Lecture 1

Introduction and Overview of Cyber Crime

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 Contents

Cyberspace
Cyberspace is "the environment in which communication over computer networks occurs.“
And almost everybody in one way or the other is connected to it
Cybersecurity and Other Security Domains

Cyber Safety
Cyber Crime

13
Some Definitions
According to H.R. 4246 “Cyber Security Information
Act”:

cybersecurity: “The vulnerability of any computing system,

software program, or critical infrastructure to, or their ability to
resist, intentional interference, compromise, or incapacitation
through the misuse of, or by unauthorized means of, the Internet,
public or private telecommunications systems or other similar
conduct that violates Federal, State, or international law, that
harms interstate commerce of the United States, or that threatens
public health or safety.”
In Context

corporate cybersecurity = availability, integrity and secrecy of

information systems and networks in the face of attacks, accidents
and failures with the goal of protecting a corporation’s operations
and assets.

national cybersecurity = availability, integrity and secrecy of the

information systems and networks in the face of attacks, accidents
and failures with the goal of protecting a nation’s operations and
assets
Cybersecurity as a Discipline

How to achieve cybersecurity “success”?

How to overcome the cybersecurity problem?

Must understand four factors that play into the cybersecurity

equation:
– Technology
– Economics (of stakeholders and incentives)
– Social Influences (e.g. Big Brother fears)
– Public Policy
 Cyber crimes
• Cyber crimes inspire fear in consumers and lead to a lack of trust in the security
and safety of e-commerce or any electronic transactions.
• The dangers posed by cybercriminals and terrorists are real.
• Present unique and difficult challenges to law enforcement and other
governmental officials .
• Rapid growth of personal computers and Internet devices created scenario in
which legislation and law enforcement are playing catch-up
Defining the Terms
• “Cyber” to mean “real” or “virtual” attached to a computer network
• Cybercrime and cyberterrorism
• Malware: viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, adware, or other destructive
software
– Short for malicious software
– Referred to as a “computer contaminant”

A generalized definition of cybercrime may be “unlawful

acts wherein the computer is either a tool or target or both”.
Cyber crimes
Cybercrime is one of the fastest growing areas of crime.

More and more criminals are exploiting the speed, convenience and anonymity that
modern technologies offer in order to commit a diverse range of criminal activities.

In past, cybercrime has been committed by individuals or small groups of

individuals.

However, we are now seeing an emerging trend with traditional organized crime
syndicates and criminally minded technology professionals working together and
pooling their resources and expertise
New Threats to the Information Age
• Computers can be used to perform many traditional criminal acts/ attacks.
– Distribution of child pornography
– Financial crimes
– Corporate espionage
– Exploitation
– Stalking
– Identity theft
Types of Attackers

11
Types of Harm
• Interception
– an unauthorized party (human or not)
gains access to an asset

• Interruption
– an asset becomes lost, unavailable, or
unusable

• Modification
– an unauthorized party changes the
state of an asset

• Fabrication
– an unauthorized party counterfeits an
asset

12
Kinds of Threats
• Kinds of threats:
– Interception
▪ an unauthorized party (human or not) gains access to an asset
– Interruption
▪ an asset becomes lost, unavailable, or unusable

– Modification
▪ an unauthorized party changes the state of an asset

– Fabrication
▪ an unauthorized party counterfeits an asset
Method—Opportunity--Motive

14
Attackers
• Attackers need MOM
–Method
Skill, knowledge, tools, etc. with which
to pull off an attack
–Opportunity
Time and access to accomplish an
attack
–Motive
Reason to perform an attack
 16

Different Types of Controls

 Basic Components of Security:
Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (CIA)
– Confidentiality: Who is authorized to use data?
– Integrity: Is data “good?”
– Availability: Can access data whenever need it?

C I
S
S = Secure
A

CIA or CIAAAN… 
(other security components added to CIA)
 Authentication
 Authorization
 Non-repudiation
 …
 Levels of Vulnerabilities / Threats
(reversed order to illustrate interdependencies)

• D) for other assets (resources)

▪ including. people using data, s/w, h/w

• C) for data
▪ “on top” of s/w, since used by s/w

• B) for software
▪ “on top” of h/w, since run on h/w

• A) for hardware
Overview
• The major complications of cybercrime:
– Cybercrime has increased dramatically in recent years.
– There is a significant inconsistency in defining computer crime offenses.
– There is no systematic data collection procedure for cybercrimes.
– Offenses vary greatly in character.
A Developmental Perspective on a Growing
Problem (1 of 2)
• Much has changed since computers were first introduced.
– Few experts explored the potential to use computers to commit crimes in
the beginning.
– A pioneer in early research was Donn Parker.
A Developmental Perspective on a Growing
Problem (2 of 2)
• Much has changed since computers were first introduced.
– Other popular publications include The Cuckoo's Egg and Takedown.
– Most research focuses on the mechanics and techniques of computer
crime and not the offenders or offenses committed.
The Reality of Increased Cybervictimization
• Two trends drive the reality of increased cybervictimization:
– Increased use of computers
– Increased availability of technical information on virus creation and
computer hacking techniques
• Who poses the greatest threat?
– Insiders
– Outsiders –is increasing
Changes to Cybervictimization and the
Emergence of Cyber Terror
• The dynamics and processes involved in the productive of cyber crime and
cyber terrorism are virtually the same.
– The rise of cyber terrorism poses at least as grave a threat as cyber crime.

• Inferences from the National Infrastructure Protection Center (NI P C) data can
be made that cyber crime and cyber terrorism are on parallel tracks.
– Russia and cyberterrorism
– Stuxnet and Israel
The Costs of Cybercrime (1 of 2)
• Estimates of cost:
– Most estimates are derived from surveys of corporations and government
agencies.
– These estimate vary dramatically.
– It is very difficult to accurately calculate the costs across different
categories of crime.
– Many companies underreport crimes.
– There may be intentional or unintentional biases.
The Costs of Cybercrime (2 of 2)
• Early AB A and FDL E studies focused on internal threats because networks
were limited in the 80s and early-90s.
• 1998 joint survey by FB I and Computer Security Institute found three years in
a row corporate’s had an increase of outsider penetration.
• 2012 Anderson conducted research to accurately measure the monetary costs
of cybercrime.
• Indirect costs may be more than direct costs.
Classification of Computer Crime
• Serves to further define the topic of study and keeps everyone on the same
page.
• Provides more opportunities to demonstrate the topic through specific and
noteworthy examples.
• Should ultimately fulfill the needs of law enforcement.
– Motivations of perpetrators
– Help in apprehension
Carter’s Classification of Computer Crimes
• Computer crimes can be classified into four categories:
– The computer as a target
– The computer as an instrument of a crime
– The computer as incidental to a crime
– Crimes associated with the prevalence of computers
The Computer as Target
• Crimes where the computer itself is the target include the denial of expected
service (Do S).
– 2016 Summer Olympics
– 2016 Trump/Hilary presidential campaign

• Examples include:
– Data alteration
– Network intrusion
– Computer vandalism (deface websites, disrupt a company's services, or
delete databases)
The Computer as Instrument
• The computer is used as the instrument of the crime when the computer is
used to gain some other criminal objective.
– Exploits trust

• Examples include:
– Theft
– Fraud
– Threats and harassment
– Bullying
The Computer as Incidental
• The computer facilitates a crime.
• Examples include:
– Money laundering
– Criminal enterprise
– Child pornography
– Luring victims
Crimes Associated with the Prevalence of
Computers
• Even those who avoid technology can be victims of crime through the
prevalence of computers.
– Intellectual property theft
– Component theft
– Counterfeiting
– Identify theft
Other Classification Schemes (1 of 3)
• Gordon and Ford two-category scheme:
– Type I offenses are primarily technological in nature and involve:
▪ A single or discreet event from the point of view of the victim
▪ Involves the use of malware
▪ Can be, but may not be, facilitated by computer software vulnerabilities
Other Classification Schemes (2 of 3)
• Gordon and Ford

– Type II offenses

▪ Do not involve malware

▪ Generally involve repeated contacts or events from the point of view of
the victim
▪ Do not usually involve the use of software
▪ Examples: cyberstalking, harassment, child predation, extortion
Other Classification Schemes (3 of 3)
• Anderson developed a more recent classification in 2012
– Primarily to derive estimates of the costs of computer crime
– Traditional crimes that are now “cyber” because the are conducted
primarily online.
– Transitional crimes that have changed with the advent of the Internet
– New crimes that have originated since the advent of the Internet
– Crimes that facilitate other crimes through the misuse of computers