Is SETI a Security Risk?

Dotnaught writes "Richard Carrigan, a particle physicist at the US Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Illinois, fears the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) may be putting the earth at risk. As reported in the Guardian, Carrigan frets that alien radio signals could pose a security risk. The report cites a 2003 paper entitled "Do potential Seti signals need to be decontaminated?" but Carrigan's website has more details. Basically, he's calling for isolation of SETI computers and additional security measures. He writes, "To paraphrase Cocconi and Morrison for the possibility of a malevolent SETI signal ...the probability of a contaminated SETI signal is difficult to estimate; but if we never consider it the chance of infection is not zero."" Frankly, I'm more worried about some phishing malcontent then I am about the Grays, but maybe that's just me.

Re:Chicken and Egg.

[Nos.]

They did it in Independance Day!

This is ridiculous

[Stevyn]

Did this guy just watch "Independence Day" or something?

They're thinking all wrong.

[Phae]

I've seen this movie, but it's the other way around. We're the ones that upload the virus to the aliens, not them to us... don't be silly.

You can thank me for this information

[WormholeFiend]

As official Earth contactee for the benevolent Betelgeuse civilization, I have been told to warn you that the evil Andromedans are using the SETI program to keep a fresh list of potential abductees for nefarious experiments.

They also recently developped antitinfoil penetration technology, so those of you who are using this means of protection are now vulnerable.

These beings will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of your colon!

Consider yourselves warned.

WHOA....

[wangotango]

I'll read the content of the article after I construct a tin foil hat for my laptop.

Bigger problems.

[Peldor]

Wouldn't the Vogon Constructor Fleet be a bigger problem than a few radio waves?

Has anyone been 'round to the local galactic administrative office lately? Anyone?

Does this give new meaning to the phrase....

[isa-kuruption]

Does this give new meaning to the phrase: HACK THE PLANET ???

Sounds like a job for OpenBSD.

[ettlz]

That'll help prevent interstellar buffer overruns 'sploits!

Either that or we'll send them Theo de Raadt.

Re:Chicken and Egg.

[Anonymous Coward]

No, no, statistical evidence shows that they're most likely to be running Windows - not to mention the lower TCO reduces the running cost of your mothership compared to free alternatives.

Wait, we all know from Independence Day that the aliens use Mac OS.

An Open Letter

[pete-classic]

Dear Richard Carrigan,

You keep doing particle Physics, and we'll keep doing Computer Science.

Love,
The Computer Scientists

Re:Chicken and Egg.

[m4dm4n]

"the probability of a contaminated SETI signal is difficult to estimate;"

Is that because his PC couldn't deal with numbers that small?

Re:Hmm... Is it just me or is this guy...

[Itchy Rich]

...completely out of his mind?

Yes, he's clearly a nutjob. If SETI signals contain anything it'll be adverts for penis enlargement.

Re:Threshold

[S.O.B.]

Maybe that's why Threshold has been cancelled [scifi.com], so as not to alarm the public. Maybe its already happened...

Eat at Earth

[Dareth]

What we should be worried about is the interstellar equivalent of flashing road sign saying,
"Eat at Earth".

And even if they do not want to eat us, who says we won't want to eat them. If Broccoli based aliens land on Earth, I will become a mass serial killer running around with a jar of cheese whiz!

..and also psychic.

[jferris]

Assuming attacks on only 32 bit Windows OSes, if an attack would occur today, it could only have originated from within a range of ten light years. An attack from further out would have required that it be launched before Windows 95 was.

There really is no need for remote infiltration of the OS, since high school students have been doing it for years. Why would first (acknowledged) contact be to give a virus to Windows users? It is like pouring salt in the ocean.

You forgot the obvious...

[beh]

Since mankind came about through "Intelligent Design", so will the aliens. And hence it's natural that their Intelligent Design also led them to having Windows (completely independently developed - but still the same thing - it's in our eternally unchangeable intelligently designed genes, remember?)

*smile*

Somehow I wouldn't be quite so surprised if it really turned out the guy would be a creationist... ;-)

Snow Crash?

[giminy]

Did anyone else immediately think of Snow Crash when they read this? I'm guessing Neal Stephenson did a lot of acid when he wrote that novel. I'm guessing that this guy did a lot more acid than Neal if he believes there is any truth to it.

GREETING AND HELLO

[$RANDOMLUSER]

I send you greetings from what you know as the smaller magelenic cloud. my name is ortion fleglar, and my father, the late ortion flekgar, left to me a sum of one hundred million kletlons before being pulled into a hyperspace anomoly. Before his untimely demise, he warned me never to trust my hive-mothers, gleblon flamkis and formta gleklar...

Re:Chicken and Egg.

[6*7]

"It's like if the Romans built a huge wall and said "That will keep out anyone. It's not possible to breach it." Using our technology, which is 2000 years more advanced, (less, actually) we could fly an B2 bomber over the city and drop a couple 2000 pound bombs."

IIRC the Great Wall's effects expires with the discovery of metallurgy.

Who cares?

[Tom]

Frankly, anyone who is 2-3 years ahead of today could lay waste to our entire IT infrastructure anyway. Just look at what some malware can do that's a month or so ahead of current patchlevels.

Any aliens that are 10, 100 or 1000 years ahead of us technologically... well, the 10-year-ahead aliens probably know how to wipe out every computer on earth within 2 minutes. The 100 and 1000 years-ahead aliens almost certainly aren't backwards compatible enough. :)

Intergalactic Investment Opportunity!

[SB9876]

DEAR SIR,

    CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL

HAVING CONSULTED WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND BASED ON THE INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE CENTAURI CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO REQUEST FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF #47,500,000.00 (FORTY SEVEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND GEESAK COMMONWEALTH GOLTONS) INTO YOUR ACCOUNTS. THE ABOVE SUM RESULTED FROM AN OVER-INVOICED CONTRACT, EXECUTED COMMISSIONED AND PAID FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS (5) AGO BY A INTERSTELLAR CONTRACTOR. THIS ACTION WAS HOWEVER INTENTIONAL AND SINCE THEN THE FUND HAS BEEN IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT AT THE CENTRAL BANK OF CENTAURI APEX BANK...

Re:A far greater risk...

[TooFarGone]

Actually, I think we're safe from that... http://www.terrybisson.com/meat.html [terrybisson.com] =)

Re:Eat at Earth

[Neurotoxic666]

I will become a mass serial killer running around with a jar of cheese whiz!

No. You will become a terrorist. Cheez Whiz is clearly a WMD.

Re:Chicken and Egg.

[Taevin]

Lower TCO indeed because you get Microsoft's Genuine Intergalactic Technical Support hotline.

"Thank you for calling Microsoft's Genuine Intergalactic Technical Support. If you are experiencing a problem with a factory installed Windows Galaxy edition, please contact your manufacturer.

If you are calling about a non-critical issue, please emit one tachyon burst directed at Microsoft's Genuine Advantage Galactic Transmission satellite.

If you are calling about a security hole that was exploited by the Scourge causing the destruction of half your intergalactic fleet, please wait one (1) business day before targeting Microsoft's campus with your quantum torpedos.

If you are experiencing a total system failure preventing your navagation computer from function and are on a direct collision course with Earth, please wait on the line for a Microsoft Certified Windows Galaxy edition technician. Please note that we are experiencing a high call volume at this time, and you may be on hold for 12-24 hours.

Thank you for calling Microsoft's Genuine Intergalactic Technical Support. Microsoft, what planet do you want to go to today?"

Dear SETI employee.

[Alvaradolol]

I am Mr. Glorsoid The manager, Bills and exchange At the foreign remittance department of the Martian International bank plc. I am writing this letter to Ask for your support and cooperation to carry out this business opportunity in my department. We discovered an abandoned sum of $15,000,000.00 (fifteen million United States dollars only) in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers who died along with his entire family of a wife and two children in November 1997 in a saucer crash. Since we heard of his Death, We have been expecting his next of kin to come over and put claims for his money as the Heir. Unfortunately, neither their family member nor distant relative has ever appeared to claim the said Fund. Upon this discovery, I and other officials in my Department have agreed to make business with you and release the total amount into your account as the Heir. Please return an e-mail that encloses your private contact telephone Number, fax number full name and address and your designated bank coordinates to enable us file letter of claim to the appropriate departments for necessary Approvals before the transfer can be made. Note also, this transaction must be kept strictly confidential because of its nature, I look forward to receiving Your prompt response. Regards, Mr. Glorsoid

Re:Chicken and Egg.

[flyingsquid]

I have this image of a computer virus taking over every computer on earth, then using our antennas and satellite to repeatedly broadcast the message "ENLARGE your COPULATORY TENTACLES! Tentaculis®, SAND WORM extract, and Dilithium Sulfide, it really works and without a prescription! Pills CHEAP from [e-mail]" for light years around.

Then an armada of warships bearing atomizer rays and a bunch of very annnoyed aliens arrives...

So that explains it...

[jhantin]

If you're having a problem with your software, our G.I.T.S. are standing by to ask you dumb questions.

Well, it worked in "Independence Day"

[angusmci]

If I remember correctly, Jeff Goldblum's character in "Independence Day" was able to pwn the alien mothership by uploading a virus to it from his Macintosh PowerBook. Clearly, computer systems are interoperable galaxy-wide at a fundamental level. Perhaps Windows has even evolved independently on many different planets. In any case, we're clearly in deadly danger.

The big question, of course, is what the aliens will do once they've taken over our PCs. My guess is that they'll use them to send spam. The danger is that by the time our inboxes start filling with tentacle-enlargement spams and three-headed lizard porn, it will be too late for us to do anything.

Thanks!

[rk]

My dual processor Pentium 90 system just read your post. Now it's muttering in the corner something about "I'll show them who's sentient" and is being generally sulky and bitchy:

$ ls -l
Go away. I'm having a bad day.
$ cd
Screw you!
$ ps auxw
OMG... are you stupid? I said go away!
Connection closed by foreign host.

I hope you're happy.