In just over a decade, most of us have been familiar with the term computer virus. Even those of us who don't know how to use a computer have heard about viruses through Hollywood films such as Independence Day or Hackers (though Hollywood's depiction of viruses is usually highly inaccurate). International magazines and newspapers regularly have virus-scares as leading stories. There is no doubt that our culture is fascinated by the potential danger of these viruses. Many people believe the worst a virus can do is format your hard disk. In fact, this type of payload is now harmless for those of us who back up our important data. Much more destructive viruses are those which subtly corrupt data. Consider, for example, the effects of a virus that randomly changes numbers in spreadsheet applications by plus or minus 10% at stockbrokers.
But don’t lay the blame for viruses on the technology or the machines that executes that technology. The fundamental truth about computer viruses is that they are a people problem. People create viruses for various reasons. People disseminate virus infections either deliberately or as a result of the very human traits of innocence, ignorance, or carelessness. And the people who are the potential victims of this phenomenon can acquire the knowledge to turn a real threat into a reasonably calculated risk that they can
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