Computer Hacker Essay Example For Students

Computer Hacker Essay Laws must be passed to address the increase in the number and types of computer crimes. Over the last twenty years, a technological revolution has occurred as computers are now an essential element of todays society. Large computers are used to track reservations for the airline industry, process billions of dollars for banks, manufacture products for industry, and conduct major transactions for businesses because more and more people now have computers at home and at the office. People commit computer crimes because of societys declining ethical standards more than any economic need. According to experts, gender is the only bias. The profile of todays non-professional thieves crosses all races, age groups and economic strata. Computer criminals tend to be relatively honest and in a position of trust: few would do anything to harm another human, and most do not consider their crime to be truly dishonest. Most are males: women have tended to be accomplices, though of late they are becoming more aggressive. Computer Criminals tend to usually be between the ages of 14-30, they are usually bright, eager, highly motivated, adventuresome, and willing to accept technical challenges.(Shannon, 16:2) It is tempting to liken computer criminals to other criminals, ascribing characteristics somehow different from normal individuals, but that is not the case. (Sharp, 18:3) It is believed that the computer criminal often marches to the same drum as the potential victim but follows and unanticipated path.(Blumenthal, 1:2) There is no actual profile of a computer criminal because they range from young teens to elders, from black to white, from short to tall. Definitions of computer crime has changed over the years as the users and misusers of computers have expanded into new areas. When computers were first introduced into businesses, computer crime was defined simply as a form of white-collar crime committed inside a computer system. (2600:Summer 92,p.13) Some new terms have been added to the computer criminal vocabulary. Trojan Horse is a hidden code put into a computer program. Logic bombs are implanted so that the perpetrator doesnt have to physically present himself or herself. (Phrack 12,p.43) Another form of a hidden code is salamis. It came from the big salami loaves sold in delis years ago. Often people would take small portions of bites that were taken out of them and then they were secretly returned to the shelves in the hopes that no one would notice them missing. (Phrack 12,p.44) Congress has been reacting to the outbreak of computer crimes. The U.S. House of Judiciary Committee approved a bipartisan computer crime bill that was expanded to make it a federal crime to hack into credit and other data bases protected by federal privacy statutes.(Markoff, B 13:1) This bill is generally creating several categories of federal misdemeanor felonies for unauthorized access to computers to obtain money, goods or services or classified information. This also applies to computers used by the federal government or used in interstate of foreign commerce which would cover any system accessed by interstate telecommunication systems. Computer crime often requires more sophistications than people realize it. (Sullivan, 40:4) Many U.S. businesses have ended up in bankruptcy court unaware that they have been victimized by disgruntled employees. American businesses wishes that the computer security nightmare would vanish like a fairy tale. Information processing has grown into a gigantic industry. It accounted for $33 billion in services in 1983, and in 1988 it was accounted to be $88 billion. (Blumenthal, B 1:2) All this information is vulnerable to greedy employees, nosy-teenagers and general carelessness, yet no one knows whether the sea of computer crimes is only as big as the Gulf of Mexico or as huge as the North Atlantic. (Blumenthal,B 1:2) Vulnerability is likely to increase in the future. Sears Scandal of 90's Essay Management often looks the other way when employees play computer games or generate a Snoopy calendar. But, if this becomes excessive the employees is stealing work time. And computers can only process only so many tasks at once. Although considered less severe than other computer crimes such activities can represent a major business loss. While most attention is currently being given to the criminal aspects of computer abuses, it is likely that civil action will have an equally important effect on long term security problems.(Alexander, V119) The issue of computer crimes draw attention to the civil or liability aspects in computing environments. In the future there may tend to be more individual and class action suits. Conclusion, computer crimes are fast and growing because the evolution of technology is fast, but the evolution of law is slow. While a variety of states have passed legislation relating to computer crime, the situation is a national problem that requires a national solution. Controls can be instituted within industries to prevent such crimes. Protection measures such as hardware identification, access controls software and disconnecting critical bank applications should be devised. However, computers dont commit crimes; people do. The perpetrators best advantage is ignorance on the part of those protecting the system. Proper internal controls reduce the opportunity for fraud. BibliographyBIBLIOGRAPHYAlexander, Charles, Crackdown on Computer Capers, Time, Feb. 8, 1982, V119. Ball, Leslie D., Computer Crime, Technology Review, April 1982, V85. Blumenthal,R. Going Undercover in the Computer Underworld. New York Times, Jan. 26, 1993, B, 1:2. Carley, W. As Computers Flip, People Lose Grip in Saga of Sabatoge at Printing Firm. Wall Street Journal, Aug. 27, 1992, A, 1:1. Carley, W. In-House Hackers: Rigging Computers for Fraud or Malice Is Often an Inside Job. Wall Street Journal, Aug 27, 1992, A, 7:5. Markoff, J. Hackers Indicted on Spy Charges. New York Times, Dec. 8, 1992, B, 13:1. Finn, Nancy and Peter,Dont Rely on the Law to Stop Computer Crime, Computer World, Dec. 19, 1984, V18. Phrack Magazine issues 1-46. Compiled by Knight Lightning and Phiber Optik. Shannon, L R. THe Happy Hacker. New York Times, Mar. 21, 1993, 7, 16:2. Sharp, B. The Hacker Crackdown. New York Times, Dec. 20, 1992, 7, 18:3. Sullivan, D. U.S. Charges Young Hackers. New York Times, Nov. 15, 1992, 1, 40:4. 2600: The Hacker Quarterly. Issues Summer 92-Spring 93. Compiled by Emmanuel Goldstein.Technology Essays