Malicious Code :: Essays Papers

Malicious CodeIntroductionThe wind of trade came on 26th March in the form of an email cyclone called Melissa. Moreover, during 1999 legion(predicate) changes in the level of computer computer virus technology were seen, Armstrong (May 2000, p1).From an organisational point of view, societies nearly the beingness be just learning about the level of magnificence that computer security against virus attacks and the critical signifi groundworkce of cybercrime. Companies around the world lost vast amounts of time, money and resources due to the privation of defense systems and lack of knowledge.Companies must ensure that the all data processing equipment like computers, routers and networks are robust and secure to withstand any type of malicious attack.The following report details some of the more common malicious tag specifically viruses, explaining some of the damage, which these very powerful viruses can inflict on to any computer that it is non well prepared for this kinds of attacks.Armstrong (July 2000, p1), states that Februarys big fib for the information security marketplace was the distributed denial-of-service attacks, which rendered the likes of Yahoo, eBay, and E*Trade helpless. nigh recently, news of the LoveBug hit. While statisticians still grapple with the costs associated with recuperating from this newest bugs sting, the latest reports request that approximately 90 per cent of networks worldwide were affected. Recovery costs associated with the LoveBug are estimated to range from about $600 million upwards to a big $10 billion. Along with all these woes, companies also have to fend off attacks - not only from the outside, but more importantly from inside.Malicious Code - A VirusAccording to Pfleeger (1997, p179) A virus is a program that can pass on malicious code to other nonmalicious programs by modifying them. The confines virus arises because the affected program acts like a biological virus modification of good programs is lik e a virus that infects other sizeable subjects.In Australia damaging data in a computer carries soggy penalties, according to Carroll (1997, p33) in New South Wales, section 310 of the Crimes Act as amended in 1989 states that a person intentionally and without authority or observant excuse destroys, alters or erases data, or inserts data, or interrupts or obstructs the lawful use of a computer is liable to ten years of penal servitude or a fine of $100,000 or both .According to Fites, Kratz & Brebner (1989) viruses or worms , program contructions which can degrade an operating system, destroy data files, and do much damage to the information a computer works with.