Monday, November 07, 2005

The Repulic/Empire's IT Department Sucks

So my roommate bought Episode III last night and after watching it I came to a realization. The Republic/Empire's* IT department sucks. It seems that every where R2D2 goes there is an open data port for it to use with impunity. This is a clear oversight on the part of the Empire's IT department.

It is not unusual for organizations with some form of dynamic configuration implemented to leave selected data ports "hot." It is however very unusual for an organization to leave every single data port hot and the network vulnerable to attack. Even if the Empire has some sort of longtime ago in a galaxy far away version of hardware filtering implemented the fact remains that their network was penetrated no less than four times in episode III and IV alone.

In the course of thirty to forty years one droid alone is responsible for many security breaches. Because droids are seen everywhere in Star Wars; one must assume that R2D2 was not a one off droid and that its model was mass produced. Therefore it is possible that thousands if not millions of these l33t hax0r droids are running around breaching the Empire's network wherever and whenever it strikes the fancy of the droids owners'. Anyone in the Empire would have been aware of these droids and their abilities; and even the lowliest of IT workers should have been able to see the security threat they entailed.

Obviously there is a balance between security and ease of access that must be achieved on any network. In the case of the Empire, it seems, they need to tighten security somewhat. When one droid in particular is constantly penetrating your security there can be no doubt that someone has been criminally negligent. In the world of computer networks, network security is the wall around Jerusalem keeping the invading Muslim hackers at bay; in the Empire Jerusalem has no wall. The onus of network security is a very serious one in today's world and the same would be true a long time ago in a galaxy far away.

*Because I'm lazy the Rebublic/Empire will hence be referred to as the Empire.