Cyber Crime and your Business

What is Cyber Crime?

Article 1

In this issue and issues that follow of SJK's Helpful Hints, I will address a series on Cyber Crimes.

I will be covering issues such as:
1. What is Cyber Crime?
2. The Effects of Cyber Crime on your Business
3. Protecting your Business from Cyber Crime

What is Cyber Crime?

Criminal Activity

Cybercrime
is a term used broadly to describe criminal activity in which computers or networks are used to enable unlawful activity.

Some examples:

• Hacking, child pornography, hate crimes, telemarketing/Internet fraud
• Employee Theft
• Spamming and copyright infringement
• Unauthorized access to a network, malicious code or viruses attacks, and denial-of-service attacks
• Identity theft
• Online gambling and securities fraud
• Cyberstalking or harassment
• Sabotage

Why & How does this happen?

You have to watch the emails you open, the web sites you surf because every aspect of the Internet has changed: e-mail, e-commerce and communication. You have to be aware of viruses, trojans and people/scammers that are always trying to sell or steal something from you.

Newbies (first time or occasional Internet users) are connecting to the Internet daily and the numbers are growing by 8 - 10% each month. This creates millions of new targets for the cyber thieves. You might think, "Why do they continue to send me this junk?" and "who's falling for this?" It's the newbies. They have never seen the false ads about the little girl with cancer, a friend just sent you an online card, or take a survey and get a free Ipod. So unfortunately for all the Internet users, there are constantly new targets for the cyberthieves and they will send these emails to any and everyone just to see who they can get.

The most dangerous aspect is that the Internet or the worldwide web is making it possible for thieves to steal your account information and profit from it.

Organizations that have employees or contractors that have access to customers' credit card information have to take extraordinary measures to protect their data. It has become much easier for Cyber thieves to gather account information and distribute it over the web for profit..