Computer Crime

White-collar crime, specifically computer crime, is becoming more popular as computers become more readily available. Crimes using computers and crimes against computers are usually committed without fear of being caught, due to the detachment of the offender from the victim. Computer crime is defined as, “Criminal activity directly related to the use of computers, specifically illegal trespass into the computer system or database of another, manipulation or theft of stored or on-line data, or sabotage of equipment and data.”. People who commit these crimes are of a wide variety. Cyber-criminals can be put in seven categories. Pranksters perpetrate tricks on others. They generally do not intend any particular or long-lasting harm. Hackers explore computer systems for education, out of curiosity, to achieve idealized social justice, or to compete with their peers. They may be attempting to gain the use of a more powerful computer, gain respect from fellow hackers, build a reputation, or gain acceptance as an expert without formal education. Malicious hackers intend on causing loss to satisfy some antisocial motives or just for fun. Many computer virus creators and distributors fall into this category. Personal problem solvers often cause serious loss in their pursuit of a solution to their own personal problems. They may turn to crime after conventional problem-solving methods fail, or they may see crime as a quick and easy way to solve their problems. “They generally believe that the victim of the crime is rich enough to afford the loss and would not miss what was taken or used. Disgruntled employees, angry about being fired or not receiving a raise they felt they deserved, have also been known to “even the score” with their company by disrupting their computer networks or program functionality fall into this category”(7). • Career criminals: These individuals earn part or all of their income from crime, although they do not necessarily engage in crime as a

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