The government's new cyber-security officials yesterday asked telecommunications companies for help in building a government computer network that would have “no risk of outside penetration”—a task some computer security consultants say is nearly impossible. Plans for the private network, called Govnet, hinge on whether a reliable network infrastructure can be built at an affordable price, officials said. Computer system consultants said they could not estimate how much the network would cost because of the government's enormous size and security needs. Richard Clarke, who was appointed special adviser to the president for cyberspace security this week, said he believes a more reliable system can be built. Ninety percent of available fiber-optic space is unused and fairly inexpensive to obtain, he said.
Govnet is part of a plan Clarke announced earlier this week “to secure our cyberspace from a range of possible threats, from hackers to criminals to terrorist groups, to foreign nations, which might use cyber-war against us in the future”. Govnet would be completely independent from the Internet to help keep out hackers and viruses, according to the government's plan. The request from the General Services Administration asks that telecommunications companies submit proposals about how the network could be built, how much it would cost, and how long it would take to construct.
This year, the current network has been breached by hackers, computer worms and viruses. The system was also roughed up by the “Code Red” computer worm and an attack program called “I LoveYou”. The viruses affected thousands of government computers. Last year a report by the General Accounting Office, an internal government watchdog, found weaknesses in the computer network that could allow terrorists or hackers to “severely damage or disrupt national defense or vital public operations or steal sensitive data”. Clarke said the government's current v
irtual private network is vulnerable to viruses and denial of service attacks that Govnet would make more difficult to execute.
An internal network, such as the Govnet proposal, is worth investigating but will probably fall to sophisticated hackers, said Amit Yoran, chief executive of the security-services company Riptech Inc. and a former information-security program director at the Defense Department. “It is probably more feasible to implement and strongly enforce global security postures and practices rather than go out and purchase new assets,” Yoran said. “Once someone is able to get in, they will find a weak link. When you have a network the size of the government's there will be weak links. Someone will get in.”
1. What is the Govnet?
［A］ A reliable network infrastructure that can be built at an affordable price.
［B］ A government computer network that may prove immune to penetration.
［C］ A national security system to be developed by the government.
［D］ A private national security system to be developed against outside invasion.
2. It is implied that some computer consultants consider Govnet to be almost impossible because .
［A］ it will entail considerable cost
［B］ there isn't a reliable network infrastructure yet
［C］ it will be difficult for Govnet to fit into the Internet
［D］ no telecommunications company can afford it
3. How will Govnet achieve its intended goal of enhancing the security of the government network?
［A］ By stepping up its virus-killing software.
［B］ By scanning for viruses and attacks constantly.
［C］ By secluding itself from the Internet.
［D］ By establishing an internal watchdog committee.
4. What Amit Yoran said amounts to denying .
［A］ the feasibility of building a security program
［B］ the efficiency of the present network in countering outside attacks
［C］ the conceived security of Govnet
［D］ the possibility of enhancing the security of the government network
5. The initiative for constructing an internal network stems from .
［A］ the vulnerability of the present network to outside attacks
［B］ the improvement in network security technology
［C］ the desire to build a stronger national defense system
［D］ the proposals submitted by telecommunications companies
1. cyber ［前缀］电脑的，网络的
2. telecommunicationsn. 通讯，通信
3. penetration n. 穿透，渗透；深刻
4. consultant n. 顾问，咨询者
5. hinge on 依靠，以……为转移
6. infrastructure n. 基础设施
7. hacker n. 电脑黑客
8. virus n. 病毒
9. administration n. 管理；实施；政府(管理部门)
10. submit vt. 提交，呈交；顺从，服从
11. proposal n. 提议，建议
12. worm n. 虫，蠕虫
13. accounting n. 会计
14. internala. 内部的；国内的
15. terrorist n. 恐怖分子
16. severely ad. 严重地
17. disrupt vt. 使中断，使瓦解，使混乱
18. vital a. 要害的，至关重要的
19. virtual a. 虚拟的；实际上的
20. vulnerablea. 易受伤害的，易受攻击的
21. executevt. 执行，实行；完成；处死
22. sophisticateda. 富有经验的，老练的；复杂的，先进的
23. feasiblea. 可行的，可能的
24. implement vt. 贯彻，实行，执行
25. enforce vt. 实行，实施；强制；强调
26. asset n. 财产，资产；财富
其他词汇
1. affordable 支付得起的，可支付的2. fiber optic 光纤
3. breach 打破，突破；违背4. rough up 粗暴对待，殴打
5. watchdog 监察者6. posture 姿势，姿态；状态
疑难长句注解
Clarke said the government's … execute.(第三段)
virtual指“虚拟的”，也即“计算机网络的”。denial of service指(网络)停止工作或瘫痪。
译文
政府负责网络安全的新官员昨天要求通信公司帮助建立一个政府计算机网络，这个网络将“不会受到外侵的威胁”——一些计算机安全顾问认为这个任务几乎是无法完成的。这个政府专用网络叫做Govnet，官员们说，能否实现建立这个专门网络的计划取决于一个可靠的网络基础设施能否以合理的价格建立起来。而计算机系统顾问们说，他们无法估算这个网络的预算，因为政府工作规模巨大，安全要求很高。Richard Clarke本周被任命为总统网络空间安全特别顾问，他说他相信可以建立一个更加可靠的系统。他说，90%的可用光纤空间都没派上用场，并且费用不大。
本周早些时候Clarke宣布了一项计划，旨在“确保网络安全，防止可能产生的一系列威胁——如来自于黑客、罪犯、恐怖组织或国外的威胁，防止这些势力将来向我们发动网络战”。Govnet是这个计划的一部分。根据这项政府计划，Govnet将完全脱离因特网，以防止黑客和病毒的袭击。服务总局要求通信公司提交建议，说明这个网络如何建立、需要多少费用、需要多长的建设时间。
今年，目前的网络遭到黑客、计算机蠕虫和病毒的袭击，系统也受到了叫做Code Red的计算机蠕虫和I Love You的攻击程序的袭击。这些病毒影响到数以千计的政府计算机。审计总署是政府内部一个监督机构，它去年发现了计算机网络的弱点，这可能使恐怖分子或黑客“严重破坏或妨碍国防体系或政府的重大行动计划或窃取秘密数据信息”。Clarke说，政府目前的虚拟专用计算机网络容易遭到病毒袭击、出故障，而Govnet这个网络将使这些攻击变得难以实行。
作为安全服务公司Riptech Inc.的总裁、国防部信息安全项目前主任，Amit Yoran说：像建立Govnet这样一个内部网络的建议值得研究，但是可能挡不住黑客高手。Yoran说：“与其购买一套新设施，还不如实施并加强全球安全措施更可行。一旦有人能进入，他们就能够找出薄弱环节。像政府网络这么大的网络总会有些薄弱环节，因此，总会有人能进入。”
1.［B］意为：一个能够防止外来侵入的政府计算机网络。
第一段提到，政府负责网络安全的新官员昨天要求通信公司帮助建立一个政府计算机网络，这个网络将不会受到外侵的威胁——某些计算机安全顾问认为这几乎是不可能的。下一句提到，这个(政府)专用的(根据上一句，这里private不能理解为“私人的”)网络称做Govnet(这个名字显然缩略自government和net)。
［C］意为：政府要建立的一个国防体系。
［D］意为：要建立的防止外来入侵的一个专用国防体系。
注意：［C］和［D］都没有提到要建立的是一个计算机网络系统。
2.［A］意为：这需要大量的资金成本。
第一句中没有明确指出顾问们认为不可能建立这样一个网络的原因，但是第二、第三句提到，官员们说，能否实现建立这个专门网络的计划取决于一个可靠的网络基础设施能否以合理的(affordable原义为“能承担得起的”)价格建立起来。而计算机系统顾问们说，他们无法估算这个网络的预算，因为政府工作涉及面巨大，安全要求很高(这里enormous应该理解为同时修饰size和security needs)。这里的含义是，在顾问们看来，这个网络的成本大得难以估算。
3.［C］意为：通过与互联网分离的方法。
第二段第一、第二句提到，建立Govnet的目的是保证网络安全，防止可能产生的威胁——如来自于黑客(hacker)、罪犯、恐怖组织或国外的威胁，防止这些势力将来向我们发动网络战。因此，Govnet将完全脱离互联网，防止黑客和病毒的袭击。
［A］意为：通过将杀毒软件升级的办法。
［D］意为：通过设立内部监督委员会的做法。
4.［C］意为：Govnet被认为具有的安全性。
在最后一段Yoran说，像Govnet这样的内部网络值得研究，但是可能挡不住(fall to)黑客高手。与其购买一套新设施(new assets)，还不如实施并加强全球安全状况的做法更可靠。一旦有人能进入(Govnet)，他们就能够找出薄弱环节。像政府这么大的网络总会有些薄弱环节，因此，总会有人能进入。可见，他的观点是：即使能建立所设想的Govnet，也不一定安全。
［B］意为：目前的网络在对抗外侵上的效果。
5.［A］意为：目前的网络在提防外侵上的脆弱性。
第三段提到，今年，目前的网络遭到黑客、计算机蠕虫和病毒的袭击，去年，审计总署发现了计算机网络的弱点，这可能使恐怖分子或黑客严重破坏或妨碍国防体系或政府的重大行动计划或窃取秘密数据信息，因此，政府认为建立Govnet能防止这些入侵行为(本段最后一句)。
