NCJ Number
89349
Date Published
1983
Length
357 pages
Annotation
This book considers the nature and extent of computer crime and abuse, computer crime methods, types of computer criminals, ethical conflicts in computing, computer crime in the law, and future vulnerabilities and risk reduction.
Abstract
The analysis of the computer crime problem and remedies are organized in the book by describing the research methodology used, explaining the data base of reported computer crimes collected, and by spanning four dimensions of the problem. Computer crime and its control are examined first by the criminal methods used. They include sabotage; piggybacking and impersonation, with piggybacking being a method for gaining entry to controlled access areas when control is accomplished by electronically or mechanically locked doors and impersonation being the acquiring of those characteristics required to gain access to a system; changing data before or during their input to computers or during output from a computer; the unauthorized use of utility computer programs to modify, destroy, copy, disclose, insert, use, or deny use of data stored in a computer; unauthorized listening in on others' communications; and compromising the functions of a computer program. Secondly, a distinction is made between the different categories of perpetrators, from amateur crooks to foreign powers, including a new type of criminal, the 'system hacker,' usually a student, who uses partial computer knowledge to compromise systems as a game to test his skills. The third dimension considered is the ethical behavior of technologists as seen by 35 thoughtful leaders in the computer field and other specialists. The fourth dimension of computer crime examined concerns the inadequacy of the law and the reforms that are needed. The concluding chapter identifies future vulnerabilities of computer systems and recommends ways to reduce risk. The ultimate secure computer network of the future is portrayed. The appendix lists ethics workshop participants, and about 40 references are included along with a subject index.