IW Weapons
Hyperlinks
Viruses
Viruses are computer programs that can infect systems and cause
damage. They are usually hidden within safe-looking programs (usually
shareware or freeware).
The advent of more sophisticated applications such as Microsoft
Word have provided a home for a macro virus, (a sequence of macro
commands up to no good) which usually only infects the documents
of the applications where it resides.
There are a number of effective commercial, shareware, and freeware
programs available that can eliminate the threat. But they usually
play catch-up. A virus must first be identified and its signature
catalogued before a virus program can detect its presence and eliminate
it.
Back to module 6.
Trojan Horses
A computer program that enables the disseminator of the program
to access the system that interacts with the program. A Trojan horse
is different from a virus in that a virus can be duplicated thousands
of times and function according to a previous set of instructions,
while a Trojan horse is designed to facilitate access and interaction
between its creator and the system it infiltrates.
Back to module 6.
Worms
A worm is a computer program that infests network environments
and copies itself over and over again. Worms can take up more and
more memory and disk space until they stop the computer cold. The
famous Internet worm of November, 1988 replicated itself on more
than 6,000 networks around the world.
Back to module 6.
Clipper
Clipper is hardware that can automatically encrypt and decrypt
data.
It has a trapdoor which would enable federal authorities to open
with a key and monitor traffic.
Opponents have two objections:
- Doubt if Clipper is truly secure
- Potential for abuse by selling keys
Back to module 6.
Cryptology
Cryptography - the science and study of secret writing.
Cipher - a secret method of writing. There are two basic types:
transposition, which rearranges bits of data, and substitution,
which replaces bits of data.
Cryptanalysis - the science and study of methods of breaking ciphers.
Cryptology - the branch of knowledge embodying both cryptography
and cryptanalysis.
Back to module 6.
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