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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 behaviour behind the
waste of skill, time and resources involved in these damaging cyber pursuits and
other electronic petty crimes that make life miserable for honest internet
users.
CYBER
OFFENDERS
Anyone who enters your home
without your consent is committing an offence 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 Cyber Rambos 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 (Sys Admin, 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 endeavour;.
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 paedophile, 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.
eBlocks
Anti-Spy, Anti Malware and Adware eliminator
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