Auditing Information Systems, Second Edition

16.1. NEW TECHNOLOGIES

In 1998, when the first edition of this book was published, the broadband Internetin- the-Sky network of over 840 satellites envisioned by the Teledesic LLC of Bellevue, Washington, seemed a certainty. But by mid-2002, according to their website (www.teledesic.com), the concept called for a total of only 30 satellites, with an initial launch of 12. Service is slated to begin in 2005. The reduced number of satellites is undoubtedly due in part to the economic downturn, the dot-com bust, and subsequent lack of additional venture capital. It remains to be seen whether primary investors such as Bill Gates, Craig McCaw, and the Boeing Corporation will be successful with their $9 billion–plus investment and whether it will ever reach its originally planned constellation of interlinked medium-Earth orbit, low-cost satellites that can provide true global access to a broad range of telecommunications services such as computer networking, broadband Internet access, interactive multimedia and high-quality voice. If successful, this technology will present some interesting risks, including eavesdropping or intentional disruption of the data transmitted throughout the network. It also seems possible that hackers could wrest control of the satellites and alter or terminate their orbits.

A simpler technology holds more immediate promise. Microsoft is researching password technology whereby users click on a number of points within a screen of images. The points correspond ...