Lamiya Marsh
Cyber Crimes
DeVry University
Professor Kent

Cyber Crimes

This week we are learning about internet crimes or cybercrimes which are crimes conducted on the internet or computer network, because we live in such a technological advanced world the threat of cybercrimes has grown. Internet laws have been put in place and established to ensure internet protection. Now you may think cybercrimes are not as severe as most but indeed they are; some cybercrimes are harmless but others can carry on felony charges.
There are three categories of a internet crimes which are 1. Crimes against a person 2. Crimes against property 3. Crimes against the Government
Let’s dig deeper into these categories. Crimes against a person are acts such as harassment whether in person or via email. This is where the terms grooming and cyber stalking come into play. Examples of crimes against a person consist of child pornography and identity theft. If a adult chats or lures a minor into sexual acts this is called grooming. Now to talk about property theft which is not in reference a car or house but bank accounts. The way this scam works is a person receives an email asking for help and request you to transfer funds from another country. Another example of a property theft is trespass and identity theft.
Cybercrimes against the Government include cyber terrorism which is threats toward the government usually for military secrets and hacking into government websites. So what is in place to protect us from these? CAN SPAM Act of 2003, which is a law to protect email users from criminals who try to obtain passwords and other information illegally. CAN SPAM Act establishes rules for commercial messages such as announcing a new product, under this act I must comply with the law. The requirements for CAN SPAM Act are: 1. Not using false or misleading header information 2. Do not use deceptive subject lines 3. If your message is an ad you must state it. 4. Must provide address 5. Must tell recipients how to opt out of emails 6. Must honor opt outs 7. Monitor what others are doing for you. (ex. Hiring an email marketing team) You may ask how does cybercrimes relate to the business world? Around 2005 a man named Albert Gonzales , the first hacker was convicted 20 years in prison for stealing 90 million worth or credit and debit cards from TJ Maxx. Gonzales was a US Secret Service informant and made $75,000 a year, so his reasoning for his committed crime is unknown. Later in 2008 Gonzales called his operation get rich or die trying. The operation consisted of a packet sniffer to retrieve the card information. The information was then relayed to Ukraine and Latriva. Gonzales was captured in 2008 and pleaded computer addiction and Asperger’s disorder which didn’t go far in court and was fined $25,000.
So how does a company protect itself and how do you protect yourself in the work environment? One thing to know is that using credit cards is the only way to have your identity stolen. Use company websites that have internet security protocols when shopping online. Create online passwords that are not easy to guess, contain both numbers and letters and change regularly. Sometimes people use the same password for all of their online accounts, but this is not wise, as it gives potential hackers access to everything you do online if they accurately decode your favorite password. Another source of identity that you have to protect is your social security number which corrupts your credit, so for things such as a car and house you are unable to get. Unlike your ID card or license your social security cars is something you do not need to carry with you everywhere you go it should be placed in a safe place, the only place you will need your social is perhaps for a job. Your garbage can be an invaluable resource to identity thieves. Make sure you carefully shred all potential items that could help them acquire your financial information. This includes credit application copies, insurance forms, statements from physicians, checks, credit cards you no longer use and bank statements. Always shred credit offers as well.

References
Cyber Crime Stories You Will Not Believe - A Look at some cyber criminals and the results of their actions. (n.d.). Find Science & Technology Articles, Education Lesson Plans, Tech Tips, Computer Hardware & Software Reviews, News and More at Bright Hub. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/internet/security-privacy/articles/74653.aspx?cid=parsely_rec
Henry R. Cheeseman. (2013). Business Law, VitalSource for DeVry University. 8th Edition. Pearson Learning Solutions.