CHAPTER 13 Computers in Society: Today
The Internet Is Having a Negative Impact on the Family Unit.
The results of a recent survey by Stanford University's Institute for the Quantitative Study in Society revealed that as we spend more time online we spend less time interacting with our family and friends. Also of those people who are regular Internet users the survey showed that 25 percent spend more time working at home in addition to working a full day at the office.
The Silent Hacker Problem
Recently a cyber thief gained access to the RealNames Web server and credit card information of 15,000 customers. It is not clear whether any information was actually stolen, but the company was upfront about that possibility. The situation is unique in that an estimated 62 percent of all Fortune 500 companies had a breach of security during the past year; however, only a few reported these incidents. To most, the bad publicity has the potential to be worse than the crime; therefore, they simply do not report the crimes.
Dental Schools Go Digital
Digital Seven major dental schools in United States have opted to use a single DVD-based learning resource in lieu of traditional textbooks. The DVD would contain everything students would need throughout four years of dental school. The disc would be updated each semester. It is yet to be determined whether the digital resources will improve learning and provide added convenience to students and teachers. The exclusive use of digital learning resources for a four-year program is sure to be monitored closely by the education community. Participating dental colleges include NYU, the University of Texas, the University of Buffalo, Boston University, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, the University of Florida at Gainesville, and the United States Navy Postgraduate Dental School.
Telecommuter OSHA Clarification
Recently, the United States Department of Labor announced that employers would be responsible for overseeing work-related OSHA requirements for their telecommutersŐ workplaces in their homes. The DOL came under intense criticism after the announcement that employers would be liable for telecommuter safety in the home. Their revised liability rules do not apply to white-collar telecommuting, but only to blue-collar home manufacturing.
Smartcard Security Vulnerable
Generally, smartcards containing embedded microprocessors are considered a more secure alternative to traditional credit cards. However, a French programmer spent four years breaking the 640-bit encryption key and was able to create counterfeit copies of European smartcards. He then announced to the banks that by using these smartcards, which are very popular in Europe, he was going to prove his work was successful. He did and was arrested. He had hoped to sell his "invention" for $1.5 million, but now he is facing a 7-year prison sentence. When the encryption-breaking program is loaded to the smartcardŐs microprocessor, the card will be accepted, no matter what personal identification number (PIN) is entered.
DVD Security Codes Announced to the World
The DVD video may soon make the VHS videotape obsolete. This process would take place quickly if the film industry were confident that they could secure their copyright material from duplication. With DVDs perfect copies can be made. Although VHS tapes can be copied, digital DVD videos can be copied more easily and then perfect copies can be distributed via the Internet or other DVDs. The security code embedded in the movie DVDs in retail outlets has been cracked via a father-son team in Norway. They placed the codes on the Internet and now both face criminal charges.