Testing Time for Trojans

The research paper was about investigating Trojan attacks, its definition, how it functions and effects and how can it be detected or defined as a real Trojan other than a virus, bug or malware. The paper has studied on areas that are most vulnerable to Trojan attacks. The paper also discussed the crimes that could be very widespread if not prevented. The consumers and vendors affected have found time to extensively get rid of Trojan infections. The author of the research paper has arrived to a conclusion that the interest of getting rid of Trojan attacks seem to be decreasing but with the tests done and cited in the paper, anti-Trojan testing can be improved with enhanced test methods.
I found the research paper very useful and informative. The author has really shown a big concern for the computer industry and for the lot in becoming aware on the Trojan attacks that is really widespread nowadays since the boom of internet and ‘individual-causing-virus’. Although I agree to the author when he said that being so alarmed with the Trojan attacks could eventually diminish in the neat future since developments of modern programming languages, that are capable of countering virus or other malicious programs, are ongoing. The information could be of help to simple users/consumer like me that is just concern on how to protect their selves as anyone else. I have learned from the paper some tips to determine a very good anti-virus software, but I also agree in some part of the paper that it is also really hard to determine which of the ‘thing’ has infected your computer or system, resulting to difficulty of eradicating it.

Technologically Enabled Crime: Shifting Paradigms for the Year 2000

The paper talked about how systems can destroy themselves, the social aspects included in the technological crime epidemic and the appropriate solutions to each crisis. The author has discussed in his paper on how fast virus or malicious programs or hacking tools travel and that the participation of humans plays a big role in its multiplicity since the humans are capable of developing such destructive tools.

I completely agree with the author that the humans are the ones responsible for destroying the system they themselves created. It just really true that we are so capable of building and destroying the world we live in at the same time. It is so scary how the minds of the individuals work nowadays because each action could really make a big effect to everyone of us and that would be either very good or very destructive. I don’t think that the development of more anti virus or counter attacks for computer crimes can STOP them completely. I think that the thoughts of the people should be the first one to be developed especially to those geniuses that are using their talents in a bad way. Technology can bring us to the most convenient spot we could ever have but it could also bring us to the worst hit it could give.

Can Cryptography Prevent Computer Viruses?

John F. Morar, David M. Chess
IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center

The paper discussed about the advantages and disadvantages of cryptography in protection against viruses and other malicious programs. How can virus use encryption itself to spread faster with more protection and the ways encryption could be very helpful. They have defined in the paper the different modes used in cryptography, how it can be very useful and useless in some cases.


After reading the paper, I could say that although virus can protect itself by using encryption without a decryption key to make it hard for every anti-virus, cryptography has a far more purpose to protect the computer industry or even the entire world. People would just have to be more careful in using some encryption methods to protect their systems. It is agreeable and scary at the same time why can encryption/cryptography be used in computer crimes. I have always seen ‘cryptography’ as very cool method invented since it can really keep or protect a data so good. The case of this kind of problem discussed in the paper is very relative to the book I’ve read by Dan Brown,” Digital Fortress”. The book was also about encryption/program being used in terrorizing the secret division of the US government. There’s a lot more interesting issues mentioned in the book on how amazing encryption could protect or jeopardize ones privacy or how it can either make or break a country.