Use Examples From Readings, Lecture Notes, And Outside Resou

Use Examples From The Readings Lecture Notes And Outside Research To

Use examples from the readings, lecture notes and outside research to support your answers. The assignment must be a minimum of 1-full page in length with a minimum of 2 outside sources. Please be sure to follow APA guidelines for citing and referencing sources. Assignments are due by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on Sunday. 1.

The term computer crime encompasses a very broad range of criminal acts. Explain in detail the four categories of computer crime. Use examples to support your explanations.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Computer crime, also known as cybercrime, refers to criminal activities that involve a computer or network, either as the tool, target, or both. As technology advances, the scope and complexity of these crimes expand, encompassing a wide variety of illegal acts. To understand the multifaceted nature of computer crime, it is essential to explore the four primary categories that define this realm of criminality: (1) crimes against persons, (2) crimes against property, (3) crimes against government, and (4) cyber-dependent crimes. Each category incorporates specific examples illustrating how these crimes manifest and their implications on individuals, organizations, and society at large.

1. Crimes Against Persons

Crimes against persons in the context of computer crime primarily involve crimes where individuals are targeted through digital means. These include cyberstalking, harassment, and identity theft. Cyberstalking involves using the internet to stalk or harass an individual repeatedly, causing emotional distress (McQuade, 2020). For example, an individual might use social media or email to threaten or intimidate someone persistently. Identity theft occurs when malicious actors illegally acquire personal information, such as Social Security numbers, with the intent to commit fraud or other crimes. An illustrative case involves hackers infiltrating data breaches of corporations and stealing personal data, which is then used to open fraudulent bank accounts or credit cards in victims' names (Kshetri, 2017). These crimes can have devastating psychological and financial impacts on victims.

2. Crimes Against Property

Computer crimes against property involve unauthorized access and manipulation of digital assets or physical property protected by computers. This category includes hacking, computer vandalism, and intellectual property theft. Hacking, or gaining unauthorized access to computer systems, is a prevalent example, often involving intrusion into business networks to steal sensitive information or cause system disruptions. An example is the infamous Sony Pictures hack in 2014, where hackers accessed confidential data and leaked sensitive information (Perlroth, 2014). Computer vandalism, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, aims to disrupt online services by overwhelming servers with traffic, causing downtime. Intellectual property theft involves illegally copying, distributing, or selling copyrighted material, such as software or proprietary research. Such crimes threaten the financial stability of companies and the integrity of digital assets (Holt, 2020).

3. Crimes Against Government

Crimes against government involve activities targeting governmental institutions or systems. These include cyber espionage, hacking government databases, and sabotage. Cyber espionage, often linked to nation-states, involves hacking into government networks to obtain sensitive intelligence or military secrets. An example is the 2015 breach of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), where hackers stole millions of government employees’ personal data (Finkle, 2015). Another example is malware attacks designed to disrupt government communications or infrastructure, such as the Stuxnet worm that targeted Iran’s nuclear program. These activities threaten national security, economic stability, and public safety (Carr, 2020).

4. Cyber-Dependent Crimes

Cyber-dependent crimes are those that can only be committed using computers or networks. They do not exist outside the digital realm and include activities like malware distribution, botnet operations, and hacking tools development. Malware, such as ransomware, encrypts victims’ files and demands payment for decryption, as seen in the WannaCry attack that affected healthcare systems and businesses worldwide in 2017 (Kharraz et al., 2019). Botnets, networks of infected computers controlled remotely, are used for launching large-scale DDoS attacks or spamming, exemplified by the Mirai botnet that targeted internet services in 2016 (Antonakakis et al., 2017). These crimes showcase the technological dependence of modern criminal activities, emphasizing the need for specialized cybersecurity measures.

Conclusion

The landscape of computer crime is diverse, spanning multiple categories that pose significant challenges to individuals, organizations, and governments alike. Understanding the four primary types—crimes against persons, property, government, and cyber-dependent crimes—enables better awareness and development of effective strategies to combat and mitigate their impacts. As technological innovation continues, so too will the complexity and scope of computer crimes, underscoring the importance of continued research and cybersecurity advancements.

References

1. Antonakakis, M., April, T., Bailey, M., Bernhard, M., Bursztein, E., Cochran, J., ... & Zhang, Y. (2017). Understanding the Mirai Botnet. In 26th USENIX Security Symposium (USENIX Security 17) (pp. 1093-1110).
2. Carr, M. (2020). Cybersecurity and the Political Economy of Cyberattacks. Journal of Cybersecurity, 6(1), tyz005.
3. Finkle, J. (2015). U.S. formally condemns Chinese hacking of company, government networks. Reuters.
4. Holt, T. J. (2020). Cybercrime: Causes, consequences, and responses. Routledge.
5. Kharraz, A., Arshad, S. Z., Lopez, J., Munaiah, N., & Kirda, C. (2019). Analyzing and defending against ransomware attacks. IEEE Security & Privacy, 17(2), 54-63.
6. Kshetri, N. (2017). 1 The Emerging Role of Big Data in Key Development Issues: Opportunities, Challenges, and Concerns. Big Data & Society, 4(2), 2053951717719871.
7. McQuade, S. (2020). Cyberstalking: A new frontier for criminal justice. Routledge.
8. Perlroth, N. (2014). Sony hacking scandal exposes cyber vulnerabilities. The New York Times.
9. Finkle, J. (2015). U.S. formally condemns Chinese hacking of company, government networks. Reuters.