Hacking and cyber crime

Abstract

The human experience has found a new medium of communication. Nowadays we are living in an information era where our computer at home or at work is a portal to what lies beneath. What is exactly that lies beneath? There are not only new services and commodities beneath this portal but also new threats and crimes. I will introduce the subject by focusing on the impact of cyber crime as a new phenomenon and I will explain what cyber crime is. By referring to statistical data from surveys carried out abroad, I will demonstrate that this threat is real, increasing and of an international character. Cyber crime is a very vast area and I decided to focus my first chapter on computer generated crimes and hence hacking. I will give an exhaustive study of hacking starting from its history, different forms and also its related activities. What are countries all around the world doing to deal with this new threat? The following chapter will give an overview of how different legislations are handling cyber crime. The main focus here being the United States and the United Kingdom. I will also discuss Malta's new Computer Misuse Bill. Quite obviously apart from excellent laws, one also needs a special task force or law enforcement to curb this crime. In the following chapter, I will deal with new solutions and new units like Norway's OKOKRIM and USA's National Infrastructure Protection Centre which handle this type of crime. Many are of the idea that even though you have a flawless piece of legislation and specialised personnel, it is not enough to curb this new crime. As a result, as shown in cases like the Rome Lab's case, there also has to be co-operation and mutual assistance to fight effectively against a crime which knows no borders and is of an international character. The conclusion will be discussing cyber crime as a form of organised crime and also as a potential key element of international criminal organisations. What is the United Nations doing regarding this matter? What else can be done?