Understanding Cybercrime: Types and Threats
What is Computer Crime?
Computer crime, also known as cybercrime, is an act performed by a knowledgeable computer user, sometimes referred to as a hacker, that illegally browses or steals a company’s or individual’s private information. In some cases, this person or group of individuals may be malicious and destroy or otherwise corrupt the computer or data files.
What is Computer Sabotage?
Computer sabotage (also known as cyber sabotage) is recognized as malicious acts that disrupt the normal processes and functions, or the destruction or damage of equipment or information. Cyber sabotage is yet another new wrinkle in the emerging threats from cyberspace.
What is a Computer Virus?
A computer virus is a computer program that can infect other computer programs by modifying them in such a way as to include a (possibly evolved) copy of itself. Note that a program does not have to perform outright damage (such as deleting or corrupting files) in order to be called a “virus”.
What is a Computer Worm?
A computer worm is a self-contained program (or set of programs) that can spread functional copies of itself or its segments to other computer systems (usually via network connections). Unlike viruses, worms do not need to attach themselves to a host program.
What are Trojan Horses?
A Trojan is a malicious program that is disguised as legitimate software. An attacker can either attach a Trojan to useful software, or they can trick you into thinking the Trojan itself is useful software. Trojans cannot replicate themselves, unlike other types of malware such as viruses or worms.
What is Computer Abuse?
Computer abuse is the use of a computer to do something improper or illegal. Examples of computer abuse include using a computer to expose personal information such as Social Security numbers, passwords, usernames, etc.
What is Cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying is a form of bullying using electronic means. It has become common on social networks, especially among teenagers. Cyberbullying is when someone, mostly teens, bullies others on social media sites. Harmful bullying behavior can include posting rumors, threats, sexual remarks, a victim’s personal information, and more. Bullying can be identified by repeated behavior and an intent to harm others through messages, videos, pictures, etc. Victims may have lower self-esteem, increased suicidal ideation, and a variety of emotional responses, including being scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed.
What is Spam?
Spam is unsolicited junk email sent indiscriminately in large amounts, often for commercial purposes. Much of it is sent by botnets, networks of virus-infected computers, complicating the process of tracking down the spammers.
What is Computer Fraud?
Computer fraud is the act of using a computer to take or use electronic data, or to gain unlawful use of a computer or system to defraud people.
What is a Keylogger?
Keylogging is the action of recording (logging) the keys struck on a keyboard, typically covertly, so that the person using the keyboard is unaware that their actions are being monitored. Data can then be retrieved by the person operating the logging program. A keylogger can be either software or hardware.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is the illegal attempt to obtain sensitive and personal information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, often for malicious reasons, from people by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.