Computer Crime Example Persuasive Essay Example

like embezzlement, wire fraud, and forgery. However, new types of criminal activities like cyber vandalism, cyber terrorism, and cyber espionage are not adequately addressed by existing legal structures. As a result, certain unlawful behaviors that are clearly criminal cannot be legally pursued due to the limitations imposed by these laws. It is important to highlight that individuals who commit white collar crimes are mostly current or former employees of the affected organization.

Around 75 to 80 percent of computer crimes resulting in prosecution are carried out by current or former employees. These offenses span a wide range, including identity theft, sexual harassment, and other white collar crimes that utilize computers. The prevalent form of computer crime involves online theft and fraud. Unauthorized access to voicemail, email, and network accounts by individuals known as crackers or hackers constitutes the most common type of computer crime, falling under toll fraud or wire fraud. There is a significant demand among hackers, crackers, phone phreaks, and street criminals for long distance access codes.

Some cyber-criminals obtain the codes because they spend long hours pursuing their hobbies, running up massive phone bills. Others get the codes from pirate electronic bulletin boards, where they exchange them for free software, credit card numbers, or other information. Software piracy is a growing and seemingly insurmountable problem, even though it is against American Copyright Laws. Most software piracy occurs outside of the country.

Federal copyright laws in the United States are often inadequate when it comes to prosecuting American citizens. This was highlighted in the well-known case of David La Mach, a student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. La Mach distributed free software using

a bulletin board service on an M.I.T. computer. Following an FBI investigation, La Mach was charged in 1994 with conspiracy to commit fraud. The software he offered was estimated to be worth over one million dollars, but La Mach argued that he did not distribute it for financial gain and thus did not violate federal copyright laws. Ultimately, the case was dismissed.

The rise of identity theft as a computer crime has raised concerns due to the easy access to personal information online. This information can be acquired either for free or at a minimal cost. Moreover, computer systems store a wide range of personal details such as driver's license numbers, eye color, and height. Additionally, computers play a crucial role in reading magnetic strips on credit cards and ATM cards, as well as tracking daily transactions.

Similar to identity theft, other computer crimes have been around for a while, but now perpetrators utilize computers to carry them out. Money laundering, for instance, has been occurring for many decades. However, with the use of a computer, a money launderer can conduct the crime more efficiently and swiftly, just as computers enable legitimate workers to perform their jobs with greater speed and efficiency. There are various types of computer criminals; the term 'Hacker' refers to a highly skilled and clever individual in programming. This term later evolved to describe someone who is adept at infiltrating new systems without being detected.

Hackers are often motivated by curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, rather than having malicious intentions. However, their actions can inadvertently cause substantial harm. On the other hand, "crackers" refer to malevolent hackers who penetrate systems

with the aim of engaging in acts of vandalism, spreading viruses and worms, erasing files, or causing various forms of disorder. Crackers may also have goals such as theft, fraud, or industrial espionage. Consequently, cyber espionage is present both domestically and between corporations, thereby posing a risk to national security.

There is no denying the fact that another type of computer crime is committed by phone hackers. Instead of hacking into computer systems, these hackers explore the cyber world through phone lines. Phone hackers, also known as phrases, have been around since as early as the 1970s. One notable incident involving phrases occurred with the New York City Police Department when they broke into their phone system and altered the pre-recorded message for callers. The modified message humorously stated that officers were too occupied consuming doughnuts and coffee to answer the phones.

The text stresses the significance of computer security and the necessity for societal awareness and concern. It recommends dialing 119 in case of an emergency. With various computer crimes impacting global financial systems, national defenses, private enterprises, and personal communication, everyone is a user and relies on computers. It urges us not to view computer crime as something rare or unfamiliar since it poses a risk to every individual.