美国国家公共电台 NPR Microsoft President Urges Nuclear-Like Limits On Cyberweapons

 

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

It's been quite a whirlwind the last few days for Microsoft. That company's operating system, Windows, was the target of a massive cyberattack that took down hundreds of thousands of computers across 150 countries. While it's too soon to say the worst is over - I mean, there could be another wave - the president of the company does have two big takeaways which he shared with NPR's Aarti Shahani.

AARTI SHAHANI, BYLINE¹: One takeaway is sexy, edgy². The other is boring, plain vanilla³, but no less important to Brad Smith the president of Microsoft. Let's start there.

BRAD SMITH: We need to make it as easy as we can for people to patch their systems, and then customers have to apply those patches.

SHAHANI: Patching - that's it. Instead of hitting ignore, ignore when a pop-up on your screen asks you do you want to install a critical update and reboot? You should just do it. Back in March two months ago, Microsoft released the patch that could have prevented the outbreak. But because so many companies didn't apply it, the so-called WannaCry attack spread like cholera⁴. Some victims were using computers that run on Windows XP, a 16-year-old operating system. In digital years, that's old.

SMITH: It's worth remembering that Windows XP not only came out six years before the first iPhone, it came out two months before the very first iPod. And think about how antiquated⁵ that feels to us today.

SHAHANI: Because this attack is so contagious⁶ - it self propagates slithering from computer to computer without any human help - Microsoft decided⁷ it had to build a patch for that antique system, too. Microsoft also found itself giving tech support to one more unusual group, thieves, people who use pirated illegal copies of Windows. Now, Smith does not want to make a habit of that, but...

SMITH: It was the right thing to do for this particular incident.

SHAHANI: The Microsoft president's second takeaway is not about what businesses need to do. It's about what intelligence agencies like the CIA and the NSA need to do.

SMITH: I think a lot has changed just in the last 12 months, and we've seen a huge focus on nation-state hacking⁸ by other countries, including Russia and North Korea.

SHAHANI: According to a New York Times report, North Korea may be behind this recent attack. And according to many security researchers, the attack method was first developed inside the NSA. Criminals got a hold of it and tweaked it. Many countries are racing⁹ to create more cyber weapons. Smith says there's a real risk which we just witnessed that criminals will steal them. He'd like governments to limit the creation of cyber weapons, just like we did for nuclear weapons. Microsoft wants a digital Geneva Convention.

SMITH: Something that would commit governments to do less of hoarding¹⁰ of exploits and vulnerabilities, do more to work with software vendors¹¹ so that we can all keep systems secure.

SHAHANI: Meaning, as he wrote in a blog post this past weekend, agencies like the NSA should have a new requirement to report vulnerabilities they find to software-makers like Microsoft instead of stockpiling or selling or exploiting them.

SMITH: This is not a conversation that has even begun at least with the general public.

STEVE GROBMAN: Microsoft has a very strong position that is an absolute whereas my position is a little bit more balanced.

SHAHANI: Steve Grobman is chief technology officer at McAfee which makes the popular anti-virus software. He says governments should stockpile cyber weapons in some instances. Say we're fighting a war and our military needs to take down a power plant, and there are only two options.

GROBMAN: To drop a bomb on it or to use a cyberattack to temporarily disable it. The cyberattack can in many cases limit the amount of loss of life.

SHAHANI: Clearly, there is a difference of opinion among leaders. Though, he agrees with his colleague over at Microsoft these last few days battling the WannaCry attack have been very long. Aarti Shahani, NPR News, San Francisco.

(SOUNDBITE OF SYNTHETIC EPIPHANY'S "THE CATALYST")

1 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

2 edgy   

adj.不安的；易怒的

参考例句：

• She's been a bit edgy lately,waiting for the exam results.她正在等待考试结果，所以最近有些焦躁不安。
• He was nervous and edgy, still chain-smoking.他紧张不安，还在一根接一根地抽着烟。

3 vanilla   

n.香子兰，香草

参考例句：

• He used to love milk flavoured with vanilla.他过去常爱喝带香草味的牛奶。
• I added a dollop of vanilla ice-cream to the pie.我在馅饼里加了一块香草冰激凌。

4 cholera   

n.霍乱

参考例句：

• The cholera outbreak has been contained.霍乱的发生已被控制住了。
• Cholera spread like wildfire through the camps.霍乱在营地里迅速传播。

5 antiquated   

adj.陈旧的，过时的

参考例句：

• Many factories are so antiquated they are not worth saving.很多工厂过于陈旧落后，已不值得挽救。
• A train of antiquated coaches was waiting for us at the siding.一列陈旧的火车在侧线上等着我们。

6 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 hacking   

n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动

参考例句：

• The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
• We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

9 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

10 hoarding   

n.贮藏；积蓄；临时围墙；囤积v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• After the war, they were shot for hoarding. 战后他们因囤积而被枪决。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Actually he had two unused ones which he was hoarding up. 其实他还藏了两片没有用呢。 来自英汉文学

11 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓