Computer crime in e-business is becoming a huge, and costly problem. These crime include the unauthorized use, access, modification and destruction of hardware, software data or network resources: the unauthorized release of information: the unauthorized copying of software: denying an end user access to his or her own hardware, software, data, or network resources; and using or conspiring to use computer or network resources to illegally obtain information or tangible property. These type of crimes have risen dramatically in the past several years. Security breaches through the internet have risen from 36% of companies in 1996 to 57% of companies in 1999.
Hacking, which is considered as the unauthorized access and use of networked computer systems, is one of the most popular, if not the most popular form of computer crime. There are several tactics that hackers use to disrupt e-businesses. Some these include Denial of Service, which is clogging a site until it crashes, mainly to cover up an attack. Next, there is Spoofing, by faking an e-mail address or web page hacker can trick users into giving out critical information like passwords or credit card numbers. Also there are Sniffers that covertly search individual packets of data as they pass through the Internet and capture passwords or the entire contents.
Software piracy and cyber theft are also in the category of computer crime. Software piracy is the unauthorized copying of software. This is illegal since software is intellectual property that is protected by copyright law and user licensing agreements. Cyber theft mostly involves the theft of money through the computer or Internet. Thieves use the Internet to break into banks and other financial institutions. This not only causes a problem because of the theft, but also the negative publicity the institution receives is damaging. Some banks have actually paid hackers to not reveal information about break-ins.
