Internet and Network Attacks (aka, why hackers suck)

I think almost everyone can say they have had a virus, worm, Trojan horse or rootkit. I know four years ago our home computer was hit by a virus and it damaged many files on the computer. Computer hackers have been around since computers have existed. Hacking can be an easy way to find out useful information about an enemy, steal money and files from major companies.

In my so humble opinion, hackers are assholes. They can break into our homes by means of our computers and find out anything they want in several different ways, which include:

A virus, which can infect a computer and damage files and system software. BeautifulPeople.com was attacked by a virus that allowed “less than beautiful” people to join the dating site.

A worm, which is a program that copies itself and ends up shutting down a computer or network. One of the most famous worms is the “Morris worm” which was the first worm to be released. The creator Robert Morris was charged for his actions.

A Trojan horse is a program that hides in a computer and looks like it is real. Something generally triggers it and the Trojan horse starts to take over a computer. Many major companies are attacked annually by Trojan horses. Many people believe you should not do “mobile banking” because of Trojan horse attacks.

Rootkit is a program that will hide in a computer and allow a stranger, from a remote location to execute programs, change settings and even access files. HBgary was recently hacked by a rootkit.

Regardless on how your computer is attacked, if it is attacked it SUCKS. No one wants to deal with it, or pay to have it fixed. One of the best things you can do is pay attention to what you do online and avoid giving out your information to people who ask for it.

Embedded Operating System

I don’t think I could live without my Embedded Operating System otherwise known as a smart phone. My Android clings to my side at all time, if I am running, rideing a horse or just sitting in my room. We don't have computers back at home so I stayed up to date with my phone. Reading chapter four I learned than an Embedded Operating System is pretty much a little computer that can make calls. It is made to be compact, efficient and reliable. But the difference between it and a desktop is that the application is linked together into a single executable image. Which basically means unlike a desktop operating system it is only able to run one application at a time. There are several different Embedded Operating Systems which include Android, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, iOS and Pocket PC.


Android is an operating system designed by Google. It is used on more than 20 different devices and allows people to access Google Apps.

Blackberry is a hand held device run by Research In Motion. It is a phone that can connect to the internet, view emails and use Bluetooth devices.

Windows Mobile is an operating system based on Windows Embedded CE. It works on specific smart phones and PDAs. It has all the basic functions of a phone, but can also check emails, browse the internet, watch videos and also record videos.

The iPhone OS is the operating system of the iPhone and iPod touch. It has a touch screen and users can access the web, make calls and email people with just a touch.

I think Embedded Operating Systems are the future, and will probably replace a lot of Desktop Systems. I’m just waiting for a phone that can run more than one application and that doesn’t drop calls all the time. Guess I will have to wait on that. But my phone is my life, and I think a lot of people feel the same way. It allows me to stay connected and up to date.

We were asked to select two areas of interest. I chose “Literature and Arts” along with “Finance”. Both are somewhat related to my major which is Ag Business/Animal Science.

Finance is about money and how you can manage it. When doing the finance exercises we were told to look up three different sites from a list. I chose E*Trade (Because of the baby commercials), LendingTree and Wells Fargo. I learned from all these sites about banking, and good ways to invest your money. I was told to look at the “Ups and downs” of the market, but all I saw where downs. NASDAQ and DOW where both down along with many other stocks.

We were then told to write a paragraph about Apple, Microsoft or other major software companies.

I looked up information about Apple on E*Trade. Though on 9/11/2011 Apple was down by 6.77%, the charts suggest it would be wise to invest in the company as they have a steady stream of profit. The current price for stock is $377.48, which is affordable to the everyday person (Considering it was previously $510). With Apple having a large control over major phone companies and internet providers I would invest if I had the money.

I was surprised when I looked up information on Microsoft. They were only down .48% and a share only cost $28.74. To me this makes me think that the company has a lot of investors which doesn’t make me think that a lot of profit is to be making if someone was to invest money into it. The charts suggest steady growth for Microsoft however in July, they had a major downfall, but bounced back up in August. That doesn’t make me feel secure about investing.

Art and literature are extremely important. They can tell our history which allows us to learn from our mistakes.

We were asked to look up four different literary criticism articles about four different authors and decide which author we liked best. I chose Edgar Allan Poe. Poe was a genius! His stories of murder and mystery will always have a place in my heart. His style of writing and witty underplay keeps things interesting throughout his books. Reading literary criticisms electronically has its ups and downs. I personally like how easy it is to access information about a book on the web. It allows me to get my work done fairly quickly.

The American Quarter Horse Museum is currently hosting an exhibit called "America's Horse in Art". It is just a temporary exhibition which showcases art from all over the United States. The paintings and drawings are from many different artists including Steve Devenyns. All are equine based works of art. Permanent collections in this museum are the history of the Quarter Horse, which shows many pieces used by famous horses such as Dash for Cash, Impressive and Bar Link. The musuem store has many items for sale including shirts with the AQHA logo, coffee cups with equine art on them, and bumper stickers which also have the AQHA logo on them.