A
Closer Look at Cyber Crooks by: grace V. planas
I work from my home, the most peaceful
workplace I can think of so far. As a Homemaker and part time Freelance
Writer, I submit articles and subscribe to various respectable writing
newsletters and do endless research online. But before signing up, I read
privacy policies, some brief while others boringly lengthy.
I am just one among millions of unknown
but honest Internet users. Why, to my mind, would I worry so much about
anyone in the Internet community making me a target for nasty tricks or
harassments?
Nonetheless, I feel safe just knowing
that the websites that interest me run a committed sense of policy on security.
But when my computer screen started
flashing as if gasping for air and slowly died down months ago, I blamed
electric current fluctuations. But when my files disappeared and my computer
turned alarmingly uncooperative, I referred the case to the expert, my
husband.
For the first time, I was hit by
a computer virus.
It was not as simple as unplugging
the computer connection, sleeping on it for a few days while a computer
surgeon works on the damage so everything could be good as new.
I saw months of hard work on research,
completed manuscripts stashed in my hard disk, long hours spent online,
time, money, and effort my spouse has invested in setting up the whole
system, all go down the drain and turn into nothingness.
Going through the process of repair
and reconstruction is painfully tedious, time consuming, and costly.
I was angry. I took it as an attack
on my person. The perpetrator has no heart.
A series of disturbing yet quite
interesting cyber intrusions that followed prodded me to quench my curiosity
and do a personal research on what inspires the behavior behind the waste
of skill, time and resources involved in these damaging cyber pursuits
and other elctronic petty crimes that make life miserable for honest internet
users.
CYBER OFFENDERS
Anyone who enters your home without
your consent is committing an offense theoretically. Your computer system
is an extension of your boundaries and must not be infringed. When someone
gains unauthorized access to your computer in any manner or utilizes the
computer technology in performing a felony, he/she commits a cyber crime.
The Hacker is always the first person
that comes to mind in relation to cyberspace violations. After all, who
else can be as knowledgeable and bold enough to break into someone else’s
computer system?
Hackers used to have nobler objectives
for their being. In the earlier days of the Computer technology, they were
the computer experts/geniuses who tested computer systems, with the owners’
consent, for loopholes and recommended better programs or fixed the errors
themselves to frustrate any effort to exploit the defective system by more
dangerous ‘creatures.’ They even had the Hackers’ Code of Ethics.
There are two types of Hackers: The
Ethical Pros, the highly skilled professionals who hire out their skills
to organizations concerned about their own network’s safety. They represent
Hackers of earlier generation. The other type is the CyberRambos or plain
crackers-despised by the Elite Hackers, Crackers crack/break systems for
superficial reasons. (UC San Diego Psycho. Dept.: Computer & Network
Resources)
But by what many Hackers have become
these days, it is difficult to ascribe their destructive behaviors to nobility
instead of outright violation.
And by whatever name they are called,
these cyber felons have become simply faceless and nameless ‘hackers’ to
their victims.
ON MOTIVES
An online article by David Benton
entitled: ‘What’s Inside a Cracker?’ from SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network,
Security) Information Security Reading Room, states seven psychological
profiles of malicious hackers as documented by Canadian Psychologist Marc
Rogers M.A., Graduate Studies, Dept. of psychology, university of Manitoba
and a former Police Computer Crimes Investigator:
Newbie/Tool Kit (NT): new to hacking,
have limited computer/programming proficiencies; rely on ready-made pieces
of software (tool kits) that are readily available in the Internet;
Internals (IT): disgruntled employees
or ex-employees proficient in how the company’s internal systems work;
Coders (CD) and Virus Writers: programmers
who’d like to see themselves as elite; they write codes but not for personal
use. They have their own networks to experiment with “zoos.” They leave
to others to introduce their codes into the “wild” or Internet. (Hacker
Psych 101 by Jeremy Quittner);
Cyber-Punks (CP): antisocial geeks,
the most visible, socially inept, and burdened with unresolved anger that
they take into cyberspace; they relate better to computers than humans
and have better computer skills and some programming capabilities; capable
of writing their own software, they intentionally engage in malicious acts
such as defacing web pages, spamming, credit card number theft, etc.;
Old Guard Hackers (OG): have no criminal
intent in its real sense but display an alarming disrespect for personal
property with great interest in intellectual endeavo;.
Professional Criminals (PC) and Cyber
Terrorists (CT): most dangerous; They are professional criminals and ex-intelligence
operatives who are guns for hire. They specialize in corporate espionage,
are extremely well trained and have access to state of the art equipments;
Further, Rogers pointed out that
not all Hackers are criminals. He has categorized them as follows: (Jeremy
Quittner, Hacker Psych 101);
Old School Hackers: akin to the 1960s
style computer programmers from Stanford MIT for whom it is an honor to
be a hacker; interested in analyzing systems with no criminal intent; they
believe the Internet was designed to be an open system;
Script Kiddies/ Cyber –Punks: wannabe
hackers and crackers; use other Cracking programs carelessly with the intent
to vandalize and corrupt systems; often caught red-handed because they
brag their exploits online.
Professional Criminals: breaking
into systems and selling information Is their livelihood; they get hire
for espionage; often have ties with organized Criminal groups; not interested
in disrupting systems but more on stealing intelligence data;
The list of motives is endless: boredom,
illicit thrill, addiction, blackmail or low self esteem, and a desperate
need for recognition from the hacker peer group, all cowardly performed
under the protection of anonymity.
“Underlying the psyche of criminal
hackers may be a deep sense of inferiority. The mastery of the computer
technology or the shut down of a major site causing millions of dollars
of damage is real power trip.” (J. Quittner, Hacker Psych 101, Hackers:
Computer Outlaws)
Jarrold M. Post, a George Washington
University Psychiatrist says: It’s (Hackers) a population that takes refuge
in computers because of their problems sustaining real world relationships.”
The less information you share in
the Internet the better. But as computer wizards, Hackers will always find
ways to reconstruct your identity even with very little details in their
possession.
However, there are varied ways by
which you, a legitimate Internet user can be protected. Know the warning
signs and get educated on how to thwart any attempt to victimize you. Don’t
take the wired blows sitting down.
“Constant awareness and updating
of knowledge is the best defense to any attack,” wrote Shayne Gregg, CA
(NZ), CISA, CMC, in ‘A Response to Recent Cyber Attacks.’ (Information
Systems Audit & Control Association InfoBytes)
I recommend The Complete Idiot’s
Guide to: Protecting Yourself Online by Preston Gralla, Executive Editor,
ZDNet. It is comprehensive, easy to understand, and a must for every Internet
user’s library.
HACKERS, CYBERPUNKS, et al
Cyber Crime is not monopolized by
hackers or crackers. The pedophile, thief or drug dealer in your community
who hire computer experts to carry out their illegal activities online
are as guilty and despicable.
Just like the criminals roaming out
in the real world, Cyber felons are a bunch of psychologically imbalanced
and misguided citizens who happen to have the dexterity to commit electronic
transgressions or hire a computer expert to do the job and will never get
enough despite their Cyber Glory and ‘conquests.’
Still the tendency to commit a crime
lies hidden in wholesome images, while the unsuspecting is often caught
by surprise. What you don’t see is sometimes what you get.
Hackers cannot be strictly stereotyped.
Peter Shipley, Chief Security architect for the Big Five firm KPMG avers:
“I know a lot of hackers, including one who spends an hour and a half in
the gym everyday. He is built. I know of women who are knock-down gorgeous
who are hackers.”
No Exceptions
Whenever high tech-crazed folks travel
through your wires to make your computer system malfunction, steal your
identity or get paid to give you trouble, it’s a sign that you do not take
the needed precaution whenever you log in.
When I asked myself quietly back
then “Why me?” I guess the reply would be “And why not?” As with most inventions,
the Internet is being abused and mishandled. And as always, a helpless
victim completes the drama.
Anyone can be a casualty at random
regardless if one is honest, educated, high profile, residing at the far
end of the globe or a Stay-at-Home- Mom working hard and peacefully from
her abode.
Hackers won’t care how his/her prey
will feel.
But I am still hoping that such an
impressive brainwork will be put to good use by present day hackers, just
how their predecessors intended Hacking to be used.
About The Author
Grace V. Planas is Filipino Chinese
living in the Philippines, a Homemaker and part time Freelance Writer.
Formerly a Contributing Writer to Working Woman Magazine-Philippines, she
writes poetry, psychology/self help, and informative as well as inspirational
pieces based on research, personal and other people’s experiences. She
has had articles published in various Writing/Literary websites and continually
submits works online. Read more of her other articles at: www.geocities.com/my_hearts_haven/index
Email: grace21857@netscape.net
Courtesy of http://www.ArticleCity.com/
