The topic of cybercrime has received an immense amount of coverage in recent years, with the media, law enforcers, and governments all doing their bit to bring the issue to our attention. For those unfamiliar with the term, the concept of cybercrime covers a wide range of crimes and abuses relating to information technology, with the most commonly reported incidents being those involving hackers and computer viruses. Although the last few years have witnessed an explosion of interest in the area, the problem of computer crime is not new, and there have been incidents that could be placed in this bracket since the early days of computing. The difference now is the increased scope available to would-be attackers largely due to the popularity of the Internet. The numerous benefits offered by the Internet and, in its turn, the World Wide Web have now led to their widespread public adoption. At the same time, however, the increased usage has served to fuel interest in the accompanying problems and it seems that not a day goes by without a cybercrime incident of some sort being reported. This book is intended as an introduction to the topic of cybercrime and considers the significance and impacts of the issue in the context of modern society. The chapters that follow examine the various forms in which cybercrime may be encountered and present numerous examples of incidents that have already occurred.
Chapter 1 sets the scene for subsequent discussion by tracing the origins of the so-called "information society" and introducing the technologies that have put us where we are today. The discussion also establishes our increasingly widespread dependence upon information technologies, and the problems that can consequently be encountered when things go wrong. The chapter concludes by identifying the basic principles of IT security principles that are basically disregarded and undermined by cybercriminals.
Chapter 2 proceeds to define the problem of cybercrime, considering the ways in which it has previously been classified by other sources. The scale of the problem is then assessed, based upon a consideration of recent survey results in the area. The chapter concludes with some examples of how cybercrime can manifest itself in practice, considering some real incidents that have occurred in recent years.
Chapter 3 is the first of two chapters focusing upon issues relating to computer hackers. It begins by considering potential definitions of hacking and then examines various aspects that can be considered to constitute the hacker "culture." The discussion also considers the emergence of celebrity figures from the hacker community and the effect that this may have upon public perception.
Chapter 4 continues with the hacking theme, and proceeds to look at the methods that are often employed in the attack and compromise of systems. Common forms of attack, such as denial of service and web site defacement are considered, along with less technically-oriented methods that also form part of the hackers repertoire. A significant theme of the discussion is the relative ease with which Internet systems can now be targeted, using automated tools that enable even comparative novices to get involved.
Chapter 5 moves on from hackers to consider another significant aspect of cybercrime namely the problems of viruses and other forms of malicious software, collectively known as "malware." The different manifestations of malware are examined, followed by consideration of a series of examples of specific malware incidents that have been encountered in practice. These combine to show the various negative effects that can be unleashed by suitably motivated individuals.
Chapter 6 moves away from examining specific categories of cybercrime to consider how the issues discussed in previous chapters have impacted upon various aspects of society. Some specific perspectives considered here are the effects upon organizations, implications and responses from the legal system, and the attitudes and awareness of the general public in relation to cybercrime issues.
Chapter 7 considers the commercial and political evolution of the computer hacker, looking at ways in which techniques such as system penetration are now being applied in a variety of contexts other than those that are purely criminal. These include the hiring of hacker expertise as a means of legitimately testing systems and the application of hacking skills in the context of warfare. Politically motivated applications of hacker techniques are also considered, with the examination of issues such as "hacktivism" and "cyberterrorism."
Chapter 8 concludes the overall discussion, by briefly considering the ways in which cybercrime may evolve in the future. It also presents summary information in relation to preventative measures, which is geared towards those readers who, having read the earlier material, are interested in looking at potential means of securing their systems. A glossary of terms and list of supporting sources is provided at the end of the book.
It is hoped that the material presented here will be of interest to a broad audience, including business professionals, students and any other members of the general public who come into regular contact with information technology. Readers are not required to have any prior knowledge of computer security or any detailed understanding of information technology itself. A general familiarity with using PC systems and their applications will be of assistance in relating to some elements of the discussion, although this should not be regarded as essential, and computer novices should still be able to come away with a good level of understanding. Attempts have been made to ensure that the examples are presented in an appropriate level of detail, without over-simplifying the nature of the activities involved. At the same time, however, specific technical details are avoided in many cases to make the material as accessible as possible for non-experts.
The book does not aim to provide any sort of guide for would-be cybercriminals to learn from. It will not teach you how to hack or commit other forms of cybercrime and abuse. The omission of technical details in many of the examples again aims to reduce the risk of copycat activities here. Conversely, the discussion also says very little in relation to safeguarding systems against the various types of threat although some sections, particularly in Chapter 8, do offer elements of general advice. The overall intention of this book is to draw attention to the cybercrime problem and the forms it may take, and to offer some thoughts regarding its implications for society as a whole.
Given the range of examples presented in the book, a great many of them are not drawn directly from personal experience. As a result, where examples are cited from elsewhere, references are provided to indicate the original sources from which information was obtained. Where the original sources are media reports, attempts have been made to check the accuracy of any claims, by cross-referencing the details with other articles or reports. As such, it is hoped that the details presented can be considered factual and reliable. It must also be observed that trying to write a book about cybercrime is very much like trying to hit a moving target. The daily occurrence of new incidents means that, within a relatively short period of time, new aspects of the problem are likely to have emerged that will not be reflected in these pages. Nonetheless, it is hoped that the discussion will help people to appreciate the breadth of the cybercrime issue, to understand that it is not necessarily as black and white as it may sometimes be presented and that, occasionally, even those people cast as cybercriminals may have valid perspectives to offer.
Acknowledgments
The topic of cybercrime is one that I have long found fascinating and it is a problem that has underscored much of the computer security research that I have performed and supervised in recent years. Although this research has led me to write a number of papers about cybercrime and related issues, I never felt that these offered the scope to explore the topic in enough detail particularly in relation to the societal implications. This book is, therefore, my attempt to provide a more comprehensive discussion of the issue.
It has been a fairly long process and there are several people that I wish to thank. I must begin by acknowledging the help and support that I received from staff at Pearson Education. In particular, thanks are owed to Alison Birtwell, who was my initial contact and provided advice and encouragement when I originally approached her with the idea for this book, and Michael Strang, who subsequently provided invaluable help and advice throughout the writing process.
A number of people provided input and opinions regarding the content of the book and helped to ensure that I did not stray too far away from my intended topics. Special thanks are owed to Bogdan Ghita, Paul Dowland, Maria Papadaki, Dr. Michael Evans and Professor Peter Sanders for their useful and insightful comments on the early drafts and for giving up their spare time to read them. I would also like to thank other members of the Network Research Group for their continual support during the writing period.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the support of my parents, who always believed I would get the book finished, despite my frequent claims to the contrary.
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