In this era of Computerization, everything happens at the click of the key board. While the world has shrunk incredibly because of this most fabulous technological revolution, there is also a flip side of the story. Of late we come across so many crimes where computers or the data generated therein played a key role.
The computer may be the victim of the crime on certain occasions, may be the tool instrumental for the occurrence of the crime and sometimes may be the witness to several crimes. Thus it is no doubt that the computer is engaged effectively in the perpetration of crimes of various hues.
Right from being catastrophic to causing just annoyance, computer crimes vary in their degree. An act of espionage through theft of vital data stored in a computer might wreak devastating havoc to national security. A company may run into rough weather in the case of commercial computer theft. A cracker\'s prank might not actually cause damage, but creates unnecessary annoyance.
The main motivation behind many of the computer crimes is the enormity of the kickbacks offered, while, social or political causes may also trigger such crimes. Often business interests and professional rivalry form the base for computer crimes. Furthermore, filthy mode of personal breach is committed causing harassment on the Internet. Sending threatening email messages and slandering people are on the rise.
Broadly classified, computer crimes are committed by way of breaches of Physical security (Protection of the physical building, computer, related equipment, and media), Personnel security (Protection of the people who work in any organization, and protection of computer equipment and data from these people and others outside the organization), Communications security (Protection of software and data, especially as it passes from computer to computer) and Operations security (Protection of the procedures used to prevent and detect security breaches, and the development of methods of prevention and detection).
Various techniques such as Dumpster Diving, Wiretapping and Eavesdropping, Masquerading, Software Piracy, Trap Doors, Trojan Horses, Viruses, Worms, Salamis, and Logic Bombs, Data Diddling, Password Sniffing, IP Spoofing, Tunneling, Superzapping, Traffic Analysis, Covert Channels, Sessions Hijacking etc., are commonly employed in computer related crimes.
By Dumpster diving, trashed materials are scavenged through and the materials required by the criminals are culled out and utilized. Unauthorized tapping of the information through network cabling constitutes Wiretapping, in simple sense. Whenever one strikes a computer key, an electronic impulse is sent into the immediate area. Catching up the electronic impulse is a sophisticated and intrinsic method of crime called Eavesdropping. Masquerading means usage of one person’s identity by another to gain access to a computer. Software piracy means copying and selling of application software breaching the copyright conditions. Trap Door allows program developers to bypass all of the security built into the program.
Trojan horses, viruses and worms cause frontal attack on the integrity of the data that is stored in systems and communicated across networks. Salamis and Logic Bombs are miniature creations of Trojan horses which cause petty manipulations. Data diddling means entry of false data or modification of correct entries already made to secure illegal benefits. By special programs criminals can track the password of alien users for personal and nefarious benefits and this is called Password Sniffing. Through Internet Protocol Spoofing, the attacker forges the addresses on the data packets he sends and misuses the system as though he is an authenticated client. Tunneling is transfer of unauthorized data to incompatible networks, more so illegitimately. If a cracker breaks into one user\'s account, he can solidly damage that user\'s files. Besides, criminals resort to superzapping, by which the utility program used in most IBM mainframes gets damaged.
Even the data that may sound ordinary may be valuable to a foreign or industrial spy. For example, program schedules of generals and other dignitaries help terrorists plan attacks against their victims. Transfer of such data is called Traffic analysis. Covert Channels means passage of stolen data via otherwise innocent output. Taking advantage of the fact that some systems don\'t disconnect immediately when a session is terminated, some unauthorized persons access the interrupted program, the process being jargoned as Sessions Hijacking.
Exposing the Internet´s vulnerabilities, electronic villains disrupted some of the Web´s most popular sites using dozens of powerful computers for spewing out a crippling flood of false data. Popular Internet sites like eBay, Amazon and CNN had also been the victims of such unprecedented attack.
The Computer Misuse Act, 1990 and the Data Protection Act 1998 have proved to be effective tools in checking the computer related crimes.