Y2k Virus Essay, Research Paper

Y2K Computer Virus:

Catastrophe Waiting to Happen

Back in the 1950 & # 8217 ; s and 1960 & # 8217 ; s, when computing machines were merely imploring to emerge, informations storage infinite was expensive and in short supply. By today & # 8217 ; s criterions even the largest of the mainframe computing machines had undistinguished difficult memory storage abilities. Computer coders adopted a wont of utilizing two figures ( 55, 56, 57, . ) in their scheduling codifications to bespeak the twelvemonth, this is called COBOL. Programmers knew this pattern might do jobs with the informations rolled over to 2000 at the terminal of the century. However, they decided to salvage 1000s of bytes of difficult phonograph record storage infinite in the more complex banking and authorities package bundles. At the clip, the two-digit system was looked at as a originative and necessary method of stretching the limited informations storage infinite on early electronic machines. Early computing machine coders believed the computing machines they installed the two-digit day of the month cryptography in would be wholly disused and replaced in the 1970 & # 8217 ; s or 1980 & # 8217 ; s ; long before the bend of the millenary.

Today, as the twelvemonth 2000 rapidly attacks, 1000s of those early mainframe computing machines utilizing COBOL are still in usage and still integrate the two-digit twelvemonth strategy. The job that arises from the COBOL system in that the computing machines will construe & # 8220 ; 00 & # 8243 ; as the twelvemonth 1900. It is unsure at this point how this will consequence computing machines and other electronic equipment that control our day-to-day lives. No 1 is certain how the twelvemonth 2000 will impact the transportation of informations from computing machine to computing machine. Because of this uncertainness, it is of import that precautional stairss are taken to avoid complete devastation on all graduated tables. & # 8220 ; When we go from 1999 to 2000, two-digit day of the months become equivocal and the possible cause of large problems. & # 8221 ; ( Richards 1 ) Persons, concerns, and the authorities must fix for the Y2K bug before January 1, 2000.

To get down, persons must fix themselves for the possibility of Y2K mayhem. About all American households now own a personal computing machine. They use this computing machine for school, work, and drama. & # 8220 ; A significant per centum of personal computing machines are thought to be vulnerable to the Y2K bug, particularly those that were made before 1997. & # 8221 ; ( Richards 1 ) Y2K will most likely consequence database and spreadsheet files that people have on their personal computing machines. However, computing machines are non the lone electronic devices that will be affected by the Y2K bug. & # 8220 ; Other contraptions could hold jobs besides, particularly those which compute a day of the month if that day of the month or clip is related in any manner to the operation of the machine. & # 8221 ; ( Richards 1 ) Some machines that would be effected in this was by Y2K are VCR & # 8217 ; s, microwaves, and java shapers. Some machines may acknowledge the twelvemonth to be 1900, and therefore might non impact the operation of the machines. Persons must get down now to safeguard themselves from the possible devastation Y2K could convey to their electronic devices. One manner to happen out if a computing machine is Y2K compliant is to put the day of the month to subsequently 1999, when the twelvemonth 2000 axial rotation about, if the computing machine is unaffected, the computing machine is compliant and should be alright. However, if the computing machine shows jobs, it is likely non Y2K compliant and it will necessitate to be fixed or is in demand of a plan update to do the system ready for the twelvemonth 2000. Equally good as jobs with the personal computing machine, persons must fix for many other jobs in the other countries of engineering. & # 8220 ; Possible effects include wrong bank statements, non-functional recognition cards, dead phones, losing societal security cheques, etc & # 8221 ; ( Olmsted 2 ) Y2K readying can travel so far as to hive away 55-gallon membranophones of H2O and at least three months worth of nutrient. & # 8220 ; Prepare for several months without electricity, H2O, or other services. & # 8221 ; ( Olmsted 3 ) & # 8220 ; You might necessitate three months of supplies for & # 8216 ; bivouacing out & # 8217 ; in your ain place: propane range, tapers, shovel to delve a latrine, etc, etc. & # 8221 ; ( Olmsted 2 ) Because of the consequence Y2K may hold on bank histories, some advise to retreat money before the bend of the millenary. & # 8220 ; Store at least several thousand dollars in little measures, more if possible. You need this in little measures in instance the Bankss fail. & # 8221 ; ( Olmsted 3 ) At the really least, one should do certain that he or she has a difficult transcript, printout study of all bank histories and investings. As the twelvemonth 2000 attacks, so does the Y2K bug. Each and every person must fix and safeguard themselves for the possible effects this computing machine bug may convey.

Similarly, concerns must besides be prepared for the jobs that the Y2K could make for their machines. & # 8220 ; The option to turn toing the Year 2000 will be traveling out of business. & # 8221 ; ( Celko 2 ) Businesses depend of computing machines for mundane operations, fundss and legion other databases. As the bend of the new millenary attacks, desolation for concerns may besides be nearing. The Y2K computing machine bug could deprive companies of their full client databases, destructing old ages of work and information assemblage. Corporations must fix for the daze that the Y2K could present. & # 8220 ; The UW-Madison besides began seeing the job several old ages ago when doing academic agendas that reached into the new millenary. It fixed those jobs as they turned up, but merely hired a Year 2000 coordinator last summer. & # 8221 ; ( Carleton/Saemann 1A ) Power and H2O seem to be the points of most concern. Utilities use 100s of computing machine french friess in a huge array of mundane state of affairss. If even one computing machine bit is non Y2K compliant, closure could happen. & # 8220 ; That is why every employee of Madison-based Alliant Utilities will be working on New Year & # 8217 ; s Eve 1999, even after the company spends $ 35 million or more to rectify the twelvemonth 2000 problem. & # 8221 ; ( Armstrong 1 ) The Y2K bug non merely creates internal jobs within concern ; it besides creates jobs functioning clients. Without clients, concern can non last. & # 8220 ; Several recognition card systems have jobs that cause cards entered with a twelvemonth of 00 to be designated as invalid. & # 8221 ; ( Manfully 1 ) Companies must fix a backup program for computing machine jobs. & # 8220 ; Several machines have already started to exhibit the millenary bug. & # 8221 ; ( Manley ) They may non be able to depend on their hard currency registries, recognition card machines and computing machines. Corporations around the universe must besides happen an alternate path to take if their providers and networking capablenesss are shut down by the Y2K bug. & # 8220 ; All of these jobs get compounded by the grade to which most big computing machine systems are networked and interdependent. & # 8221 ; ( Manley ) Companies have to take preventive stairss in order to p

revent Y2k from making jobs non merely within their computing machines, but besides in the computing machines of the concerns they work with. Businesss and corporations must take the precautional stairss of readying to happening a solution to the Y2K computing machine bug before 1000s of dollars and hours of work are lost in technological infinite on January 1, 2000.

Finally, authoritiess that control and order the lives of people throughout the universe could confront arrant catastrophe and loss of information if they do non fix for the Y2K virus. For old ages, people have known that the twelvemonth 2000 is coming, the bend of a new millenary is no surprise. Some divisions of the authorities nevertheless, have non taken the necessary stairss to fix for what the twelvemonth 2000 could convey. & # 8221 ; The latest study card released by the congressional subcommittee supervising the authorities & # 8217 ; s readiness for the twelvemonth 2000 computing machine job has handed out neglecting classs to several of the authorities & # 8217 ; s most of import agencies. & # 8221 ; ( Tzemach 2 ) Unfortunately, instead than seeking to repair the job, some ignore what could go on. & # 8220 ; A bulk of the local authorities functionaries who responded to a recent study do non believe the twelvemonth 2000 job will impact them and are non turn toing it. & # 8221 ; ( Carleton/Saemann 1A ) If proper stairss of readying and turning away are non taken against Y2K authorities systems could close down.

& # 8220 ; Local authoritiess in Dane County provide H2O, pick up waste and regulate traffic. They register electors, despatch ambulances and track revenue enhancement disbursement. They educate kids and employ 1000s of citizens, from snowplow drivers to bibliothecs. To make so, they rely on lifts, facsimile machines, phones, and timers on everything from pumps in metropolis Wellss to security systems. All are run by computers. & # 8221 ; ( Carleton/Saemann 1A )

The job could be big on a local degree, but on a national degree could be tremendous. Thenational authorities is making a few things to forestall this catastrophe. Unfortunately, authorities as a whole is still missing readiness in many sections. & # 8221 ; The sections that lag the furthest include Energy, Defense, Health and Human Services, and State. None, harmonizing to today & # 8217 ; s advancement study is even remotely ready for the following millennium. & # 8221 ; ( Tzamach 2 ) In some sense, deficiency of readying may be a consequence of non desiring to pass money. & # 8220 ; In the United States, functionaries figure it will be $ 2.3 billion to merely repair the federal authorities & # 8217 ; s computing machine systems. & # 8221 ; ( Goodman 4 ) This cost of readying is a little monetary value to pay for what may go on if nil is done to fix. Surprisingly, even national authoritiess around the universe are non prepared for the twelvemonth 2000. & # 8220 ; In what seems to be an alarming development, the study besides indicated that most Asiatic authoritiess, with the exclusion being Malaysia, show low involvement and low consciousness in turn toing the Y2K problem. & # 8221 ; ( Pinaroc 2 ) Lack of cognition of the bug may be the ground some parts of the universe are neglecting to run into the readying criterions. & # 8220 ; Most Asiatic concerns besides reportedly lack in-depth apprehension of the Y2K problem. & # 8221 ; ( Pinaroc 2 ) The clip for repairing this job is now. The authorities must make a standard day of the month format that all package and electronic makers must follow to forestall something like Y2K from go oning or at the really least from declining. & # 8220 ; There is a demand for this consistent attachment to the standard. & # 8221 ; ( Manley 2 ) With the huge sum of information on authorities computing machines it has to get down acquiring saved and backed up now, before it is excessively late. The plans the authorities uses to hive away information are wholly useless without their informations. Current attempts by authorities to battle the Y2K computing machine bug are a losing attempt. Government must stand out in their preventive attempts to end mass devastation by the Y2K bug, through computing machine closures.

In decision, the twelvemonth 2000 is coming and there is nil that anyone can make to halt it. The Y2K computing machine bug may destruct the birth of a new millenary unless preventive steps are taken to halt this bug before it becomes a major job. & # 8220 ; When the digital clock work stoppages 12:01 A.M. on January 1, 2000, at the really least miscellaneous difficult thrusts will observe by crashing. At the really worst, the international economic system will collapse. & # 8221 ; ( Goodman 4 ) The Y2K bug will consequence non merely people with computing machines, it will consequence everyone. Computers have formed a guideline for each and every individual & # 8217 ; s life. If computing machines begin to crash, they will take more than computing machine french friess and fictile castings with them. & # 8220 ; Most electronic devices that make usage of day of the months will hold serious unpredictable problems. & # 8221 ; ( Manley 3 ) Preparation must get down now. When purchasing electronics, make certain they are Y2K compliant, begin salvaging informations, shop money in Bankss that are prepared for the twelvemonth 2000 and do certain normal life will transport on after morning of the new millenary. Now is the clip to fix for the Y2K bug and the twelvemonth 2000, before it is excessively late.

Plants Cited

Armstrong, Douglas. Y2K Year 2000 Doomsday Dissent: Year 2000 Bug Is No Monster

Analysts Foresee Some Computer Crashes, Not Sweeping Disaster. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, p. 1 ( 1998, August 2 )

Carleton, Gwen and Saemann, Karyn. Zero Hour for Computers Millenium Bug Bytes Local Governments. Madison Capitol Times, p.1A ( 1998, June 27 )

Celko, Joe. & # 8220 ; Particular Report: Year 2000: Start Repairing Year 2000 Problem Now! & # 8221 ; Datamation Online. Internet. 1 January, 1996. Available hypertext transfer protocol: //www.datamation.com/PlugIn/issues/1996/jan1/StartFixingYear.htm

Goodman, Ellen. Y2K Fix Eludes Even Our Best Thinkers. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, p. 4 ( 1998, May 31 )

Manley, Stephen. & # 8220 ; Solutions to the Year 2000 Problem & # 8221 ; Online. Internet. 26 July,1998 Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.nyx.net/ smanley/cs3113/millenium.html

Olmsted, Scott. Prepare for the Year 2000 Clang: The Threat To Your Everyday Life. & # 8221 ; Online. Internet. 12 April, 1998. Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.prepare4y2k.com/everyday.htm

Pinaroc, Joel D. & # 8220 ; Asia Lags Behind US & A ; Europe In Y2K Preparation. & # 8221 ; Metropolitan Computer Times. Internet. 4 June, 1998. Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.pacifica.com/headline/asialagsbehinduseuro_1342.shtml

Richards, Bob. Beware: Prepare For Y2K Glitches. Madison Capitol Times, p.1D. ( 1998, October 10 )

Tzemach, Gayle. & # 8220 ; Congressional Report Says Govt. Not Prepared For Year 2000: Government Gets Failing Grade. & # 8221 ; ABC News Online. Internet. 23 November, 1998. Available: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.abcnews.com/sections/us/DailyNews/2000bug981123.html

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