NCJ Number
14453
Date Published
1973
Length
140 pages
Annotation
OVERVIEW OF THE PROBLEM OF ACTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPUTERS AND DATA COMMUNICATION IN WHICH VICTIMS SUFFER OR COULD HAVE SUFFERED LOSS, INJURY, OR DAMAGE.
Abstract
A GENERAL VIEW OF COMPUTER ABUSE--TECHNICAL, LEGAL, AND SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES--IS PRESENTED. IT IS THE FIRST ATTEMPT TO DOCUMENT AND DEFINE THE PROBLEM, BASED ON A TYPOLOGY OF REPORTED CASES AND INVESTIGATION IN DETAIL OF SEVERAL OF THEM. THE PURPOSE OF THE REPORT IS TO ALERT BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT USERS OF COMPUTERS AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH COMMUNITY OF THE SERIOUSNESS, EXTENT, AND POTENTIAL OF COMPUTER ABUSE AS A NEW AND EMERGING SOCIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEM. BEGINNING WITH A DISCUSSION OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND ABUSE, THE DOCUMENT PRESENTS A TYPOLOGY AND MODELS OF COMPUTER ABUSE. FOUR BRIEF STUDIES ARE DESCRIBED CONCERNING BANK EMBEZZLEMENT BY COMPUTER, COMPUTER ABUSE IN GOVERNMENT, MULTI-ACCESS COMPUTER ABUSE, AND CONSUMER AND BUSINESS COMPUTER FRAUD. LEGAL ASPECTS AND THE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF COMPUTER RELATED CRIME ARE EXAMINED AND THE FUTURE OF COMPUTER ABUSE IS PREDICTED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A REPORT OF THE FIRST NATIONAL INVITATIONAL CONFERENCE ON COMPUTER ABUSE, A BRIEF SURVEY OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMER ETHICS AND HONESTY, AND, SUMMARIES OF 148 CASES OF REPORTED COMPUTER ABUSE THAT FORM THE BASIS FOR A CONTINUING STUDY BY STANFORD RESEARCH INSTITUTE.