Illegal Physical or Internet Intrusion

Illegal Physical or Internet Intrusion

Illegal Physical or Internet Intrusion

Introduction

As the director of security of the computer software company, it is important to know and understand the risks associated with the illegal physical or internet intrusion to develop the software that can decrease or minimize the risk of illegal physical or internet intrusion. In addition, illegal internet intrusion began in the early 1960s when universities and certain government agencies and banking institutions began using networked computers to send text messages, for research, financial transactions, and record keeping. The earliest abusers of computer systems were college students who experimented with using them to play games and solve problems. Early abuse involved relatively harmless pranks and computer hacking that is breaking into computer systems to view files and sometimes manipulate or steal data. Offending evolved beyond pranks and hacking into high-tech forms of embezzlement and fraud that were increasingly difficult to detect, investigate, and prosecute. In response, U.S. government and many states began creating computer crime laws during the 1980s. Even so, the real onset of modern cyber offenses began in the 1990s as more sectors, organizations, and individuals in computerized countries like the United States increasingly purchased more affordable, powerful, and interconnected personal computers (PCs), and later, portable devices such as mini- and laptop computers, PDAs, and cellular phones. This trend, which is continuing into the 21st century, along with the millions of broadband (high-speed) Internet connections made available via thousands of Internet service providers located around the world, makes it possible for billions of Internet users to become victims of cyber offenses.

Discussion

Risk Associated with Illegal Physical or Internet Intrusion

Every form of online abuse and crime may have from one to many victims, and hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people may be victimized. According to Samual McQuade, categories of cybercrime offending now include illegal or abusive online activities such as the following:

Cyber negligence by users of information systems who violate recommended or required security policies or sound online practices, thereby exposing their systems, devices, or data to cyber attacks

Traditional in-person crimes by users of computers or other IT devices for illicit communications and/ or record keeping

Fraud and theft by people who illegally phish, spoof, spam, or otherwise socially engineer people to commit identity theft or gain financially

Computer hacking and password cracking by individuals or groups who crack computer account passwords and unlawfully access information systems or exceed their online system permissions

Writing and releasing malware (i.e., malicious software), including disruptive or destructive viruses, Trojans, worms, and adware/spyware programs as well as illegal massive distributions of email known as spam

Pirating of music, movies, or software using computers and other IT devices to violate criminal or civil copyright laws to replicate, distribute, download, sell, or possess software applications, data files, or code

Online harassment and extortion to threaten, intimidate, intentionally embarrass, annoy, coerce or some combination of these which when involving youth is commonly referred to as “cyber bullying”

Cyber stalking, pedophilia, and other cyber sex offenses by online offenders who acquire illegal ...