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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!princeton!tilt!kyrimis
From: kyrimis@tilt.FUN (Kriton Kyrimis)
Newsgroups: net.startrek
Subject: Re: Prefix numbers, or how to destroy a federation starship
Message-ID: <301@tilt.FUN>
Date: Fri, 31-May-85 03:24:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: tilt.301
Posted: Fri May 31 03:24:55 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Jun-85 00:42:34 EDT
References: <297@tilt.FUN> <342@moncol.UUCP> <299@tilt.FUN> <300@tilt.FUN>
Organization: Princeton University EECS Dept
Lines: 15

> Regarding prefix numbers.  They are a security risk only if you're
> stupid enough to let your ship's computer listen and respond to
> incoming transmissions.  Presumably, there's some sort of "worm-filter"
> or "listen-only" computer mode that high-ranking officers would know
> how to turn on if they suspected that someone was about to use prefix
> numbers to hose over their ship.
> 
This would beat the whole purpose of prefix numbers. Prefix numbers are
supposed to be used to take command from an unwilling captain. Can you
imagine Khan saying to Kirk, "Ok, Kirk old friend, I've switched off from
listen-only mode, so you can lower my shields and blow my ship to
kingdom come"?
-- 

	Kriton	(princeton!tilt!kyrimis)