CYBER CRIME & TYPES

What is Cyber Crime

While the term cybercrime has gained widespread recognition and popular use, it has taken some time for the term to be recognized by an actual definition used by dictionary, legal, and crime prevention sources. Cybercrime is now defined as any criminal offense that is facilitated by, or involves the use of, electronic communications or information systems, including any electronic device, computer, or the internet.

Types of Cyber Crime

While the umbrella term of cybercrime covers a great many possibilities as to types of crimes, these are broken into several categories. In some types of cybercrime, a computer or other electronic communication device is used to commit the crime, and in other types of cybercrime, the computer or device is the actual target of the crime..

Computer Viruses

A computer virus is simply a small computer program that places copies of itself onto other computers without the users’ consent. The most common way for the makers of computer viruses to propagate their virus programs is to attach or embed them in emails. When the email is opened, the virus activates and does whatever it was programmed to do, such as steal valuable hard drive disk space, destroy data on the recipient’s computer, access personal information, or to send information (or itself) out to other computers using the original victim’s contact list.

Identity Theft

Identity theft involves stealing an individual’s personal information, then using that information to either use their financial resources without their consent, or to open new financial or credit accounts, enabling the identity thief to use the victim’s credit without their knowledge. Information commonly stolen to make these crimes possible include the individual’s name, date of birth, social security number, and/or credit card numbers.

While such information can be physically obtained from written records, such as credit applications discarded by a retailer, it is frequently stolen through breaches in people’s computer security, spyware, and viruses. Personal identifying information can also be stolen when a computer-savvy person hacks into a computer network, such as a network over which a bank or retail establishment shares information with its branches. These types of breaches allow hackers to snare huge blocks of information at a time.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying occurs when someone uses the internet, a cell phone, email, instant messaging, chat rooms, or social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, to harass, demean, embarrass, or intimidate someone else. It is commonly a crime committed by kids and teens, as their growing access to electronic communication makes it possible to make fun of or ostracize others. The problem spreads like wildfire as the bully can hide behind the anonymity of a login identity, while encouraging other kids to join in the “fun” of harassing the victim.

It should be noted, however, that cyberbullying is not the exclusive domain of adolescents, but is committed by, and on adults. Cyberbullying is a crime, garnering such criminal charges as harassment, libel, assault, and even terrorism. In addition to criminal charges, cyberbullies may be held responsible for the damage they do in a civil lawsuit, where they may be ordered to pay medical bills and other expenses, as well as money for pain and suffering and mental anguish.

Cyberterrorism

Cyberterrorism is defined as any threat of harm or extortion via the internet. As computers and computer systems grow in size and power, cyberterrorism makes use of well-planned attacks on government and corporate computer systems. Such attacks may include targeting computer-controlled strategic services, such as electricity, water, and communications services.

The U.S. legal system defines cyberterrorism as “the use of computing resources against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.”

Cybercrime Prevention

Cybercrime has become a bigger criminal moneymaker than illegal drug trafficking.

Every 3 seconds, someone’s identity is stolen as a result of cybercrime.

Without a quality internet security program, a computer can become infected with a virus within four minutes of connecting to the internet.

Companies in the U.S. lose more than $525 million each year due to cybercrime.

FBI Cybercrime Division

The FBI Cybercrime Division leads the country’s law enforcement effort to investigate, prevent, and prosecute high-tech crimes, including all manner of cybercrime. In an effort to stay abreast of emerging cybercrime trends, the FBI cybercrime division shares intelligence and evidenced gathered with both public law enforcement units and private sector cybercrime prevention partners all over the globe.