Thursday, October 26, 2017

Computerization Has Made Us Vulnerable to Cyberterrorism

As I wrote the title to this posting, I noticed the words Computerization and Cyberterrorism are now part of our normal vocabulary. The first we can understand, but the second we cannot.

I will explain it for you - by simply noting, that the secure use of Internet resources requires careful programming techniques (and expensive programmers) - that many organizations don't want bother with.

Let me give you an example - Aeropost, the company that ships my packages from Miami to Costa Rica. There have been several companies that did this, but only this one has survived - because it became Computerized. All its operations, and there are many of them - are controlled by its computers, and their advanced software. This has allowed it to be efficient, and profitable.

Let me start with the beginning - when a package arrives at their warehouse in Miami. Immediately it is given a package number (for their internal database) and their software starts looking for the cheapest way to fly it to Costa Rica. It has an algorithm that picks the best price and delivery - and then dispatches a truck to take it (and other packages for Costa Rica) to that airline terminal at the airport.

I can log into their online site, and watch as it progresses from stage to stage. First, the flight to Costa Rica, then the trip through Customs, then the delivery to Cartago, the nearest large town. I will get an email, when I can pick it up there. I am waiting, right now, to pick up my new Windows 10 laptop.

Is all this secure? Probably not. Any cyber terrorist, could easily stop its operations it its tracks.

And the same thing can be said for how our electricity is delivered - under Computer control.

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