Cylon computer virus: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:08, 15 May 2007

This article discusses the Cylons of the Re-imagined Series and their cybernetic assaults. The Original Series version of the Cylons do not exhibit this behavior in an aired episode.

Consistent with their cybernetic nature, the Cylons use viruses to infect Colonial computers to force malfunctions that render a Colonial ship vulnerable to attack.

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. The first battlestars, to which 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. Comparatively primitive communications gear and other hardware throughout the 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 phones on the original battlestars as a last-ditch communications measure.

In the Second Cylon War, the 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 human-looking agent. These exploits make it possible to remotely shut down all computers on Colonial warships, without a possibly lengthy period of time to bypass a computer's defenses (Miniseries).

Later, Galactica suffers a Cylon virus infection near the legendary planet of Kobol after doing what Commander William Adama (at the time, seriously wounded in an assassination attempt) would never allow: The temporary networking of several of the battlestar's computers to greatly reduce the computation time needed to find the proper coordinates of the missing civilian Fleet, which jumped to a different set of coordinates (Scattered). Improvised software firewalls (software barriers that deny unauthorized intrusion) are put in place by Lieutenant Gaeta in order to slow down a Cylon hacking attack, 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 Centurions board Galactica), the battlestar uses software or other means to purge the virus (Valley of Darkness).

The purge appears successful until, weeks later, when the virus returns, this time as a heuristic infection that formed itself as a "logic bomb", threatening to deny control of the battlestar to its human crew and likely forcing the battlestar's guns on the civilian Fleet and activating the damage control systems to open vents to asphyxiate the crew. The virus is finally removed for good by wiping the hard drives of all computers and restoring them from backups made prior to the Cylon attack (Flight of the Phoenix).

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-Consistent with their cybernetic nature, the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] used '''viruses''' to infect Colonial computers to force malfunctions that would render a Colonial ship vulnerable to attack.
+Consistent with their cybernetic nature, the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] use '''viruses''' to infect Colonial computers to force malfunctions that render a Colonial ship vulnerable to attack.
-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. The first [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestars]], of which ''[[Galactica]]'' is a member, 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. Comparatively primitive communications gear and other hardware throughout the 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 in the original battlestars as a last-ditch communications measure.
+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. The first [[Galactica type battlestar|battlestars]], to which ''[[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. Comparatively primitive communications gear and other hardware throughout the 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.
-In the [[Second Cylon War]], the [[Cylons (RDM)|Cylons]] return to their tactic of infiltration after their espionage determined that Colonial use of computer technology has become widespread once again, 40 years after the first war.
+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 [[Number Six|human-looking agent]]. These exploits make it possible to remotely shut down all computers on Colonial warships, without a possibly lengthy period of time to bypass a computer's defenses ([[Miniseries]]).
-While the Colonial computers are likely resistant to viral infection because they could not be cracked from the outside, the Cylons used a human-form [[Number Six|agent]] to plant [[backdoor]]s in the [[Command Navigation Program]] used by almost all Colonial military vessels. With this alternate access path into the operating system, the attacking Cylon fleet could send commands or viruses to the CNP to shut down or disable key elements of itself or ship systems. In a sense, instead of trying to break down the Colonials' "door" with a thug (a virus), the Cylons simply changed the door's locks so they could enter by an easier path.
-The compromised CNP permits the easy destruction of Colonial defenses and slaughter of countless billions of Colonial citizens living on the [[The Twelve Colonies (RDM)|Twelve Colonies]].
-Despite the efforts of decommissioning ''Galactica'' and converting it into a museum, the battlestar is still able to withstand this tactic as this new Cylon war begins. While her last squadron of [[Viper (RDM)|Viper]] Mark VIIs are infected and destroyed early in the initial attack, a [[Galactica Museum|squadron of Mark IIs]] aboard are deployed. Like their carrier ship, these old-era Vipers were also designed to ward off a Cylon infection or backdoor exploits by using relatively primitive or analog technology, and are thus resistant to Cylon computer attacks ([[Miniseries]]).
 Later, ''Galactica'' suffers a Cylon virus infection near the legendary planet of [[Kobol (RDM)|Kobol]] after doing what Commander [[William Adama]] (at the time, seriously wounded in an assassination attempt) would never allow: The temporary networking of several of the battlestar's computers 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 ([[Scattered]]). Improvised software firewalls (software barriers that deny unauthorized intrusion) are put in place by Lieutenant Gaeta in order to slow down a Cylon hacking attack, 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 ([[Valley of Darkness]]).
-All appeared successful with the purge until weeks later when the virus returns, this time as a heuristic infection that formed itself as a "[[logic bomb]]", threatening to deny control of the battlestar to its human crew and likely forcing the battlestar's guns on the civilian Fleet and activating the [[Computers#DC Computer|damage control systems]] to open vents to asphyxiate the crew. The virus is finally removed for good by wiping the hard drives of all computers and restoring them from backups made prior to the Cylon attack ([[Flight of the Phoenix]]).
+The purge appears successful until, weeks later, when the virus returns, this time as a heuristic infection that formed itself as a "[[logic bomb]]", threatening to deny control of the battlestar to its human crew and likely forcing the battlestar's guns on the civilian Fleet and activating the [[Computers#DC Computer|damage control systems]] to open vents to asphyxiate the crew. The virus is finally removed for good by wiping the hard drives of all computers and restoring them from backups made prior to the Cylon attack ([[Flight of the Phoenix]]).
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