Internet Crime :: Cybercrime Essays

An intentional breach to digital security very much involves a deliberate cultivate that is against the law.1 Cybercrime refers to online or Internet-based illegal acts such as distributing malicious software or committing identity theft. Perpetrators of cybercrime typically fall into one of these categories hacker, cracker, script kiddie, corporate spy, unethical employee, cyberextortionist, and cyberterrorist.The line hacker refers to soul who accesses a computer or network illegally. Some hackers claim the intent of their security breaches is to improve security. A cracker also is someone who accesses a computer or network illegally but has the intent of destroying data, stealing information, or other malicious action. Both hackers and crackers have mature computer and network skills. A script kiddie has the same intent as a cracker but does not have the technical skills and knowledge. Script kiddies often use prewritten hacking and cracking programs.Corporate spies and uneth ical employees are other types of cybercrime perpetrators. Some corporate spies have excellent computer and networking skills and are hired to break into a specific computer and steal its proprietary data and information, or to help identify security risks in their own organization. Unethical employees may break into their employers computers for a variety of reasons. They may want to exploit a security weakness, receive financial gains from selling confidential information, or even to seek revenge (Gonzalez).A cyberextortionist is someone who demands payment to stop an attack on an organizations technology infrastructure. For example, these criminals threaten to expose confidential information, exploit a security flaw, or launch an attack that will compromise the organizations network. A cyberterrorist is someone who uses the Internet or network to destroy or damage computers for political reasons. Cyberwarfare is an attack whose goal ranges from disabling a governments computer ne twork to crippling a country. Cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare usually require a team of extremely skilled individuals, millions of dollars, and several years of planning (Zheng and Rutherford).