Insecure computer systems...

[Sanehouse]

You know, of all the ships in Trek that I have seen, the Galaxy-Class must be the most insecure one. I mean, quite often, command functions get locked and the crew get locked out of the system. I understand that Data could do it (when he was summoned to Noonien), but he's not the only one. Hell, even a holographic fictional character from a time when there wasn't even electricity can do it!

[stitch626]

I believe this is reason #12 for why Rochey hates the GCS.

Yes, for some reason, the poor Galaxy Class Starship has the worst track record for many things; computer security is one of them.

[Sionnach Glic]

I believe this is reason #12 for why Rochey hates the GCS.

Ah, so that's where that list got to.

Yeah, the GCS has some serious problems with computer security. It's possible to take over pretty much the entire ship from random computers scattered across the ship, there's nothing preventing viruses from moving around the ship with impunity, there seems to be few if any security codes given that the Ferengi were able to sieze control of the ship pretty much immediately, there's a lock of isolation between the different computers, and they're all made out of C4.
Did I miss anything?

[Tsukiyumi]

...Did I miss anything?

The pastel interfaces were rather tacky.

[Reliant121]

...Did I miss anything?

The pastel interfaces were rather tacky.

See, not only do the computers fail at being safe computers, they fail at being aesthetically failing computers! Its a failure!

wait...what?

[USSEnterprise]

See, not only do the computers fail at being safe computers, they fail at being aesthetically failing computers! Its a failure!

wait...what?

Sounds like Windows Vista...

[Coalition]

Well, their enemy computers are no less secure. Try Nemesis, where Data just kept on guessing passwords to the fighter bay until it let them in. Even Windows has a three strikes rule.

As to computer security (or lack of it) I present these finds from SDN's Star Trek database (looking up "Computers and Androids", then security):

TNG:
"Coming of Age" - a kid is able to get access to a secured area with his own ID. Who gives everyone on the ship full access to everything?

"Elementary Dear Data" - how did Geordi's access override Picard's? If Geordi is responsible for maintaining the computer I can understand administrator access, but playing holodeck games under administrator access is irresponsible.

"Sins of the Father" - Geordie gets full read access to the Klingon network (not sure about edit/delete access)

"Brothers" - Even though Picard is detected in Engineering, the computer still only accepts orders from Picard from the bridge (due to Data mimicking his voice).

"Unification pt 2" - Romulan computer security means that if you know how the cipher is made, you will be able to crack it (compared to today, where a properly designed one cannot be cracked even if you have the complete manual and the programmers on your side)

"Unification pt 2" - Data piggyacked a signal into the Romulan computer systems to communicate (one would think that the paranoid Romulans would have some sort of alert raised at a strange signal being generated around their Homeworld, going right into their main computers)

"A Matter of Time" - Federation technology can be remote deactivated. Given Federation computer security, this should make people sit up in a sweat.

"Pre-Emptive Strike" - Ro knows the security algorithms, so after she accesses the protocol subsystem she should be able to figure out the codes. I'd like to know how you manage to access the subsystem without correct codes. It is like in video games, where the key to get to the next level is sitting in the open, outside the level.

DS9:
"The Passenger" - a computer tap on a temperature control panel (a fancy thermostat) is able to access all the computer memory (instead of requiring specific security levels before even considering access). That's like letting your 3-year old who like flashy images and pictures have administrator access to a Defense Department computer.

"The Forsaken" - The Cardassians left the main computer behind (instead of tearing it out and melting it down, then dumping the remains in the sun), and the Federation decided to leave it in (where leftover programs can still cause problems). Both of these are obvious security flaws.

Voyager:
"The Raven" - how did 7 of 9 manage to get computer access in the first place, let alone enough access to override command orders from the bridge? If the system is designed properly, it would note bad input requests from 7 of 9's location (as she tries to hack in) and simply stop accepting requests from that location, shunting all commands to be deleted.

"The Raven" - transporter operations can be accessed from anywhere, by anyone.


Can you imagine what a 20th century hacker could do in the Federation? The mildest sneaky stunt would be changing crew manifests and orders, so they are the only guy on a ship with 400-500 people, and on extended mapping missions (aka long boring missions with no other form of entertainment).

The worse ones (who wanted to protect the Federation) would simply sail near some of the other empires, upload viral programs into a few dozen/hundred of their ships, take control, beam out the crews, and sell the ships to the Ferengi.

[Captain Seafort]

Can you imagine what a 20th century hacker could do in the Federation?

This.

Whether that scene's the product of someone doing some research and deciding to demonstrate what a proficient hacker could do to the Feds I'm not sure (and doubt it, given that it's Voyager) but it provides an excellent example nonetheless.

[Tsukiyumi]

Good example.

Thanks for posting that link, Seafort; I hadn't seen that episode in years.

[shran]

People are forgetting the voice recognition failure at Voyager, where neelix can use someone elses clearance, stating it, and thus accessing a console e should not have access to.

I believe it was in the episode with Michael Jonas.

[Captain Picard's Hair]

Yeah, this is one area where ignoring common sense in the name of the plot gets Trek in heaps of trouble. We know you're there to tell a story, but damn if you could have just gotten your head out of the sand every once in a while to think about what you're writing?

What about 11001001 (bonus points if you could remember that name without looking up the, er, spelling(?) - I couldn't). Granted in that case that at least the culprits were Starfleet computer specialists, but they still took over the entire starship with two people.

[stitch626]

I let that slide, given that they were doing computer maintenance, it would make sense for them to have full access.

[Mikey]

Add to all of the above the fact the Feds used a computer that could evolve a certain degree of sentience and thus endanger the entire crew, not to mention whatever mission they were conducting.

[Sionnach Glic]

Hell, the computer nearly killed them due to a vaguely phrased statement in Elementary, My Dear Data.

[LaughingCheese]

Microsoft is the only surviving OS developer in the 24th century.

They grew to big to forced out of the market when Earth went to a cashless based society.