The Gazette 1991

GAZETTE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1991

erased, only its entry in the directory is. If that file is over- written it can be accessed by a number of utilities that can recover it. Apparently this is how a number of insider dealings were detected; the data on their computers had not been erased. It is also believed that Colonel Oliver North met his downfall at the hands of the FBI in the same way. In this country a certain tax defaulter is rumoured to have been nabbed by a Revenue Sheriff as a result of using a password wh i ch the Sheriff guessed correctly. A password has to be remembered by the user and usually the user will pick a word which he can easily remember e.g. his wife's christian name, or his dog's name etc. The use of passwords for security Is now almost redundant for external access to mainframes or networks. All a hacker has to do is use the Oxford English Dictionary which

being signed. This system does have great advantages in a network system where someone may occasionally perhaps in an emer- gency, require access to an area where they have not been for a long time. The packages described can monitor illegal attempts at gaining access, and can shut the terminal or computer down if the correct pass- word has not been entered after a certain number of attempts. Having an audit control is the vital element in all these data security systems. This is a record that only the system manager can see, and shows who used what, when, and what was done when they were there. Protection is also available, and needed, for electronic mail. Fre- quently confidential memos are left in mailboxes for days, and are easily accessible. Again, when deleting documents it should be remembered that on some systems the file itself is not

is available on disk, and set up a program to run through every word in it. It apparently takes three days! The simplest method of pro- tection against hacking is to instal a dial-back system. This means that once an attempt is made to connect into the system an automatic device checks the operator's security clearance and then dials them back. This serves two purposes; it establishes the identity of the caller and also where the call was made. If it has been made by the authorised person, such as the engineer/mechanic, access will be given. Finally every firm of solicitors who has data relating to clients stored on disk has an obligation to take reasonable precautions to protect that data. What must be understood is that unsecured data is like an unlocked filing cabinet with a photocopier switched on beside it. •

'Royal College of f Surgeons in Ireland

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AREYOUTHINKINGOFMAKINGAWILL, COVENANT, LEGACYORDONATION? Please consider the ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND The R.C.S.I. was founded in 1784. It conducts an International Undergraduate Medical School for the training and education of Doctors. It also has responsibility for the further education of Surgeons, Radiologists, Anaesthetists, Dentists and Nurses. Many of its students come from Third World Countries, and they return to work there on completion of their studies. Medical Research is also an important element of the College's activities. Cancer, Thromboses, Blindness, Blood Pressure, Mental Handicap and Birth Defects are just some of the human ailments which are presently the subject of detailed research. The College is an independent and pnvate institution which is financed largely through gifts, donations, and endowments. Your assistance would be very much appreciated, and would help to keep the College and Ireland in the forefront of Medical Research and Education. For tax purposes, the R.C.S.I. is regarded by the Revenue Commissioners as a Chanty. Therefore, gifts and donations may qualify the donors for tax relief. For further information about the College's activities, please contact: The Registrar, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.

During 1990 the Irish Kidney Association's Donor Awareness Programme helped 200 people suffering Kidney, Heart and Liver failure to receive a second chance for life. The Irish Kidney Association could not carry this life- saving work without the help of informed caring members of the community - such as the legal profession. Finance received through bequests/donations has enabled not only educational and research programmes but also the purchase of life-saving equipment for hospitals nationwide. The Irish Kidney Association is proud of its record of treating people from all walks of life and from all parts of the country as equal beneficiaries of its services. IRISH KIDNEY ASSOCIATION Donor House, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

Ph: 01-689788/9 Fax:01-683820 Registered in Ireland, No: 66109 Chy No: 6327

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