Computer Virus

 

计算机病毒

Professional Terms

 

专业术语

employee n.

雇员

essential a.

本质的

favorite a.

特别喜爱的

hire vt.

雇佣

integrity n.

完整（性）

intentionally¹ ad.

有意地

intervention² n.

干预

motive³ n.

动机

pervasiveness⁴ n.

弥漫，蔓延

replicate⁵ vt.

重复

subsequently ad.

以下

subtly ad.

微妙的

unaffected ad.

未受影响的

uninfected a.

未受传染的

virus a.

病毒

whatever n.

不管怎样的，任何的

What is a computer virus?

何谓计算机病毒？

A computer virus is one kind of threat to the security and integrity of computer systems.

计算机病毒是危极计算机系统安全与完整的一种威胁。

Like other threats ,a computer virus can cause the loss or alteration⁶ of programs or data.

象其它威胁一样的是，计算机病毒可以引起程序或数据的丢失或改变。

Unlike many other threats,a computer virus can be spread from program to program and from system to system without direct human intervention.

与很多其它威胁不同的是，计算机病毒可以在没有人的直接干预下，从一个程序传播到另一个程序，从一个系统传播到另一个系统。

notes

 

注意事项

He was covered with snow from head to foot.

他身上从头到脚都是雪。

He stuck to his post from beginning to end.

他自始至终一直坚守岗位。

 

The essential component⁷ of a virus is a set of instructions which

 

计算机病毒的基本组成部分是这样一组指令，

when executed ,spreads itself to other ,previously⁸ unaffected, programs or files.

当这组指令被执行时，它就会被传播到本来没受过影响的程序或文件上。

First , it copies itself into previously uninfected programs or files.

第一种作用是要把它自身拷贝到以前未受感染的程序或文件上。

Second (perhaps after a specific number of executions, or on a specific date) it executes whatever other instructions the virus author included in it.

第二种作用是（也许是在某特定的执行次数以后，或者在某个特定日期）执行病毒作者所隐含在其中的别的什么指令。

Depending on the motives⁹ of the virus author, these instructions can do anything at all.

根据病毒作者的动机，这些指令完全能做出任何事情。

including displaying a message ,erasing¹⁰ files or subtly altering stored data.

包括：显示某种信息，抹去某些文件或微妙地改变存储的数据。

In some cases ,a virus may contain no intentionally harmful or disruptive instructions at all.

在某些情况下，某种病毒可能一点没有包含什么故意有害的或破坏性的指令。

Instead , it may cause damage by replicating¹¹ itself and taking up scarce resources, such as disk space, CPU time ,or network connections.

而是通过自身的重复和占去某些值得的资源（如磁盘空间、CPU时间或网络连接等）来造成破坏。

Let us now examine a particular sequence of events by which virus could enter an organization and spread within it .

现在让我们来观察一个特殊系列事件，通过这些事件，病毒进入一个机构并广为传播。

Suppose that the organization hires an outside person to come in and perform some work.

假设这个机构在外面雇佣了一个外来人员来完成这项工作。

Part of that person's work involves working on one of the organization's personal computers.

这项工作的一部分要在该机构的一台个人计算机上操作。

The person brings in a few programs to aid in this work, such as a favorite text editor.

此人为了有助于工作的进行，带来了一些程序，如一个适用的文本编辑程序。

Without the person having realized it ,the text editor may be infected with a virus.

在无人意识到的情况下，这个文本编辑程序可能会染上了一种病毒。

 

Notes

 

注意事项

Using that editor on one of the organization's machines causes the virus to spread from the editor to one of the progarams stored on the organization's machine,perhaps to a spreadsheet program.

因此在机构中的任一台计算机上对编辑程序的使用，都会导致病毒从编辑程序传播到该机构计算机内所存储的某个程序上，也许是传播到了一个电子表格程序上。

When an employee uses that spreadsheet subsequently, the virus can be spread to another progarm.

后来，当某个雇员使用这个电子表格程序时，病毒就又可能传播到另一个程序上。

perhaps to a directory listing progam that the employee keeps on the same floppy¹² disk as the spreadsheet data files.

也许是传播到了另一个由该雇员保存的与电子表格程序存储在同一个软盘上的目录列表程序上。

The listing program is then infected.

于是这个列表程序也就染上了病毒，

and the infection can be spread to other computers to which this floppy disk is taken.

而且这种感染又可以传播到使用过这张软盘的其它一些计算机上。

If the employee's computer is connected to the organization's network.

如果雇员的个人计算机与该机构的网络相连，

the employee may send the listing program to another user over the network.

那么，雇员就可以把这个列表程序传送给网络上的另一位用户。

In either case, the virus can spread to more users, and more machines, via floppy disks or networks.

不管是哪一种情况，通过软盘或网络，病毒就会传播给更多的用户和更多的计算机上。

Each copy of the virus can make multiple copies of itself and can infect any program to which it has access.

病毒的每一次复制，就会导致病毒本身的多次复制，并且使它曾访问过的任一程序受到感染。

As a result , the virus may be able to spread throughout the organization in a relatively¹³ short time.

结果，在一个相当短的时间内，病毒就能在该机构之内到处肆虐。

Each of the infected programs in each of the infected machines can execute whatever other instructions the virus author intended.

在每台受到感染计算机内的每个受到感染的程序，就可能执行病毒作者原想要执行的任何指令。

If these instructions are harmful or disruptive ,the pervasivences of the virus may cause widespread harm

如果这些指令是有害的，有破坏性的，那么病毒的蔓延就可能引起广泛的破坏。

Traditional security measures have attempted to limit the number of security incidents to an acceptable level.

传统的安全措施，曾试图限制安全性事件发生的数目到一个可接受的水平。

A single incident of lost files in a year may be acceptable loss, for instance.

例如，在一年中只发生一次文件丢失，这样的损失可能是可接受的。

While this is important it only addresses partial,because single virus is able to spread throughout an organization.

虽然这是个重要问题，这只是表明了病毒的部分问题，因为单个病毒可能传遍整个机构。

the damage that it could cause may be much greater than what could be caused by any individual computer user.

所以它引起的破坏就会比任何单个计算机用户引起的破坏大的多。

Limiting the number of initial vital infections of an organization is important,but it is often not feasible to prevent them entirely¹⁴.

限制某机构初始严重感染病毒的数目，是至关重要的，但对它们的完全杜绝又常常不大可能。

As a result ,it is important to be able to deal with them when they occur ,and to take actions to erase¹⁵ them.

因此，重要的是，当它们一旦发生时，有能力对付它们并能采取措施消除它们。

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