Lecture 02

Computer Crime and Security

By: Dr. Qudsia Jabeen
Ph.D. Scholar (Management) COMSATS University.
MS (Management, Gold Medalist) Air University, Islamabad.
[email protected]

A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues

for Computers and the Internet
(2nd Edition)
by Sara Baase
San Diego State University

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 1

 A Gift of Fire
Computer Crime

• Introduction
• Hacking
• Online Scams
• Fraud, Embezzlement, Sabotage, Information Theft, and
Forgery
• Crime Fighting Versus Privacy and Civil Liberties

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 2

 Introduction

Computers Are Tools

Computers assist us in our work, expand our
thinking, and provide entertainment.
Computers Are also Used to Commit Crimes
Preventing, detecting, and prosecuting
computer crime is a challenge.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 3

 Cybercrime and the Law

Computer-related crime
Any illegal act for which knowledge of computer technology is involved for
its investigation, perpetration, or prosecution.

continued on next slide

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 4
 Types of Computer Crimes

• The crimes that are typically mentioned in lists of “computer

crimes” are:
• hacking, viruses, pirating, illegal trading fraud, scams,
money laundering, libel, cyber stalking, cyber terrorism,
identity theft and fraud, and wireless theft.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 5

 Internet criminals

• Because of the global scope of the Internet, criminals sitting

alone anywhere in the world can move their fingers over
keyboards,
• stare at computer screens, and steal from those in distant
places,
• and they can wreak havoc on the lives of people across the
globe by launching viruses or denial-of-service attacks (shut
down machine for users).

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 The Advance of Technology

• Technology and criminology have always been closely

linked
• Technology can be used by crime fighters and
lawbreakers
• As technology progresses, it facilitates new forms of
behavior, including new crimes

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 High Technology and Criminal Opportunity

• Routes to illegitimate access to computerized

information
• Direct access
• Computer trespass (unlawful access)
• Cybercrime
• any violation of a federal or state computer-crime statute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjfX4CjSVGE

continued on next slide

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 8
 What is Cyber Crime?
The adopted definition of Cyber Crime is:

• Cyber Dependent Crimes, where a digital system is the target as

well as the means of attack. These include attacks on computer
systems to disrupt IT infrastructure, and stealing data over a
network using malware (the purpose of the data theft is usually to
commit further crime).

• Cyber Enabled Crimes. ‘Existing’ crimes that have been

transformed in scale or form by their use of the Internet. The
growth of the Internet has allowed these crimes to be carried out on
an industrial scale.

• The use of the Internet to facilitate drug dealing, people smuggling

and many other 'traditional' crime types.

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 9

 What is Cyber Crime?

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 10

 High Technology and Criminal Opportunity

Types of cybercrime
• Internal cybercrimes
• Internet/telecommunications crimes
• Support of criminal enterprises
• Computer-manipulation crimes
• Hardware, software, and information theft

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 The Extent of Cybercrime
Software piracy
The unauthorized and illegal copying of software
programs
Phishing
An Internet-based scam that uses official-looking e-
mail messages to steal valuable information

May threaten the viability of e-commerce

continued on next slide

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 The Extent of Cybercrime

Not all cybercrime is committed for financial gain

Criminal mischief
• creating/transmitting malicious forms of
programming code
• Criminal mischief, more commonly known as vandalism, is the
intentional and malicious destruction of another person's
property

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 Cybercrime and the Law

• Communications Decency Act (1996)

• Reno v. ACLU
• No Electronic Theft Act (1997)
• Digital Theft Deterrence and Copyright Damages
Improvement Act (1999)
• Cyber Security Enhancement Act (2002)

continued on next slide

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 Cybercrime and the Law

Computer abuse
Any incident associated with computer technology in which a victim
suffered or could have suffered loss and perpetrator intentionally gained
or could have gained.

Cybercrimes in Pakistan _ article

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/308728597_Pakistan_and_cyber
_crimes_Problems_and_preventions

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 15

A Gift of Fire, 2ed Chapter 7: Computer Crime 16
Project Report

students groups, (10 pages max. 12 font, times new roman, 1.5
line spacing, sources at the end)

 Make a report on Cyber crimes in Pakistan,

• its types, causes, punishments and prevention, laws.
• Discuss at least 1 case of cybercrime in detail.
• Each case should be different from other group.

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 Pakistan and Cyber Crimes: Problems
and Preventions
• Government is constantly trying to formulate the
regulation for controlling the cyber space.
• This paper focuses on the prevailing development of
governance policies for cyber space and defies among
the agencies and information technology vendors.
It is essential to make the internet more secure and
protect the user of internet from cyber attacks

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• Anti cybercrime law
• The organization are moving towards paper less economy
where everything will be digital. They want to safe guard the
sensitive information rather than the physical security of the
system only.
• Electronic Transaction Ordinance (ETO).

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 The History and Nature of Hacking

Computer hacking may have started in the late 1950s

with the creation of the interstate phone system and
direct distance dialing

continued on next slide

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 The History and Nature of Hacking

• Phone phreaks
• Used special telecommunications access codes and other
restricted technical information to avoid paying long-
distance charges
• Fraudulent manipulation of telephone signaling in order to make
free phone calls.
• Modern version involves electronic theft of cell phone
numbers and access codes
• Voice mail hacking and voice mail fraud
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 A Profile of Cybercriminals
Cybercriminals tend to come from hacker
subcultures.

A Cyber Criminal profile is essential in order to learn

• how attackers think,
• what motivates them and how they work.

Hackers or cyber criminals are intelligent, highly skilled

and usually very resourceful, making it difficult but not
impossible to catch or anticipate them.
continued on next slide
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 A Profile of Cybercriminals

• Average hacker
• Male between 16-25 who lives in the US
• Computer user but not programmer
• Hacks with software written by others
• Primary motivation is to gain access to Web sites and
computer networks

continued on next slide

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 A Profile of Cybercriminals

Not all hackers are kids - some are high-tech computer

operators

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 Hacking
The Phases of Hacking
Phase One: The early years
• 1960s and 1970s.
• Originally, hacker referred to a creative
programmer wrote clever code.
• The first operating systems and computer games
were written by hackers.
• The term hacking was a positive term.
• Hackers were usually high-school and college
students.

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 Hacking
The Phases of Hacking (cont’d)
Phase Two: Hacking takes on a more negative
meaning.
• 1970s through 1990s.
• Authors and the media used the term hacker to
describe someone who used computers, without
authorization, sometimes to commit crimes.
• Early computer crimes were launched against
business and government computers.
• Adult criminals began using computers to
commit their crimes.
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 Hacking
The Phases of Hacking
Phase Three: The Web Era
• Beginning in the mid-1990s.
• The increased use of the Internet for school, work,
business transactions, and recreation makes it
attractive to criminals with basic computer skills.
• Crimes include the release of malicious code
(viruses and worms).
• Unprotected computers can be used,
unsuspectingly, to accomplish network disruption
or commit fraud.
• Hackers with minimal computer skills can create
A Gift of Fire, 2ed havoc byChapter
using malicious
7: Computer Crime code written by others. 27
 Hacking
Hactivism
…is the use of hacking expertise to promote a political cause.
examples involve providing citizens with access to government-
censored web pages or providing privacy-protected means of
communication to threatened groups
• This kind of hacking can range from mild to destructive
activities.
• Some consider hactivism as modern-age civil disobedience.
• Others believe hactivism denies others their freedom of
speech and violates
A Gift of Fire, 2ed
property rights.
Chapter 7: Computer Crime 28
 Hacking
The Law
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA, 1986)
• It is a crime to access, alter, damage, or destroy
information on a computer without authorization.
• Computers protected under this law include:
– government computers,
– financial systems,
– medical systems,
– interstate commerce, and
– any computer on the Internet.

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 Hacking
The Law (cont’d)
USA Patriot Act (USAPA, 2001)
• Amends the CFAA.
• Allows for recovery of losses due to responding to a
hacker attack, assessing damages, and restoring
systems.
• Higher penalties can be levied against anyone hacking
into computers belonging to criminal justice system or
the military.
• The government can monitor online activity without a
court order.

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