Cybercrime trends and prevention strategies

Cyber Crime

Purpose & Audience

Organization of the Paper

Forms of Online Abuse and Crime

Social and Economic Impact of Online Crimes

Likely Victims of Cyber and Internet Scam

Youth

Elderly People

Financial Institutions

Government, Health Care, and Academic Organizations

The cybercrime classification framework (CCF) will help in making cybercrime language formal and the results of this framework will be consistent within specified jurisdictions & remain consistent around the globe. This type of framework will help the authorities worldwide to better communicate and cooperate between certain jurisdictions. This framework will also enhance compatibility between reporting agencies of international or national cybercrime, which will allow a very true representation of incidence of cybercrime to be accepted and realized throughout the globe.

By using CCF summarized in this article, Stabek et al. identified seven types of scams with 4 key processes of scammer business. This information can use specialized law enforcement agencies and cyber crime and fraud task force in its recognition, tracking and monitoring of cyber crime and contributions to the cyber crime investigation methods, the use of blend.

Victimization in society results from many types of harmful behaviors committed by individuals or groups against other people. Behaviors considered negligent or abusive, or that otherwise are considered criminal in a particular place, often depends on the amount of harm inflicted, the technological means employed, and existing laws that forbid specific activities. Technological means used to commit cyber crimes refers to a combination of networked systems, hardware devices, software tools, and methods that people use on the Internet. (Wall 2007) Modern information technology (it) hardware like computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), cellular phones, and gaming devices can be used offline (in standalone mode), online, or wirelessly, from private or public places, in ways that are not easily recognized as illegal and that transcend more the one geopolitical or legal jurisdiction. In addition, illicit use of computing devices can facilitate many forms of traditional in-person crimes.

Purpose & Audience

The purpose of this article is to identify a cyber-crime classification framework which is necessary these days because of the increasing diversity of the reporting procedures and classifications which are ununiformed. Due to this gap, the authorities are unable to produce valid and reliable decisions. In this article, Stabek et al. has developed a classification framework for cybercrime which will play a vital role in developing transnational, inter-jurisdictional and global approach for identifying, intercepting and prosecuting cyber criminals through valid and reliable proofs.

The objective set for this study was to develop a classification model for detection of various types of scams that prevail in the international online world of cybercrime. Dictionary inconsistencies in the network of crime is often reported as a focal point behind cross-border cooperation and the consistent increase in thin cross-border crime incidents on the network to investigate the cause for failure. This in turn leads to congestion of law enforcement and industry resources.

Methodology adopted by Stabel et al. consists of content analysis of some scam descriptions. A sample of more than 250 scam descriptions was selected by Stabek et al. In which there was 35 scamming categories and around 80 static features which were derived from the sample. Since the sample for this research was too large, Stabek reduced the sample size from 35 categories to 7 scam types having 4 top scamming functions using discriminant function and hierarchical cluster analysis.

Organization of the Paper

This article is divided into 6 parts; motivation, the motivation behind this study was discussed, the report of the analysis, in which a network of crime statistics and crime reporting agencies and networks between the comparative study presented an overview of the method, where in the approach is organized, the results, including a detailed survey results, discussion, and the results are present here, the significance of the research is considered to be a comprehensive discussion, conclusions, in making a final note.

This is a review and analysis of the article titled "The Seven Scam Types: Mapping the Terrain of Cybercrime." In this article, the Stabek et al. has talked about seven different types of scams which the cyber criminals use mostly. The article ends up with development of a classification framework for cybercrime which was applied in the selected samples of scam incidences. Additionally, this article provides some recommendations about the prevention of cybercrimes. Results produced by Stabek et al. have certain ramnifications to the current status of cyber crime classification, scams, research, analysis, etc. This research also offers some practical implications for applications and business processes adopted by cyber criminals and scammers.

Forms of Online Abuse and Crime

Cyber?

crime classification framework (CCF) can be extended to all current and future network into the forms of crime. With the framework can be continuously updated to help ease the rest of the preparation of sector, industry and enterprise of the most advanced information and relevant examples and types of circulating the Internet cyber crime and business goals and individuals.

Every form of online abuse and crime may have from one to many victims, and hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people may be victimized. According to Samual McQuade, categories of cyber scam now include illegal or abusive online activities such as the following:

Cyber negligence by users of information systems who violate recommended or required security policies or sound online practices, thereby exposing their systems, devices, or data to cyber attacks

Traditional in-person crimes by users of computers or other it devices for illicit communications and/or record keeping

Fraud and theft by people who illegally phish, spoof, spim, spam, or otherwise socially engineer people to commit identity theft or gain financially

Computer hacking and password cracking by individuals or groups who crack computer account passwords and unlawfully access information systems or exceed their online system permissions

Writing and releasing malware (i.e., malicious software), including disruptive or destructive viruses, Trojans, worms, and adware/spyware programs as well as illegal massive distributions of email known as spam

Pirating of music, movies, or software using computers and other it devices to violate criminal or civil copyright laws to replicate, distribute, download, sell, or possess software applications, data files, or code

Online harassment and extortion to threaten, intimidate, intentionally embarrass, annoy, coerce or some combination of these which when involving youth is commonly referred to as "cyberbullying"

Cyber stalking, pedophilia, and other cyber sex crimes by online offenders who acquire illegal sexual pleasure by exerting power or control over their victims, including cases of human trafficking for sexual purposes and so-called sex tourism (traveling to have sexual relations with minors) (Rantala 2005)

For example, a group of computer hackers may consist of expert malware code writers who release remotely controlled and/or self-morphing programs onto the Internet where they can be downloaded by unsuspecting users. Results from such an "attack" vary considerably depending on the intent and skill of perpetrators and the potential value of a victim's data. Online theft or destruction of data belonging to a large corporation may be worth millions of dollars, and losses of personal, personnel, or client data can be very traumatic to individual victims, as in cases of identity theft.

Social and Economic Impact of Online Crimes

Firms that lose computerized data due to system user neglect or abuse, to cybercrimes committed by insider employees or external attackers, or to a natural or human-made disaster may never fully recover from their losses. Firms that do not have data saved on their information systems automatically backed up to an offsite location along with business continuity plans ready to implement on a moment's notice risk much. Losses of data, money, or other property, along with emotional and psychological harm and even physical injury or death as the indirect result of cyber crimes, are experienced every day by thousands of individuals, families, and groups of people. (McQuade & Sampat 2008)

Cybercrimes such as those previously listed are normally considered nonviolent property crimes, and many also qualify as financial crimes. This is especially true if the primary goal of offenders is to illegally acquire funds or control electronic banking or credit card accounts. Identity theft, for example, is a financial crimeand often also constitutes bank fraud.

Despite frequent occurrences of identity theft and many other forms of online crime, the amount of financial loss and other social and economic harm caused by or associated with cyber and Internet crimes is not truly known, and the accuracy of any estimate depends on how crimes are defined; however, specific forms of online crime are periodically estimated for specific forms of crime, and annual economic losses from cybercrime have been estimated to be in the tens of billions of dollars worldwide. A single release onto the Internet of a malicious virus, Trojan, or worm program has on more than one occasion affected millions of users and cost billions in damages to information systems and loss of data (e.g., the "I Love You" virus released in May 2000 was estimated to have cost between $1 billion and $10 billion worldwide).

The wide variety and apparent increases in many forms of online crimes make it very difficult to determine or even estimate the social and economic costs of primary, secondary, or tertiary victimization that result from cyber abuse and crime in society. Part of the problem is that America's national crime reporting systems, such as the National Incident-Based Crime Reporting System and the Uniform Crime Report Program managed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in cooperation with thousands of U.S. law enforcement agencies, do not specifically identify or distinguish between many forms of online crimes. Nor do they effectively distinguish between traditional in-person forms of crime that are substantially facilitated by online activities of offenders.

Victimization surveys also generally do not ask questions about specific computing and telecommunication technologies involved in crimes that have been committed, though this is beginning to change. Since 2001, the U.S. Department of Justice has conducted specific studies of cybercrime against business and identity theft. Results of this research suggest that millions of businesses and households are affected by online crimes each year. For example, of 7,818 businesses surveyed in National Computer Security Survey by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 67% identified one or more cybercrimes in 2005, nearly 60% detected one or more attacks against their information systems, 11% discovered a cyber theft of data, and 24% experienced other types of information security events. (McQuade 2009)

The Computer Security Institute based in San Francisco and New York City, in partnership with the FBI, issues annual reports of cyber crimes and information security issues of concern to security professionals employed in large firms, academic and health institutions, and government agencies. The National White Collar Crime Center, also in partnership with the FBI, provides the annual Internet Fraud and Crime Reportbased on complaints received by consumers through the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Studies consistently reveal that cyber and Internet crimes threaten many organizations, families, and individual users of computers and other types of it devices and information systems.

Likely Victims of Cyber and Internet Scam

Cyber crimes can directly or indirectly harm anyone. Indeed, everyone who connects to the Internet via unprotected information systems or it devices. The great variety of online Scam methods also means that thousands, even millions of victims, can be harmed anywhere they happen to be connected to the Web while browsing, chatting via instant or text messaging, emailing, blogging and uploading or downloading any form of content (e.g., text, pictures, video, or audio recordings). The greatest potential danger rests on using unprotected systems and it devices, along with having confidential information discovered and used or manipulated for illicit purposes. (McQuade 2006)

Four primary types of victims likely to be targeted by cyber offenders include youth, elderly people, financial institutions, and government, health care, and academic organizations.

Youth

Millions of youth now use computers and it devices to game online, for other social computing purposes, for schoolwork, and to shop. In the process, many "friend" other youth online via personal profiles on Web sites like MySpace and Facebook. They exchange personal information about themselves and their friends and family. If they are not extremely careful, they may be "socially engineered" by online offenders who pretend to be someone they know or betray them later, as when cyberbullies create and spread rumors that cause embarrassment. Youth who are never taught about Internet safety, information security practices, andcyber ethics are especially vulnerable. Many youth do not regularly patch up their operating systems and software applications or backup their valuable data. Combined mobile and social computing abilities along with willingness to share personal information make youth extremely vulnerable to being manipulated and victimized online.

In a major study of more than 40,000 K -- 12 students in 14 New York State school districts, researchers discovered important facts about cyber Scam and victimization experiences of youth, including:

Cyberbullying begins in the second grade when children first report "being mean" to each other online.

Of students surveyed in second and third grades, 35% reported having been exposed within the prior year to online content that made them feel uncomfortable, 13% reported they used the Internet to talk to people they do not know, 11% reported having been asked to describe private things about their body, and 10% reported being exposed to private things about someone else's body.

In fourth through sixth grade, the overall number of youth cyber abuse and crime offenders exceeded the number of youth cyber abuse and cybercrime victims. (Rantala 2005)

Researchers also discovered online promiscuity among seventh- through twelfth-grade students, some of whom reported taking nude photos of themselves or each other and distributing them via the Internet. Youth also reported that they send and receive from each other unwanted pornography and solicitations for sex, and also chat online about things of a sexual nature. By middle school, students are exposed to all known forms of online Scam and abuse and begin to specialize in the types of Scam they commit. This trend continues into high school and college and has serious implications for the policing of high-tech crimes by adults.

Elderly People

People who grew up prior to the widespread use of the Internet (beginning in about 1993) often do not understand the risks being online. Many, though not all, elderly people have limited savvy when it comes to using computers or other types of it devices. As a group, elderly people tend to be very trusting and consequently may be susceptible to being manipulated online. Many older people also have a limited or fixed income, are worried about their health and financial futures, and therefore are more vulnerable to being conned into "get rich" schemes. Conversely, many elderly people are proportionately quite wealthy. In fact, they naturally possess or control most of the most money in society. This combination of factors makes them attractive victims to cyber criminals. (McQuade & Sampat 2008)