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Computers need legal, technical protection
By loan Herman
Of the Emerald
Art often imitates life. And sometimes life
imitates art. Take the movie "War Games,"
which was about a teenager who broke into
the Defense Department's computer
systems via his own home computer.
The movie was fictional. The felony
charges against a UCLA student, Ronald
Austin, who allegedly committed a similar
act about two weeks ago, are real.
The physics student, who was ordered to
stay away from computers, pleaded inno
cent to 14 felony charges of deliberately
breaking into the Defense Department's
computer system. If convicted, he could
face a maximum six-year prison term.
Breaking into computer systems, or
"hacking," is not new. But it has gained
notoriety in the last few years because more
hackers are being caught.
Still, no federal laws directly address
hackers and the ethics of hacking. Because
computers are a relatively new member of
society, few people — public and computer
experts alike — consider the ethical implica
tions of computer piracy, says Eugene Luks,
head of the University's Computer and In
formation Science department.
"One has to have some sort of ethics and
we don't ignore that fact" when teaching
computer science classes, Luks says.
"There is a social ethic students have to be
aware of. A lot of issues are very obvious,
but they have to be stated up front."
Breaking into someone else's computer
system is no different than peeping
through neighbors' curtains or listening in
on their private conversations. In essence,
hacking infringes upon someone else's
rights, he says.
"Would you go to your neighbor's
mailbox when they're out of town and read
their mail? You woudn't. You have
standards."
Dennis Kucera, a computer science and
math student, agrees.
As a member of the University's Com
puting Association Club, Kucera and his
friends have discussed computer piracy.
Most of his friends "frown upon doing
things like that because they've been
brought up not to do those things," he
says.
"Usually peer pressure is enough to pre
vent it (hacking),” Kucera says. "Usually
they (computer science students) take pride
in what they do and they don't tamper
around. Most of my friends have an ethic
against doing something like that.
"With the time that it takes to do all that,
you can be doing more constructive things.
You can be doing something intelligent."
According to an Associated Press story,
Austin allegedly worked as many as 10
hours a night, for many nights, to break the
Defense Department's computer codes.
"I don't know how he got into it," Kucera
says. "It would be extremely hard."
But Luks was not surprised by what hap
pened. "He (Austin) was the only one to get
caught but what he did, many other people
could and probably have done. I certainly
have heard of many such stories myself."
Some University students are "certainly
clever enough" to do what the UCLA stu
dent allegedly did, Luks says. "It's entirely
possible that people learn things here that
could facilitate crime. We teach a good deal
about the inner workings of the computer,
and when you learn how to read computer
modern day pirates are usually outcasts, the
article states. They yearn for attention, and
possibly through their hacking they hope to
gain such notice, surprisingly, — by being
caught in the act.
Hackers are generally inquisitve types,
the article says. They like to figure things
out, such as what a computer's password is,
even if it takes them weeks or months.
"It's a game for a lot of computer science
students to try and beat the system, says
John Benefiel, who programs, installs and
repairs computers in the Eugene area.
You don't need to be a genius to crack a
computer code, Benefiel says. All it takes is
a "little common sense and a little time and
you can figure it out."
Most major company's computer systems
are tied into the phone lines, just as smaller
systems are, he says. By using a modem (a
telephone line hookup which is connected
to the home computer), you could dial the
specific number of a company's computer
and connect your personal computer
system." At the University, researchers are
examining ways to protect computer
systems, Luks says.
Another possible security measure would
be putting a warning into the computer
system, stating that breaking into com
puters is illegal and punishable by law.
The Times article suggested programm
ing computers to detect "repeated at
tacks," or attempts to break into a system. If
the computer had a "watchdog" system
that could detect such attacks, a hacker
would receive a warning message stating
such actions are illegal, and every attempt is
being made to trace the call.
In the near future, computers may be
equipped with voice scans. A person would
have to speak into the computer before
making any commands, and the scan could
detect if the person was authorized to use
that system.
At any rate, Luks says, the computer in
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jargon, you can learn (even more) by hack
ing it out alone."
Usually hackers do just that — hack it out
alone, Kucera says. Hackers tend to be
loners who "want someone to notice
them," he says.
An Aug. 28 article in the New York Times
supports Kucera's hypothesis. The article,
which transcribes a dialogue between two
former hackers, states that electronic
pirates consider themselves an elite group
as far as ability goes.
But when it comes to society, these
system with a major system, such as the
Defense Department's.
Before you can actually get into the other
system, though, you must know the
system's password, which is where the
hacking game becomes somewhat like fin
ding a needle in a haystack.
Undoubtedly the hacking game will
become even more difficult, if not nearly
impossible to crack, Luks says. "There's go
ing to be a lot of work that goes into making
computers more secure. No system is
perfect, but there are ways to protect your
dustry will no longer "underestimate the
public.”
The next move of the hacking "game" is
up to corporation's computer program
mers, who now must learn to beat the
hackers at their own game.
Bloom County
Courtesy of
Berke Breathed
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