Editing Cylon computer virus

{{disline|This article discusses the Cylons of the [[Re-imagined Series]] and their cybernetic assaults. The [[Original Series]] [[Cylons (TOS)|version]] of the Cylons do not exhibit this behavior in an aired episode.}}

:''For other uses of the term, see [[Virus]].''

[[File:Cylon virus code.jpg|thumb|Cylon virus code as visually displayed by the GUI of Colonial computer systems {{TRS|Scattered}}.]]

Consistent with their cybernetic nature, the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] use '''viruses''' to infect Colonial [[Computers in the Re-imagined Series|computers]] to force malfunctions that render a Colonial ship vulnerable to attack.

==Cylon War==

The virus infiltration tactic was used greatly in the first [[Cylon War]]. In response, the Colonials began using simpler technologies that were impossible to reprogram or shut down.<ref>This is told to reporters covering the battlestar's scheduled decommissioning by [[Aaron Doral]] in the first scenes aboard ''Galactica'' in the [[Miniseries, Night 1]].</ref> The first [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestars]], to which ''{{RDM|Galactica}}'' belongs to, used computers but didn't network them or tie them to external sensors or communications, preventing a virus from entering ship's systems and minimizing damage to other systems in the event of an infection.<ref>The use of non-networked computers to counter an apocalyptic computer virus is similar to the plotline of [http://traveller.wikia.com/wiki/Virus/TNE Traveller: The New Era] role-playing game.</ref>

Comparatively primitive communications gear and other hardware throughout these ships also reduced or eliminated the ability of the Cylons to hack into or shut down a shipboard function. In the case of total power loss, the Colonials also installed [[sound-powered phone]]s on the original battlestars as a last-ditch communications measure.

==[[Fall of the Twelve Colonies]]==

In the second Cylon War, the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] use a slightly different means of electronic infiltration, after their espionage determined that Colonial use of computer technology has become widespread once again, 40 years after the first war. However, instead of using viruses, backdoors are planted in the [[Command Navigation Program]], the operating system used by the Colonial military, by a [[Caprica-Six|human-looking agent]].

These exploits make it possible to remotely shut down all computers on Colonial warships and fighters, without a possibly lengthy period of time to bypass a computer's defenses.

Because ''Galactica'' continued its "no networks" historical tradition, the Cylons could not overcome the battlestar by electronic subversion, and are forced to directly attack the ship. While ''Galactica''{{'|s}} last [[Viper Mark VII]] squadron (which used the [[CNP]]) is compromised and destroyed, ''Galactica'' has, by happenstance, a squadron of [[Viper Mark II]] fighters in its [[Galactica Museum|museum]], which, as similar to or identical to the Cylon War-era Vipers, are impervious to CNP compromise. The Mark IIs give ''Galactica'' sufficient defenses until it is able to rearm itself at [[Ragnar Anchorage]] {{TRS|Miniseries}}.

In the same relative time, the [[Mercury class battlestar|battlestar]] ''[[Pegasus (RDM)|Pegasus]]'' avoids Cylon computer incursion because most of her critical computer systems were offline while being retrofitted for the CNP by [[Integral Systems Engineering]] contractors. The battlestar [[Fall of the Scorpion Fleet Shipyards|escapes the destruction of her dock]] via a [[blind jump]]. Later, ''Pegasus'' suffers some cyber-attacks after [[Gina Inviere]] alerts other Cylons of the battlestar's imminent attack on a communications array and causes system failures in several computer systems. Despite Inviere's sabotage, ''Pegasus'' survives to fight another day {{TRS|Pegasus|Razor}}.

==Risky Calculations==

[[File:Cylon computer virus attacking firewall.jpg|thumb|A [[w:GUI|GUI]] alert prompt indicating attack on Gaeta's improvised firewalls {{TRS|Scattered}}.]]

Some time later after leaving Colonial space, ''Galactica'' suffers a Cylon virus infection near the legendary planet of {{RDM|Kobol}}. The viral attack occurs after [[CIC]] is forced into doing what Commander [[William Adama]] (at the time, seriously wounded in an assassination attempt) would never normally allow: The temporary networking of several of the battlestar's computers. The temporary network is needed to greatly reduce the computation time needed to find the proper coordinates of the missing civilian [[The Fleet (RDM)|Fleet]], which jumped to a different set of coordinates {{TRS|Scattered}}.

Improvised software firewalls (software barriers that deny unauthorized intrusion) are put in place by Lieutenant [[Felix Gaeta]] in order to slow down the anticipated Cylon cracking attempts, but the protection loses its integrity at the very last moment. After the virus initially shuts down several systems (while, coincidentally, a squad of heavily-armored [[Cylon Centurion]]s board ''Galactica''), the battlestar uses software or other means to purge the virus {{TRS|Valley of Darkness}}.

==The Logic Bomb==

Initially, the crew thought it had eliminated the infection, but when, weeks later, as computer malfunctions and equipment failures begin to surface, Gaeta is ordered to run diagnostics and review the [[Wikipedia:source code|source code]] of programs aboard the ship. Commander Adama orders [[Karl Agathon]] to have  [[Sharon Agathon|Caprica-8]] review a printout of the virus source code. 

Upon reading, Valerii warns that the virus, believed removed weeks before, has returned as a "[[w:logic bomb|logic bomb]]". The virus replicated into other systems on the system, probing and learning control and weaknesses. The logic bomb sends a signal through the battlestar's communications system to alert other Cylons of the compromise, and awaited a Cylon force to activate the bomb.

Once activated, the logic bomb would take over complete control of the ship, probably venting the ship's atmosphere <ref>The logic bomb tests this ability prior to the imminent Cylon attack by venting the atmosphere of the [[firing range]], almost killing {{callsign|Starbuck}}, {{callsign|Lee Adama}} and [[Brendan Costanza]].</ref> to kill its crew, and then training the ship's  [[battery|batteries]] on the civilian ships to complete the Fleet's destruction.

Caprica-Valerii offers her services to eradicate the virus by connecting herself through her [[Cylon data port]] to the Colonial mainframe and communication systems through a fiber optic cable. The battlestar erases its hard drives to eradicate the logic bomb, but is left completely defenseless for a time, save Valerii's efforts.

Valerii isolates, ostensibly reprograms and transmits the virus to an oncoming Cylon fighter force, disabling it and permitting the small [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] defense to [[Great Cylon Turkey Shoot|destroy the Cylon attack forces with impunity]]. 

The battlestar computers are reloaded from uninfected backups created prior to the fall of the Colonies {{TRS|Flight of the Phoenix}}.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:A to Z]]
[[Category:RDM]]
[[Category:Technology]]
[[Category:Technology (RDM)]]
[[Category:Terminology]]
[[Category:Terminology (RDM)]]