Types of Computer Crimes: Types of Computer Crimes

Computer crimes are criminal activities, which involve the use of information technology to gain an illegal or an unauthorized access to a computer system with intent of damaging, deleting or altering computer data. Computer crimes also include the activities such as electronic frauds, misuse of devices, identity theft and data as well as system interference. Computer crimes may not necessarily involve damage to physical property. They rather include the manipulation of confidential data and critical information. Computer crimes involve activities of software theft, wherein the privacy of the users is hampered. These criminal activities involve the breach of human and information privacy, as also the theft and illegal alteration of system critical information. The different types of computer crimes have necessitated the introduction and use of newer and more effective security measures.

Types of Computer Crimes

Hacking - The activity of breaking into a computer system to gain an unauthorized access is known as hacking. The act of defeating the security capabilities of a computer system in order to obtain an illegal access to the information stored on the computer system is called hacking. The unauthorized revelation of passwords with intent to gain an unauthorized access to the private communication of an organization of a user is one of the widely known computer crimes. Another highly dangerous computer crime is the hacking of IP addresses in order to transact with a false identity, thus remaining anonymous while carrying out the criminal activities.

Phishing - Phishing is the act of attempting to acquire sensitive information like usernames, passwords and credit card details by disguising as a trustworthy source. Phishing is carried out through emails or by luring the users to enter personal information through fake websites. Criminals often use websites that have a look and feel of some popular website, which makes the users feel safe to enter their details there.

Computer Viruses - Computer viruses are computer programs that can replicate themselves and harm the computer systems on a network without the knowledge of the system users. Viruses spread to other computers through network file system, through the network, Internet or by the means of removable devices like USB drives and CDs. Computer viruses are after all, forms of malicious codes written with an aim to harm a computer system and destroy information. Writing computer viruses is a criminal activity as virus infections can crash computer systems, thereby destroying great amounts of critical data.

Cyberstalking - The use of communication technology, mainly the Internet, to torture other individuals is known as cyberstalking. False accusations, transmission of threats and damage to data and equipment fall under the class of cyberstalking activities. Cyberstalkers often target the users by means of chat rooms, online forums and social networking websites to gather user information and harass the users on the basis of the information gathered. Obscene emails, abusive phone calls and other such serious effects of cyberstalking have made it a type of computer crime.

Identity Theft - This is one of the most serious frauds as it involves stealing money and obtaining other benefits through the use of a false identity. It is the act of pretending to be someone else by using someone else's identity as one's own. Financial identity theft involves the use of a false identity to obtain goods and services and a commercial identity theft is the using of someone else’s business name or credit card details for commercial purposes. Identity cloning is the use of another user's information to pose as a false user. Illegal migration, terrorism and blackmail are often made possible by means of identity theft.

It’s natural that you’d want to avoid being such a victim, and there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and your family. Let’s take a look at the top five computer crimes out there, and what you can do to help keep yourself safe.

Malware

Let’s begin with the obvious, shall we? If you use a computer, you’re vulnerable to malware. And if you’re vulnerable to malware, you’re enabling crime on a mass scale.
Malware, as I’m sure you’re aware, refers to viruses, Trojans worms and other software that gets onto your computer without you being aware it’s there. Back in the early part of the century, most such software’s primary aim was thrill. The people writing the software found it amusing to write a program that exploited security flaws just to see how far it could spread.
Today the incentive for making such software is generally more sinister and the reason it makes the list of the top five computer crimes. In some cases a piece of malware will pretend to be a legitimate piece of software, and will ask you for money to remove it

Cyberstalking

People leave a lot of information about themselves online. Such information can leave you vulnerable to cyberstalking, a term that essentially refers to using the Internet to stalk someone in the traditional sense.
Cyber stalking is essentially using the Internet to repeatedly harass another person. This harassment could be sexual in nature, or it could have other motivations including anger or outright hostility.

Child Pornography

It’s tragic, but the Internet is often used to exploit children. What’s perhaps even sicker is that people make money doing this.
Your child being exploited in this way is extremely unlikely, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying to protect them. Do the ff.
1. Install and use parental control software on all computers.
2. Know what sites your children frequent and monitor their online activity.
3. Foster communication with your children so they understand the potential dangers they may be exposed to online.

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Monday, August 1, 2011