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Computer Uses from A to Z
Computer Viruses
What is a computer virus?
Who writes computer viruses?
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Computer Uses from A to Z


Once upon a time there were no computers. The world was a lot different. All sorts of things were not possible. There were no video games, CD-ROM players, modern TV, grocery store scanners, fast phone connections or space probes.

Right after World War II, engineers built the first digital all electronic computers. The information Age began. Computers linked to TV, telephone and satellite networks spread information throughout the world.

Before computers, most people made a living by making and selling goods and farm products. Today, more and more people are earning their living using computers. Many are producing and selling information.

Here are some examples of the many ways we use computers today:

AUTOMOBILES - Cars use computers to control the flow of gas to the engine. This gives better gas mileage. Also, many cars have computers that control displays such as the temperature, speed and. gas gauges.

BANKS - Computers in banks can transfer money from one account to another.

CARTOONS - Computers can be used to organize thousands of single pictures used to make cartoons.

DRAWINGS - Computers can be used to create drawings for engineering or designing.

EXERCISE MACHINES - Some exercise machines use computers to calculate miles or calories.

FAX MACHINES - Computers in fax machines are used to send and print the signal from machine to machine.

GAMES - Some games such as chess can be played with the help from a computer. The computer can analyze and decide which move would be the best. Other games played with computers are very popular.

HOSPITALS - A hospital patient's heart (pulse) rate can be recorded and analyzed by a computer.

INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS - Some companies use computer-controlled robots to do such things as weld parts, work on assembly lines and deliver parts.

JET PLANES - Computers help guide planes by giving pilots important information such as speed and altitude.

KITCHEN APPLIANCES - Microwaves, for instance, use computers to set the time and temperature.

LIBRARIES - Books and other materials are checked out by using computers. Each book has a bar code. When it is checked out, it is placed under a laser reader. The laser reader, controlled by a computer, records the title of the book. In addition, most libraries have a listing of their books and other materials on computers so you can find out what is available.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS - Many performers use computer-controlled machines such as electronic drum kits to create special sounds.

NEWSPAPERS - Reporters write their stories on the computer. Photographers and editors edit pictures and stories on the computer.

OLYMPIC ATHLETES - Athletes use computers to help with their training. For example, computers can measure how well an athlete's lungs are working.

PAY TELEPHONES - A computer at a central location figures out how much a call will cost. Computers connect your call to the correct number.

QUAKES - Computers are used to help predict earthquakes.

RESTAURANTS - A restaurant manager can use a computer to keep track of food orders and supplies.

SPORTS - Computers are used to record times and scores at games.

TELEVISION - Computers are used to control much in television. Using data produced by computers, networks can make their decisions about what shows stay on the air.

UNDERGROUND GAS RESERVES - Scientists use computers to help create models of underground gas reserves. This helps keep up with the supply.

VIDEOCASSETTE RECORDERS - Computers change magnetic pulses on the tape into electronic signals that then turn into pictures you see on your TV.

WASHING MACHINES - A tiny computer chip (microchip) controls your washing machine (washer).

X-RAY SCANNERS - Detailed pictures of the inside of the body can be taken from different angles. Computers are also used to sort, process and show pictures.

YACHTS - Captains use computers to help navigate courses for their yachts.

ZOOS - Zoos use computers to help keep track of animals used for breeding purposes.

GLOSSARY:

network - here a group of radio or television stations in different places using many of the same broadcasts

mileage - the distance that is traveled, measured in miles

gauge - instrument for measuring

weld - to join by heating and fusing (melting)

deliver - here take to a place

kit - set of equipment

edit - prepare smth. for printing or showing

keep/lose track (of) - to keep/not keep oneself informed about a person, state of affairs, etc.

on the right/wrong track - thinking or working correctly/incorrectly microchip - a tiny set of connected electrical parts produced as a single unit on a

slice of material such as silicon

process - to put information (data) into a computer for examination to produce

young

Computer Viruses



A bit of history

On the 2nd of November, 1988 Robert Morris, a graduate student of computer science faculty of Cornwall University (USA) infected a great amount of computers, connected to the Internet network. This network unites machines of university centres, private companies and governmental agents, including National Aeronautics Space Administration, as well as some military scientific centres and labs.

On the 4th of November the author of the virus - Morris - came to FBI headquarters in Washington on his own. FBI has imposed a prohibition on all material relating to the Morris virus.

On the 22nd of January, 1989 a court of jurors has acknowledged Morris guilty. If the denunciatory verdict had been approved without modification, Morris would have been sentenced to 5 years of prison and 250 000 dollars of fine. However Morris' attorney immediately lodged a protest and directed all papers to the Circuit Court with the petition to decline the decision of court. Finally Morris was sentenced to 3 months of prisons and fine of 270 thousand dollars, but in addition Cornwall University carried a heavy loss, having excluded Morris from its members. Author then had to take part in liquidation of its own creation.


What is a computer virus?

It is an executable code able to reproduce itself. Viruses are an area of pure programming, and, unlike other computer programs, carry intellectual functions on protection from being found and destroyed. They have to fight for survival in complex conditions of conflicting computer systems. That's why they evolve as if they were alive.

Yes, viruses seem to be the only alive organisms in the computer environment, and yet another their main goal is survival. That is why they may have complex crypting/decrypting engines, which is indeed a sort of a standard for computer viruses nowadays, in order to carry out processes of duplicating, adaptation and disguise.

It is necessary to differentiate between reproducing programs and Trojan horses. Reproducing programs will not necessarily harm your system because they are aimed at producing as many copies of their own as possible by means of so-called agent programs or without their help. They are referred to as "worms".

Meanwhile Trojan horses are programs aimed at causing harm or damage to PC's.

Destructive actions are not an integral part of the virus by default. However virus-writers allow presence of destructive mechanisms as an active protection from finding and destroying their creatures, as well as a response to the attitude of society to viruses and their authors.

As you see, there are different types of viruses, and they have already been separated into classes and categories. For instance: dangerous, harmless, and very dangerous. No destruction means a harmless one, tricks with system halts means a dangerous one, and finally devastating destruction means a very dangerous virus.

But viruses are famous not only for their destructive actions, but also for their special effects, which are almost impossible to classify. Some virus-writers suggest the following: funny, very funny and sad or melancholy (keeps silence and infects). But one should remember that special effects must occur only after a certain number of contaminations. Users should also be given a chance to restrict execution of destructive actions, such as deleting files, formatting hard disks. Thereby a virus can be considered to be a useful program, keeping a check on system changes and preventing any surprises such as deletion of files or wiping out hard disks.

It sounds quite unusual to say such words about viruses, which are usually considered to he a disaster. The less a person understands in programming and virology, the greater influence will have on him the possibility of being infected with a virus. Thus, let's consider creators of viruses as the best source.


Who writes computer viruses?

To write something really new and remarkable programmer should have some extra knowledge and skills, for example:

1) good strategic thinking and intuition — releasing a virus and its descendants live their own independent life in nearly unpredictable conditions. Therefore the author must anticipate a lot of things;

splendid knowledge of language of the Assembler1 and the operating system he writes for - the more there are mistakes in the virus the quicker its will be caught;

attention to details and a skill to solve the most varied tactical questions – one won't write a compact, satisfactory working program without this abilities;

4)a high professional discipline in order to join all the preceding points together.

A computer virus group is an informal non-profit organization, uniting.

Programmers – authors of viruses regardless of their qualifications. Everyone can become a member of the club, if he creates viruses, studies them for the reason of creation and spreading.

You don't have to know any computer language or write any program code to become a member or a friend of the group. But programming in Assembler is preferred, Pascal, С++ and other high level languages are considered to be suitable.

Writing viruses usually don't bring profits to the author. At least when the author and the healer are different persons. The situation is quite different when they are not, especially when the person manages to hide the fact of double - dealing. Developers of antiviral software gain money from selling their remedy to new viruses.

But don't forget that creation, use and spreading harmful programs is a crime, as well as cracked versions of programs. Our penal code establishes a punishment up to seven years of jail.