Information Technology and Ethics/Who commits cyber crimes?

Cyber criminals and laws

There are criminals who commit cyber crimes for different reasons. Some of them steal from companies and private citizens for financial gain, while others steal secrets from not only companies, governments and private citizens. Some of the perpetrators to disrupt the infrastructure of the government or company. The annual cost of computer crime in the US alone is $2 billion and rising. Hackers test the limits of information systems for the challenge of doing so. They have the most rudimentary-understanding of information and security systems. Some believe that hackers perform a service by exposing security risks. While crackers break into network and systems to deface websites, crash computers and networks, spread harmful programs and/or hateful messages.

Malicious insiders are employees or officers of a business, institution, or agency that conducts activities intended to cause harm to the organization. Malicious insiders not always employees, they can be consultants and contractors. It is difficult to detect and/or stop malicious insiders. They are authorized to access the systems they abuse. Most systems are vulnerable to these systems because they were designed to keep intruders out. Insiders know how the system work and how to bypass security systems. The organization may be able to take steps to reduce these attacks. Industrial spies steal trade secrets to gain competitive advantage. Hactivists and cyber-terrorist attack systems in order to promote their ideologies and intimidate governments in order to advance these goals.

Homeland Security Act of 2002 include provisions for the Cyber Security Enhancement Act which demanded life sentences for hackers that recklessly endanger lives. It allows for net surveillance to gather personal and private data without a court order. ISPs can turnover users’ records to law enforcement. The computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1984, 1987 and 1994 carries penalties that include fines and/or imprisonment,when you cover acts of fraudulent trespass, intentional destructive trespass, and reckless destructive trespass.