So what is a DNA Bank? Well, I can tell you it’s definitely not the bank you walk into to stash away your moneys or to take money out of your account. From a Wikipedia entry, DNA Banking refers to a repository of DNA, usually used for research. Having said this, how is Noah’s Ark a DNA bank? Well, according to the scientists in this episode, the Ark acts as a DNA bank in the sense that it has a couple of each specie. For example, a man and a woman, a male dog and a female dog – all on the Ark by the command of God. When the animals mated, they created an offspring which would have some genetic variation – thus spreading the genetic code and the genetic divide between you and I for example.

Six years ago, to be exact, on September 13 2004, Michael Schirber wrote an article titled Noah’s Cosmic Ark: Preserving DNA on the Moon which states that [the] DNA library might belong on the Moon. “It would act as a mini Noah’s Ark for repopulating the Earth after a catastrophe,” explained Bernard Foing, chief scientist with the European Space Agency, in a telephone interview with SPACE.com. “It would be a second chance.” The major benefit seen with constructing an Ark on the Moon is that it would take only a few days for a rescue mission as opposed to six months to a year from neighbouring planet, Mars where other people hope to set up an Ark.

The Frozen Ark

The Frozen Ark is a tissue bank that will store genetic materal from thousands of endangered animals. This bank has been set up in the UK. The idea behind the Frozen Ark is to preserve the “life codes” even after the species have become extinct. It is hoped that this will allow the future generations of scientists to understand long lost creatures and also help with the conservation programmes of tomorrow – BBC.

1: Scientists take whole insects, or small tissue samples from animals so life is not endangered

2: Tissue may then be frozen for safe-keeping

3: DNA extracted from tissue sample, either straight after it was obtained or after freezing

4: DNA can be used for research, which may one day lead to resurrection of extinct species

5: Some DNA samples are sent to other labs as an insurance against damage or loss

6: Unused DNA can be frozen, potentially for thousands of years

It is somewhat awry to think that this kind of man-made control is already under way. Some people and tribes believe that the End of Day is near, naming december 21, 2012 as D-day!. Whatever you think, I think this whole thing could just be another milestone that we as Humans and other living creatures on this Earth will go through; not entirely the whole D-day phenomenon but something of sizeable change…

Then again all this could be just crazy-talk. Choice is yours. End is Near!

This study, funded by “Sheila’s wheel home insurance” comissioned the study of 3000 women. Interesting read!

Something I will be telling the women in my life.. LOL!

IT Governance

Check out the presentation.

Anyway, I decided, I would create a diagram representing the interaction between the Blizzard Authenticator and the login procedure. I’ve not yet (at the time of writing this 13/05/2010) decided to packet-sniff login information or not. For now I guess I will not sniff, though, if I’m bored I’ll check this out.

So going from what we know about WoW and its login requirements:

• Username (email address)
• Password (password)
• Blizzard Authenticator Number (string)

Now that we’ve got the details, lets think about the data encryption used.

Blizzard have come up with their own protocol called “wow” which communicates data once there is a connection established. This information can easily be captured by using applications such as wireshark.

From becoming intimate with Google (<3), it seems that World of Warcraft uses two algorithms for the encryption of data; while the username is sent in plaintext. An interesting discussion leads me to come up with the following information:

• SRP6 – newest addition to a new class of strong authentication protocols that resist all the well-known passive and active attacks over the network. SRP borrows some elements from other key-exchange and identification protcols and adds some subtle modifications and refinements. The result is a protocol that preserves the strength and efficiency of the EKE family protocols while fixing some of their shortcomings. More info.
• RC4 – is the most widely-used software stream cipher and is used in popular protocols such as Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) (to protect Internet traffic) and WEP (to secure wireless networks). More Info.

So basically, wow sends 4 packets, two from the client to the server and two from the server to the client. Each message to the server is accompanied by an ACK message which would confirm the message and thus proceed to the next process or phase.

WoW in all its awesome fun, is quite a complex piece of software which incorporates a token, 2 factor even “strong” authentication to ensure player account security. For more information on this, please click here.

I do apologise for any errors and mistakes found in this document.

Read/Download PDF: Legal Aspects of Information System Security