大学体验英语第二册Unit8-Passage A

You Are the Weakest Link, Goodbye
Do you remember the good old days? Innocent times spent sharing documents and executable files without a care in the world. Okay, every month or so you might encounter a boot sector¹ virus - but they were easy to deal with even if the anti-virus software didn't pick them up. 　

　But those long lazy summers disappeared too fast. Macro viruses made Information Technology (IT) administrators² grow up fast as they realized there was a type of virus which could spread very quickly throughout an organization. It wasn't unusual to find hundreds of computers within personal company infected by viruses transmitted via email attachments³. The IT staff were amongst the fittest departments in your company, running from Personal Computer (PC) to the next cleaning them up. 　
　There had to be a better way. Companies now realize that viruses aren't "urban myths", and can have a serious impact on their operations. They invest in anti-virus software on the desktops⁴, servers and email gateways⁵ and even put in place procedures to ensure their anti-virus is up-to-date with the very latest detection routines. 　

　It sounds like companies have put in place adequate defenses to protect against viruses. But have they?　

　Anti-virus software detects most of the viruses your users are likely to encounter - often without the user even knowing. However, the software must be updated regularly, preferably daily in any large company. Even then, a very new virus can infect your users. With the rapid transmission of files through networks and the Internet, a virus can spread a considerable distance before it can be identified and protected against. Fortunately, only a few viruses ever do this but the likes of Melissa and the Love Bug⁷ can inflict⁸ serious damage before their progress is stopped. Whilst employees become suddenly aware during the ensuing media excitement, they soon forget about the virus threat as the stories disappear from the news headlines.　

　This is the danger. Complacency can set in when there is no perceived "action" on the virus front with no global crisis, and the importance of being vigilant⁹ about viruses recedes¹⁰ in your users' minds. They forget what the big deal was in the first place - after all, the anti-virus software deals with the viruses, doesn't it? And isn't it the IT department's job to look after this sort of thing? 　

　Before you know it your users are opening unsolicited attachments once more, downloading unauthorized software, and putting your company's data and credibility at risk. All because the users think that they are working in a safe environment. Employees see anti-virus software, firewalls and IT departments as guarantees that their computers will work and will be safe. Of course, there aren't any guarantees. Anti-virus software plays one, albeit¹¹ important, part in the defense⁶ of your company from malicious¹² attack but the security of your computer system is only as strong as the weakest link. And that, more often than not, is the human factor. 　

　No employer wants to come across as a killjoy or an ogre. Most will willingly accept that the happiest employees are those who feel that they are respected and trusted by their employer. Many companies accept that employees will send and receive a certain amount of personal email and make the odd personal telephone call. 　

　However, the worry comes when employees start risking company security in pursuit of personal amusement. Funny screensavers and games downloaded from the Internet can seem harmless enough but they could easily be harboring a dangerous virus. 　

?Software downloaded from the net is often unlicensed and unsupported, and may cause conflicts with existing software in use at your company. Unlicensed, pirated software is an ideal vector for a computer virus. Virus writers and hackers¹³ often use such software as the ideal "kick-start" for their virus distribution.　

?It is vitally important that employees be educated about the virus threat but this cannot be a one-off event. The potential threat should always be in the back of an employee's mind and precautionary measures should be taken as a matter of course. There is no harm in reminding people about what could happen if they let their guard down. In the end, education is the key to a virus-free environment and this is a continual process. It may not be the most exciting thing on the agenda but it works. 　

　The lesson is simple. You can have the best software in the world protecting your company's defenses; you can even be the biggest IT company in the world; but without your users practicing safe computing¹⁴ they will always be the weakest link.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

3 attachments   

n.（用电子邮件发送的）附件( attachment的名词复数 )；附着；连接；附属物

参考例句：

• The vacuum cleaner has four different attachments. 吸尘器有四个不同的附件。
• It's an electric drill with a range of different attachments. 这是一个带有各种配件的电钻。

4 desktops   

桌面( desktop的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• You switch between these virtual desktops by clicking on the one you want to make active. 只需单击你所希望激活的桌面就可以在这些虚拟桌面之间进行切换。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Laptops outsell desktops for the first time in the United States. 膝上型电脑首次在美国销售量胜过桌上型电脑。

5 gateways   

n.网关( gateway的名词复数 )；门径；方法；大门口

参考例句：

• Police bullets raked the gateways car. 警察的子弹对着门口的汽车扫射。 来自辞典例句
• No Internet gateways are needed for the programs operation. 该软件的操作不需要互联网网关的支持。 来自互联网

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 bug   

n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器

参考例句：

• There is a bug in the system.系统出了故障。
• The bird caught a bug on the fly.那鸟在飞行中捉住了一只昆虫。

8 inflict   

vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担

参考例句：

• Don't inflict your ideas on me.不要把你的想法强加于我。
• Don't inflict damage on any person.不要伤害任何人。

9 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

10 recedes   

v.逐渐远离( recede的第三人称单数 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题

参考例句：

• For this reason the near point gradually recedes as one grows older. 由于这个原因，随着人渐渐变老，近点便逐渐后退。 来自辞典例句
• Silent, mournful, abandoned, broken, Czechoslovakia recedes into the darkness. 缄默的、悲哀的、被抛弃的、支离破碎的捷克斯洛伐克，已在黑暗之中。 来自辞典例句

11 albeit   

conj.即使；纵使；虽然

参考例句：

• Albeit fictional,she seemed to have resolved the problem.虽然是虚构的，但是在她看来好象是解决了问题。
• Albeit he has failed twice,he is not discouraged.虽然失败了两次，但他并没有气馁。

12 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

13 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

14 computing   

n.计算

参考例句：

• to work in computing 从事信息处理
• Back in the dark ages of computing, in about 1980, they started a software company. 早在计算机尚未普及的时代（约1980年），他们就创办了软件公司。