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UNIT 45
INTERNET SECURITY

Task 1 Discuss these questions.

1. Who is a hacker?
2. How easy do you think it is to infiltrate the Internet and steal sensitive
information?
3. What is a computer virus? How does it work?
4. How can you protect your computer from viruses and spyware?

Task 2 Read the following text quickly and see how many of your ideas in
Task 1 are mentioned.

SECURITY AND PRIVACY ON THE INTERNET

There are many benefits from an open system like the Internet, but one of
the risks is that we are often exposed to hackers, who break into computer
systems just for fun, to steal information, or to spread viruses (see note below). So
how document we go about making our online transactions secure?

Security on the Web

Security is crucial when you send confidential information online. Consider, for
example, the process of buying a book on the Web, you have to type your credit
card number into an order form which passes from computer to computer on its way
to the online bookstore. If one of the intermediary computers is infiltrated by hackers,
your data can be copied.
To avoid risks, you should set all security alerts to high on your web browser.
Mozilla Firefox displays a lock when the website is secure and allows you to disable
or delete cookies - small files placed on your hard drive by web servers so that they
can recognize your PC when you return to their site.
If you use online banking services, make sure they use digital certificates - files
that are like digital identification cards and that identify users and web servers. Also
be sure to use a browser that is compliant with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), a
protocol which provides secure transactions. ’

Email privacy
Similarly, as your email travels across the Net, it is copied temporarily onto many
computers in between. This means that it can be read by people who illegally enter
computer systems.
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The only way to protect a message is to put it in a sort of virtual envelope – that
is, to encode it with some form of encryption. A system designed to send email
privately is Pretty Good Privacy, a free ware program written by Phil Zimmerman.

Network security
Private networks can be attacked by intruders who attempt to obtain information
such as Social Security numbers, bank accounts or research and business reports.
To protect crucial data, companies hire security consultants who analyse the risks
and provide solutions. The most common methods of protection are passwords for
access control, firewalls, and encryption and decryption systems. Encryption
changes data into a secret code so that only someone with a key can read it.
Decryption converts encrypted data back into its original form.

Malware protection
Malware (malicious software) are programs designed to infiltrate or damage your
computer, for example viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware. A virus can enter a PC
via a disc drive - if you insert an infected disc - or via the Internet. A worm is a self-
copying program that spreads through email attachments; it replicates itself and
sends a copy to everyone in an address book. A Trojan horse is disguised as a
useful program; it may affect data security. Spyware collects Information from your
PC without your consent. Most spyware and adware (software that allows pop-ups -
that is, advertisements that suddenly appear on your screen) is included with ’free’
downloads.
If you want to protect your PC, don’t open email attachments from strangers and
take care when downloading files from the Web. Remember to update your anti-virus
software as often as possible, since new viruses are being created all the time.
Note: Originally, all computer enthusiasts and skilled programmers were known as
hacker but during the 1990s, the term hacker became synonymous with cracker - a
person who uses technology for criminal aims. Nowadays, people often use the word
hacker to mean both things. In the computer industry, hackers are known as white
hats and crackers are called black hats or darkside hackers .
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Task 3 Read the text more carefully and answer the questions.

1. Why is security so important on the Internet?

2. What security features are offered by Mozilla Firefox?
3. What security protocol is used by banks to make online transactions
secure?
4. How can we protect our email and keep it private?
5. What methods are used by companies to make internal networks
secure?
6. In what ways can a virus enter a computer system?
7. How does a worm spread itself?
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Task 4 Match the captions (1-4) with the pictures (a-d).

1. A secure website can be recognized in two ways: the address bar shows the
letter https and a closed padlock or key is displayed somewhere on the
screen.
2. You have to type your username and password to access a locked computer
system.
3. This program displays a message when it detects spyware and other
unwanted software that may compromise your privacy or damage your
computer.
4. Private networks use a software and/or hardware mechanism called a firewall
to block unauthorized traffic from the Internet.

(a) (b)

https://www.bankinter.com

(d)
(c)

Task 5 Complete the following sentences with appropriate words.

1. Users have to enter a ………… to gain access to a network.

2. A ………… protects a company intranet from outside attack.
3. A ………… is a person who uses their computer skills to enter computers and
networks illegally.
4. …………… can infect your files and corrupt your hard drive.
5. You can download ………… from the Net; this type of software is available
free of charge but protected by copyright.
6. Encoding data so that unauthorized users can’t read it is known as ………
7. This company uses ……………. techniques to decode (or decipher) secret
data.
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8. Most ……… is designed to obtain personal information without the user’s

permission.

Task 6 Read Part 1 of the text and answer these questions.

1. Which hacking case inspired the film War Games?

2. When did Captain Zap hack into the Pentagon?
3. Why was Nicholas Whitely arrested in 1988?
4. How old was the hacker that broke into the US defence computer in 1989?

The history of hacking - Part 1

1971- John Draper discovered that a whistle offered in boxes of Cap’n Crunch
breakfast cereal perfectly generated the 2,600 Hz signal by the AT&T phone
company. He started to make free calls; He was arrested in 1972 but wasn’t
sent to prison.
1974- Kevin Mitnick, a legend among hackers, began hacking into banking networks
and altering the credit reports of his enemies. He didn’t expect that his most
famous exploit – hacking into the North American Defense Command in
Colorado Springs – would inspire the film War Games in 1983.
1981- Ian Murphy, a 23-year-old known as Captain Zap on the networks, hacked into
the White house and the Pentagon .
1987- The IBM international network was paralysed by a hacker’s Christmas message.
1988- The Union Bank of Switzerland almost lost £32 million to hackers; Nicholas
Whitely was arrested in connection with virus spreading.
1989- A fifteen-year-old hacker cracked the US defence computer.
1991- Kevin Poulsen, known as Dark Dante on the networks, was accused of stealing
military files.

Task 7 Complete Part 2 of the text with appropriate forms of the given
verbs.

show – spread – steal – launch – attempt – overwrite – be – infect – affect

The history of hacking - Part 2

1992 - David L Smith (1) ……………… prosecuted for writing the Melissa virus,
which was passed in Word files sent via email.
1997 – The German Chaos Computer Club (2) …………. On TV how to obtain
money from bank accounts.
2000 - A Russian hacker (3) ……….. to extort $100,000 from online music
retailer CD Universe. A Canadian hacker (4) ………… a massive denial
of service attack against website like Yahoo! And Amazon.
The I Love You virus, cleverly disguised as a love letter, (5) …..…….. so
quickly that email had to be shut down in many companies. The worm (6)
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image and sound files with a copy of itself.

2001 - The Code Red worm (7) ……………. Tens of thousands of machines.
2006 – Hackers (8) …………… the credit card details of, almost 20,000 AT&T
online customers. However, subscribers to its service (9) (not) …………

Task 8 Look at the list of cybercrimes and discuss these questions .

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1. Which crimes are the most dangerous?

2. Is it fair or unfair to pay for the songs, videos, books or articles that you
download? Should copyright infringement be allowed online?
3. What measures can be taken by governments to stop cybercrime?
4. Do you think governments have the right to censor material on the Internet?
5. Personal information such as our address; salary, and civil and criminal
records is held in databases by marketing companies. Is our privacy in
danger?

Cybercrimes
• Piracy - the illegal copy and distribution of copyrighted software, games or
music files.
• Plagiarism and theft of intellectual property - pretending that someone else's
work is your own.
• Spreading of malcious software
• Phishing (password harvesting fishing) - getting passwords for online bank
accounts or credit card numbers by using emails that look like they are from real
organizations, but are in fact fake; people believe the message is from their bank and
send their security details.
 IP spoofing – making one computer look like another in order to gain
unauthorized access.
 Cyberstalking - online harassment or abuse, mainly in chat rooms or newsgroup.
.
 Distribution of indecent or offensive material.

Task 9 Study these phrasal verbs:

break into grow up throw away

get into phone up log on
hack into run up find out
go about keep at track down
set about shut down hand over
keep ahead

Now complete each blank with the appropriate phrasal verb in the
correct form . In some cases, more than one answer is possible.
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1. Hackers try to .................... passwords so they can penetrate a system.

2. Don’t .................... your password to anyone who asks for it.
3. The police ...............:.... Ralph .................... by talking to his friends and
acquaintances.
4. Some hackers .................... systems to get commercially valuable information.
5. When you .................... to a network, you have to provide an ID.
6. How do you ................ ... hacking into a system?
7. Never .................... your credit card receipts where someone can find them.
8. Ralph was a hacker as a teenager but...,_ he’s .................... now and become more
responsible .
9. .................... a system is strictly illegal nowadays.
10. It’s a constant race to .................... of the hackers.

Task 10 Replace the verb in italics with a phrasal verb of similar meaning.

1. Don’t discard your credit card receipts; they could help fraudsters.
2. Trying to penetrate computer systems is against the law.
3. The typical hacker is a young person who has not matured yet.
4. The best way to begin hacking into a system is to try to get hold of a
password.
5. If someone telephones you and asks for your password, don’t provide it.
6. Hackers closed Hotmail for five hours.
7. Hackers accumulated a telephone bill of £1m for Scotland Yard.
8. The difficult thing was to determine how the website would look.
9. So you won’t forget, record the ID number the support technician gives you.
10. Examine the manufacturers’ websites before you phone for help.