Hacking and Viruses
 While
the majority of computer hackers and virus creators are adults, there
have in recent years been a number of high profile cases involving adolescents.
As a parent, you might consider talking with your child about online ethics
and making sure he or she understands that the law applies as much in
cyberspace as it does anywhere else. If you do not know what hacking and
viruses are, read on…
What is Hacking?
Hacking is the computer equivalent of breaking and entering. A computer
hacker uses his or her skills to gain unauthorized access to another computer
or computer network and, once inside, can wreak havoc by altering important
information, deleting essential files, or just crashing the whole system.
Many hackers who break into commercial Web sites are looking for customers'
private financial data (including bank account and credit card numbers).
A hacker who causes a network to crash can cost a company hundreds of
thousands of dollars in lost productivity. Much worse than the loss of
money, however, is the potential for loss of life. Police, hospital, and
air traffic control systems around the world rely on computer networks
to keep people safe.
What are Computer Viruses?
A computer virus is a small program that impairs-or simply destroys-a
computer's ability to function properly. Most viruses are designed to
spread themselves over the Internet (often via email programs) before
they inflict harm on their host computers. Frequently, hackers use viruses
to create holes in a computer network's security system—holes which are
then used to get deeper inside that network. As a general rule, do not
open email attachments from people you do not know. Even email attachments
from friends should be approached with caution.
Web Sites of Interest
Cybercrime.gov
http://www.cybercrime.gov/cc.html
The U.S. Department of Justice's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property
Section (CCIPS) has the latest information about criminal activities on
the Internet. It also has good links for parents, teachers, and children
who want to learn more about how to behave ethically (and legally) while
surfing the Internet.
Howstuffworks.com: Firewalls
http://www.howstuffworks.com/firewall.htm
An excellent explanation of how "firewall" software work to
protect computers and computer networks from hackers.
Howstuffworks.com: Computer Viruses
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm
A detailed explanation of the different kinds of computer viruses and
how they work.
There's One More Talk You Need to Have
http://www.cybercrime.gov/onemoretalk.htm
This article initially appeared in Newsweek Magazine. Written by a parent,
it explains the importance of talking to your child about online ethics.
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