Kenneth C. Laudon,Jane P. Laudon Management Information System 12th Edition pdf

computer crime

as well. For example, in early July 2009, U.S. federal agents arrested Sergey

Aleynikov, a computer programmer at investment banking firm Goldman

Sachs, for stealing proprietary computer programs used in making lucrative

rapid-fire trades in the financial markets. The software brought Goldman many

millions of dollars of profits per year and, in the wrong hands, could have been

used to manipulate financial markets in unfair ways. Computer crime is

defined by the U.S. Department of Justice as “any violations of criminal law

that involve a knowledge of computer technology for their perpetration, inves-

tigation, or prosecution.” Table 8-2 provides examples of the computer as a

target of crime and as an instrument of crime.

No one knows the magnitude of the computer crime problem—how many

systems are invaded, how many people engage in the practice, or the total

economic damage. According to the 2009 CSI Computer Crime and Security

Survey of 500 companies, participants’ average annual loss from computer crime

and security attacks was close to $234,000 (Computer Security Institute, 2009).

Many companies are reluctant to report computer crimes because the crimes may

involve employees, or the company fears that publicizing its vulnerability will

hurt its reputation. The most economically damaging kinds of computer crime are

TABLE 8-2

EXAMPLES OF COMPUTER CRIME

COMPUTERS AS TARGETS OF CRIME

Breaching the confidentiality of protected computerized data

Accessing a computer system without authority

Knowingly accessing a protected computer to commit fraud

Intentionally accessing a protected computer and causing damage, negligently or deliberately

Knowingly transmitting a program, program code, or command that intentionally causes damage to a

protected computer

Threatening to cause damage to a protected computer

COMPUTERS AS INSTRUMENTS OF CRIME

Theft of trade secrets

Unauthorized copying of software or copyrighted intellectual property, such as articles, books, music, and

video

Schemes to defraud

Using e-mail for threats or harassment

Intentionally attempting to intercept electronic communication

Illegally accessing stored electronic communications, including e-mail and voice mail

Transmitting or possessing child pornography using a computer

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Chapter 8

Securing Information Systems 

301

DoS attacks, introducing viruses, theft of services, and disruption of computer sys-

tems.

I d e n t i t y   T h e f t

With the growth of the Internet and electronic commerce, identity theft has

become especially troubling.