Современные информационные технологии / 4. Информационная безопасность

Satmaganbetova Zh.Z., senior teacher Sarbasova A.N, student

Kostanay State University named A.Baitursynov

Computer viruses will become biological weapons

Synthetic biology is a programming life in which cells play a role of living computers, and DNA is a programming language.

Researchers of Fortinet concluded that computer and human viruses have much in common, writes PC World. In essence, human and computer viruses behave the same: encode information for parasitic behavior in the host system. Thus, DDoS-attack may compared with HIV, since both of these aimed to system overload. There are other examples. HIV attacks the immune system, making it more vulnerable to certain diseases. A computer virus W32/Sality uses the same strategy, disabling anti-virus software and installing malicious software to bypass firewall Microsoft.

Some biological viruses, such as influenza virus, are able to change the replication. Similarly, work computer virus Conficker and Koobface. At first, like the influenza virus is the "incubation period", during which the virus does not show any activity in the system. The researchers also noted that both people and computers are infected each other.

The only difference between biological and computer viruses is that the latter is more sophisticated: they know how to encrypt data and to defend themselves against attempts to correct the error. If someone wrote computer code of the influenza virus, the weight of the file would amount to no more than 22 KB.

In the future, computer and biological viruses will increasingly converge with each other, according to the Fortinet. The boundaries between the biological and the digital world has blurred. A good example is the creation of electronic prostheses such as pacemakers, deep brain stimulators and cochlear implants. Once these devices communicate with an external machine, and it is necessary at some stage, they are vulnerable to viruses.

Another article, which caused unprecedented interest, was devoted to the discovery of genetics Craig Venter. This led scientists to talk about new forms of life and new forms of its destruction. Venter introduced the world to the simplest biosynthetic organism capable of reproduction. The world's first artificial organism called Cynthia.

Upon learning that Venter went on competitive distance with God, ethicist, Professor Julian Savulescu of Oxford University said the prophetic words: "Venter opened the gates to the most cherished of human history, and perhaps also in his life. This (opening) in can then be used to create the most powerful biological weapons, which you can imagine. Our task now is to eat the apple, not swallowed the worm".

At the technology conference TXM some participants were of the opinion that a breakthrough Venter allow our mind to make a giant evolutionary leap; others warned that synthetic biology could easily get out of control.

During his speech Hessel predicted the advent of when the "print" and "decryption" DNA will become commonplace. "I dream about what life will be programming to solve global problems, and enable mankind to find harmony within the biosphere", - he said. However, immediately warned that the breakthrough could be a disaster in the event that research and development will fall into the wrong hands.

According to Hessel, biocybernetics will allow the programming of viruses and bacteria so that getting into the human brain; they become agents of another's will. Thus, harmful microorganisms introduced under the guise of an ordinary human vaccine will allow influencing the behavior of “carrier” and even fully controlling his mind. Hessel suggested that dishonest people will turn these technologies into a kind of weapon, and the rest will have to be hooked on various anti-virus software.

"The spread of computer virus is much more difficult to control than, for example, anthrax bacteria. Biological terrorists may be interested in using computer viruses to terrorist attacks, and by the thought is scary", - said Guillaume Love (Guillaume Lovet), senior research manager, threats of Fortinet.

Next topic affecting researchers quite worrying. Fortunately, biological viruses are not able to packing itself, encryption, and virtual machine detection and debug mode. Geneticists should pray that future viruses did not evolve from the genomes of cyber-criminals, or antiviral drugs will be less effective in identifying and preventing viruses.

In addition, we are very fortunate that the biological viruses are not playing "cat and mouse" with the doctors. Just imagine that the patient is sent to the stylist, instead of health workers (by URL redirect), or viruses that welcome you in identifying a microscope. It becomes clear that computer viruses are more developed than their biological counterparts.

One shudders to think what awaits us in the near future. Is it true that computer viruses will become biological weapons? Completely refute it - silly because this era of computer technology. In addition, the fact that the computer hackers in the future may create a virus that will cause an epidemic among humans - only a matter of time.