer system they want to keep private. |
| by blackmail. | | | | Such programs are called firewalls, and allow only |
| In today's fast-paced computerized world, | | | | specified access. A firewall is the main obstacle |
| knowledge is indeed power. Through the miracle | | | | for a hacker to get through when he is trying to |
| of the Internet, information can be shared and | | | | hack in from a remote location. Unfortunately, |
| accessed around the globe, instantaneously. At | | | | inept use of the network can leave the firewall |
| any given time, millions of people's credit card | | | | inactive or disabled, and once a hacker gets past, |
| numbers, social security numbers, and other | | | | he can create hidden ways for himself to access |
| private data are flying through phone lines near | | | | again even if the firewall is restored. |
| your house. The downside to this technological | | | | Computer security isn't just sitting in a room |
| marvel that we all use, whether we know it or | | | | tapping away on a keyboard, though. Some |
| not, is that thieves, disgruntled network | | | | hackers who are doing this for a living will go out |
| administrators, and other unsavory characters can | | | | and search for information that will allow them to |
| make an easy living off of the Internet, maybe | | | | break into a system. Remember the hospital with |
| even stealing from you. How? It's all in a day's | | | | excellent computer security? One firm, which will |
| work for them. One Russian hacker spent a few | | | | break into your system, and report its |
| years bleeding money from the Citibank | | | | weaknesses (how they did it) back to you, was |
| corporation here in the states from his cozy little | | | | hired to investigate a certain hospital. (Scheir, par. |
| house in Russia. His labor was rewarded with | | | | 13) The firm found unbreakable computer |
| $10.4 million dollars in several bank accounts | | | | security, so they put on expensive business suits |
| around the world. Unfortunately for him, his labor | | | | and walked into the hospital. Because of the suits, |
| was also rewarded with arrest. (Caryl, par. 2) | | | | potentially troublesome questioners were easily |
| However, even though he committed the crime | | | | brushed aside as the men freely wandered the |
| many years ago, he is still in Russia, awaiting | | | | hospital. It seemed impossible to access |
| extradition. Because of the slow response of the | | | | someone's computerized medical history by the |
| bureaucracy, Russia has bred many hackers. | | | | terminals, but why bother to try when the laser |
| (Caryl, par. 7) Russian hackers do not tamper | | | | printer in an empty lounge was spitting out |
| with systems in Russia, because the Police take | | | | dozens of them? (Scheir, par 24) Right next to it, |
| swift and vicious revenge for such actions. But | | | | a receptionists desk had a stack of medical files |
| other countries systems are another matter, | | | | laying on it. As the men pocketed a few of these, |
| because of the promise of great gain and | | | | they made their way to the network operations |
| potentially little risk of being caught. (Caryl, par. 8) | | | | room, where the technician on duty unlocked the |
| Even though the theft of money is a growing | | | | door for them when they said they wanted to |
| problem, there are other things for hackers to | | | | "Look around" They wandered freely around |
| steal. For instance, hospitals have very elaborate | | | | backup tapes containing the medical files of every |
| network security setups. Why? Many hackers | | | | patient the hospital had record of, collecting some |
| attempt to gain access to people's personal | | | | of them to show to hospital officials. The actual |
| medical files in order to blackmail them, or to | | | | physical security of a building cannot be neglected. |
| avenge some injustice by spreading the person's | | | | If either physical or computer security are lacking, |
| health problems around. (Scheir, par. 17) Other | | | | determined hackers can make quick work of the |
| possibilities might go as far as to include looking up | | | | system. |
| a patient's current location, in order for gang | | | | Perhaps the most dangerous form of hacking is |
| members to finish off the survivor of a drive-by | | | | to break into a system to acquire information. |
| shooting or other attempted murder. (Scheir, par. | | | | The most common use of this practice would be |
| 10) It is for these reasons that medical facilities | | | | industrial espionage, one company hiring hackers |
| computer security procedures are second only to | | | | to obtain advance information on a competitor's |
| the government's. | | | | product, but worst of all, foreign governments |
| There are even more forms of hacking to go | | | | breaking into other governments systems to |
| into. One type, called phreaking, is often a | | | | obtain military strengths, statistics, and troop |
| side-effect of a computer hacker's work. (Machlis, | | | | deployments for a surprise attack. For this |
| par. 8) Phreaking is the manipulation of phone lines | | | | reason, the U.S. computer network utilizes the |
| and phone services. Over the space of a few | | | | most costly, complex security available. Even this |
| years in the early eighties, hackers learned how | | | | is not enough, though. A few years ago, a hacker |
| to make free phone calls, bounce their line around | | | | organization broke the CIA and FBI web sites |
| to other places to avoid traces, even damage | | | | simultaneously and replaced the normal web |
| equipment at the other end of the line. Using the | | | | pages with pornographic materials. The intrusion |
| process of phreaking, hackers can anonymously | | | | was detected immediately and within thirty |
| and untraceably link themselves to remote | | | | minutes, the site had been restored to normal. To |
| systems, no matter how far away, without | | | | this day, the identity of the group has not been |
| incurring long distance charges. | | | | discovered. |
| Combating hackers is a very expensive process. | | | | Hackers represent a clear and present danger to |
| It is estimated that in 1997 a total of $6.3 billion | | | | the security of the United States of America. Not |
| dollars will be spent on computer security. (Lohr, | | | | only do they cost our nation billions a year, but |
| par. 1) A great deal of this will go to protect | | | | hackers also contribute to a serious espionage |
| against computer viruses. A computer virus is a | | | | problem. Hacking, no matter its form, is an act of |
| very small program that can clone itself at will, | | | | thievery, piracy, or blackmail, and cannot be |
| over disks and phone lines, and usually causes | | | | tolerated. |