Meaning of computer crimes (what is it, concept and definition)

What is Computer Crime:

Computer crimes are all those illegal, criminal, unethical or unauthorized actions that make use of electronic devices and the internet, in order to violate, impair or damage the property, patrimonial or not, of third parties or entities.

Also known as cyber or electronic crimes, they cover a wide spectrum of illegal actions of a different nature. They all have information technologies in common, be they the means or the objective itself.

This type of crime began to be carried out before the legal systems of the nations contemplated this scenario, which is why legal instruments for its control have been gradually formulated. These aim to protect the following elements: heritage, confidentiality of information, property rights over a computer system and legal certainty.

People who commit computer crimes are experts in the use of technologies, and their knowledge allows them not only to know how to use them, but also to be in work positions that facilitate their purposes. Hence, a large part of cyber crimes against companies are committed by their own employees.

In this context, computer criminals are called active subjects. In return, the persons or entities that are victims of such crimes are called taxable persons.

Computer crimes are very difficult to identify. Added to this is the fact that taxpayers often do not report them. In the case of companies that are victims of these crimes, silence is based on the fear of losing their prestige. Therefore, little is known about the scope of these crimes.

Types of cybercrime

Computer crime is spoken of in the plural because it encompasses a wide variety of crimes according to their purpose, although all of them have in common the use of information technologies.

Cybercrime can be as varied as the imagination and technical skills of its author fertilize, and how fragile is the security of computer systems. Let's get to know the different types of electronic crime.

Computer sabotage

It is about those crimes whose purpose is to alter, modify, delete or delete information, programs or files on computers, in order to prevent their normal operation. Tools such as worms, logic bombs and malwares are applied for this.

Cyber ​​sabotage can include crimes as serious as cyberterrorism, which aims to destabilize a country and generate a general state of national upheaval for unspeakable ends.

See also:

• Computer virus Malware.

Computer espionage

This type of cybercrime has the purpose of making the reserved data public, which makes companies and government entities the ideal target of active subjects or cybercriminals.

Fraud

Fraud refers to the different ways of obtaining personal or bank data for illegal purposes, as well as its manipulation and unauthorized modification and identity theft. Use elements such as Trojans, pishing , input or output data manipulation, the salami technique (diversion of a few cents from many accounts to a pirated account), etc.

Unauthorized access to computer services

They are all the ways by which criminals manage to enter protected electronic systems, in order to modify or intercept files and processes. It ranges from the use of so-called "false doors" to the puncturing of telephone lines, called wiretapping .

Theft of software

It consists of the illegal distribution of software subject to legal protection, which compromises or impairs the rights of the legitimate owners. It is, therefore, a piracy activity.

Theft of services

They are all those illegal actions through which the person has access to digital services, or facilitates access to third parties, in order to make unlawful use of resources. It includes from the theft of time in Internet consumption, to the impersonation of personality to have access to programs that have been authorized only by trusted personnel.