Cylons versus United States

Non of the computers on the Battlestar Galactica are integrated or networked to stop the Cylons from being able to hack into them. This makes a certain amount of sense. To be able to hack a computer you need to interface with it, have a channel of communication. Networking computer adds interfaces to them.

Now we hear about telephone wiretapping on a grand scale. The only way to do something like this is to automate it. Have computers listening i and the flagging calls with certain keywords. An ECHELON type thing. All these computers doing this tapping then need to report to NSA or whoever is behind it, which means it is all networked.

Now were back to the Cylon reference. This provides ample of surface to attack for an enterprising hacker. You need not only worry about what the government might be hearing, but the rest of the world as well.

We also hear discussions in different countries about how ISPs are supposed to add wiretapping APIs to their servers for police use. This is another hacking opportunity served up on an silver platter. Despite what you see in the movies a hacker can't make a computer do something it can't do. He is limited to perverting already exsisting functions to his needs. Adding sensitive abilities like the wiretapping stuff greatly increases the amount of damage a hacker can do.