Criminalistics Characteristic of Cybercrimes’ Committers
Date: October 15, 2003Source: Computer Crime Research Center
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... the professional orientation of some specialties and posts equipped with automated computer working places, which are often taken by women (secretary, book-keeper, economist, manager, controller, cashier and so on).
Criminological researches show:
- Fixed offenders had a special training in the field of automated computer processing of information (2%);
- Officials of state establishments and organizations, which used computer systems and information technologies in their everyday activity (97%);
- Directly connected with operating means of computing techniques (30%).
Organization officials taking up main posts also commit computer crimes. Experts note that organization directors commit over 25% computer crimes. Modern managers as a rule are experts of a high level, possess sufficient computer training and professional knowledge, have an access to wide information and can give instructions but do not directly response for the computer system operation.
V.Bekhov singles out three separate groups of computer criminals:
- Persons characterized by fixed combination of the professionalism in the sphere of computing technique and programming with elements of peculiar fanaticism and inventiveness;
- Persons suffering from a new kind of psychic diseases – information illness or computer phobia;
- Professional computer criminals with pronounced mercenary purposes [10].
While studying special literature on problems of computer security, we have taken note of the division of all computer professionals into two groups: hackers and crackers. In fact, they occupy themselves with searching vulnerable places in computing systems and attacking the given systems (“breakings”). However, the “hacker” mainly aims at revealing weak places in the computer security system and informing users and system developers in order to eliminate detected defects, make suggestions on its improvement [11]. “Hacker” in many cases means a gifted law-obedient programmer [12].
This category is divided into subgroups: computer hooligans, electronic corsairs and so on. They considerably enjoy overcoming difficulties in technical (program) protection – passwords of access to the computer. The more sophisticated its system is the more attractive it is for hackers.
“Crackers” break computer systems to gain unauthorized access to smb. else's information. The motives can be different: rowdy-dowdy incentives, mischief, revenge, self-interest, industrial and other espionage and so on.
In addition depending on the kind of activity subjects of illegal access to computer information can be divided into:
- Frickers – people specialized in using telephone systems to avoid the payment for telecommunication services;
- Carders pay their expenses with other's credit cards;
- Collectors collect and use computer program products, intercept various passwords and also phone call codes and numbers of phone companies having an access to computer networks of general application for example Internet;
- Cyber-crows – deliberate offenders specialized in penetrating into computer systems of financial, banking payments. They use computer technologies to get numbers of credit cads and other valuable information for the purpose of profits. They often sell obtained information to third persons;
- Computer pirates are specialized in illegally breaking protective systems of licensed computer program products distributed then at prices, which are noticeably lower than those of legal manufacturers.
Professional computer criminals with pronounced mercenary purpose form the most dangerous group. According to experts, they commit about 79% all crimes, which are connected with stealing material values at especially large rates and most malfeasances. These persons can be characterized as highly skilled experts with high juridical, technical and economical education. They know computing technique perfectly well, master programming, their actions are accompanied by excellent disguise. This category of criminals is the most dangerous for the society and government.
Terrorist organizations more often use new information technologies and Internet for the criminal purpose. Such terrorist groups as Hezbollah, HAMAS, Abu Nidal and Bin Laden's al Qaeda use computer files, e-mail and ways of coding (cryptography and computer stenography) to support their unlawful activities. Though terrorists did not use cyber-weapon on destination, they apply new information technologies and computer process achievements and it is already a warning of danger. Cyber-terrorism using up-to-date information technologies first of Internet to attack important state infrastructures (such as power, transport and governmental ones) can soon become a real menace to the national security of developed world countries.
Some foreign special services have applied for a long time modern computer technologies to obtain an access to state secrets and confidential information. Commercial and industrial espionage deals with obtaining information of commercial and industrial character.
The use of Internet on purpose of fraud is now one of the most extended varieties of cyber-crimes, which both private and state structures fight against. There are thousand websites, which are engaged in distributing exclusively unlicensed (piratical) products.
Crimes connected with distributing harmful programs for computing technique make up 19,7% the whole number of computer offences. Disks containing harmful programs are chiefly distributed by selling piratical software. Such disks usually include different sets of programs designed to break computer systems and harmful programs – viruses and program bookmarks as well.
It is important that law enforcement agencies would study the nature of these crimes and fight against deliberate offenders with their weapon – Internet. Now Ukraine takes measures to assure constitutional rights of people concerning the protection of information and guarantee of information security, creation of favorable conditions for preventing and fighting against cyber-crimes. Crimes committed by using computer technologies admit no borders; therefore, traditional ways of revealing and fighting against cyber-crimes are not sufficiently effective. The further study of criminological problems of computer crimes, scientific search of effective ways of increasing information security by improving organizational-legal protection of information in computer systems, a solving of problems of prevention and investigation of computer crimes, training of experts (law-protectors) are actual in this context.
Taking into consideration of what has been mentioned above it can be concluded that a singling out of different categories of computer criminals, knowledge of their main features allow optimizing the process of revealing persons among which it would be purposeful to search a criminal, that is prove guilty of a concrete wrongdoer.
The knowledge of personal properties of criminal subjects will allow operative workers, inspectors to reveal and investigate such crimes, to determine the tactics of interrogation, criminalistics operations in due time.
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