Securing the Electronic Frontier Ch. 6 Reading: pp ; ; CS 340

The Net Challenging the sale of virus do-it-yourself kits – Only illegal to release a virus Computer Fraud and Abuse Act P. 192, Internet’s fragile infrastructure: susceptible to – Phishing attacks – Viruses (self-replicating programs) – Worms (independent programs that travel) The Slammer worm –

Defining cybercrime Criminal acts executed using computer and network technologies 1.Software piracy: unauthorized duplication 2.Computer sabotage: interference with computer systems – Viruses and worms – DoS attacks: mock requests to take down server 3.Electronic break-ins: – Computer espionage – trespass

Electronic break-ins Trespass in cyberspace – Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, p. 199 Protects the confidentiality and makes it a crime to access a computer w/o authorization – Now applies to most any computer ki/Computer_Fraud_and_A buse_Act ki/Computer_Fraud_and_A buse_Act Max penalty: 20 yrs & $250k fine Computer Fraud and Abuse Act 18 USC Section 1030 criminalizes: – Transmitting code (virus, worm) that damages a sys – Accessing w/o authorization any computer connected to Internet (n.b. does not req anything to be examined, changed or copied) – Transmitting classified info – Trafficking passwords – Computer fraud & extortion

Interference w/ systems: Trespass to chattels? Another successful claims of trespass to chattels: – Ebay v. Bidder’s Edge, p. 204, case study pp.218-9

Hacktivism Blend of hack and activism Malicious hacking for electronic political activism – Non-violent use of digital tools for political ends Typical actions, examples: – Defacing websites Defacing websites – Denial of service attacks Electronic Civil Disobedience (virtual sit-ins)