The Definition of Hacking and its Impact on Security
Discuss about the Rent-A-Hacker Site Leaks Australian Buyers.
Hacking mainly refers to the breach of computer security. On the other hand, hacking can be used to describe smart or quick fix to computer problems or an awkward and inelegant resolution to a question; this is according to computer science and technology way of definition. The term is also used to describe the variation of a program or mechanism to give the user entrance to computer features that otherwise would be inaccessible like the DIY circuit bending. Hacking has been considered a severe crime especially when one hacks into a government. There are instances when some get involved in what is termed as “ethical hacking”; this is company’s strategy to determine their security weaknesses or target for intruders (Gupta, & Anand, 2017). Even so, the ethical hacker may get in trouble with the law; it is, therefore, necessary that someone receives the Get out of Jail Free Card (GOOJFC) which is a document that states that you have been authorized by someone in power to do so. Hacking is a federal crime, and any cases of suspicion would be investigated by the federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Justice (DOJ), the offense can never be expunged, unlike the other state crimes, depending on the damage caused, one could also be sued for damages ion the civil court leading to possible jail term or job termination (Rajagopal, 2013). There are some critics who are proposing that any company hacked should be held responsible and make it a rule that it’s illegal to be hacked.
According to an article “Rent-a-hacker site leaks Australian buyers’ names and addresses” by (Tung, 2015), the crises faced in the information structure today are not so different for from those crimes before the computer age. Embezzlement, fraud and simple theft are the primary motivating factors for the hacking crime. Computer crimes are getting more complicated, with the criminals working in groups to steal credit card information, cash, individual personal information and even armed forces secrets. It has been affirmed that some of the hackers may not have criminal intent, some are just curious smart students who may be trying out their skills, for security reasons, security professionals are required d to treat even the most innocent mischief as a deviant behavior that warrants punishment (Gupta, & Anand, 2017).
There are several classes of common computer crimes; gaining excessive privileges on a system, in this manner allowing some un-permitted person the capacity to alter the presented data this is usually referred to as data diddling; carrying out less essential attacks on the significant crimes usually goes overlooked for example salami attacks; and implementing or handing out code that could lead to a denial of service attack; internet provider spoofing, password sniffing, wiretapping and signal production of capture is also used to collect information that is used to carry out such crimes (In Bosworth, In Kabay, & In Whyne, 2014).
Types of Computer Crimes and Their Consequences
Some of the features that can lead to hacking are however not technology-based, they may be as simple as collecting personal information from littered documents, perusing through the discarded garbage of credit card receipts and tricking people into disclosing their personal information described as social engineering attacks. For these reasons it’s essential that security awareness programs be put in place and observance of appropriate disposal of wastes to avoid unintentionally; leaking of information. It’s quite crucial that the firm’s security staff have enough information and be aware of the possible types of crimes that can be accomplished within their environs and the resulting outcomes of the practices (Hall & Watson, 2016).
The difference between leaks and hacks is not very distinct as in leaking information facilitates hacking, and it’s likened to the difference between negligence and wickedness. This is the basis on which some penalty is imposed on companies with arguments that doing something stupid that hams others should be penalized which is like the situation when a driver falls asleep at the wheel and because a fatal accident, it’s entirely justified to hold him accountable for being negligent with other people’s lives, in the same way, an inattentive information technology staff should be for risking personal information. Leaking information is like doing something deliberately to harm others. When a system is hacked, people’s personal information and company’s data is at risk, when information is leaked the same situation presents but in the latter case, the situation boils down to the question of intent (Krausz, 2014).
Being safe is very critical for any company to develop and grow regarding customer trust and other corporate operations. Any company that has a controversial security measures gets interesting to deal with; the question is that they are not trying to be unsafe, but they don’t have a clue of safety implying that the company is incompetent to put safety measures in place (Kleiman, 2011).
The development of disclosure laws has played a great deal in revealing that some of the security breaches that have been common over the past few years were actually due to negligence on the part of the corporate information technology (IT) team failing to lock down the data in any considerable mode (Morris, n.d.). This revelation encouraged the pressure on companies that get hacked to take responsibility for the crime. The computer systems hold very critical information about consumers, company’s corporate management, finances and other vital information that should not be accessed by just anybody; companies that leak such information should be held responsible. This is according to an article “Rent-a-hacker site leaks Australian buyers’ names and addresses” by (Tung, 2015).
The Need for Regulation and Legislation
The act of using someone else identity or stealing of somebody’s personality is an illegal practice. Allowing hackers to access personal information in the first place is illegal and should never happen. There are recent incidences that include Best Western where all the individual consumer information since 2007 including credit cards information was stolen (Hall & Watson, 2016). How the hackers managed to access the data is very unclear and very hard to imagine, this makes people to continually change their credit card numbers several times over a short period. The other victims of identity theft are the TJ Maxx and Hannaford stores, though the banks covered the losses from illegal charges on the accounts, victims are forced to spend a lot of time revoking the cards, altering all kinds of direct charge accounts that may use the numbers stolen. These occasions usually bring about a lot of inconveniences including cancellation of a credit card while one is traveling (Gupta, & Anand, 2017).
The victims of identity theft are proposing that the companies that leak their personal information be held responsible for the actions. They claim that the corporations are not supposed to keep the data in the first place, more or less to give it to some felonious people who manage to breach their information security, this being the bottom line of the matter. The information leaked once it gets to the hand of criminals does not matter whether it was stolen or leaked out through negligence or even on purpose but someone has to take responsibility, and in this case, the victims claim that the hacked company should. This is because the company retains sensitive individual identification information and hence responsible for the attack. Criminal charges should include charges on both the receiver of the data and those who leak it (Brooks, 2015).
Conclusion
In conclusion, computer exploitation and crime is a different way in which computers can be misused to cause problems to individuals and businesses. Computer use increases develop daily along hence the widespread comes with a felony. As we rely so much on the use of computers, we need effective regulation and legislation over them to help manage crime and misuse hence successful litigation and prosecution would require that corporations and the public get acquainted with hacking techniques and consequences.
References
Brooks, C. L. (2015). CHFI computer hacking forensic investigator certification: Exam guide.
Gupta, A., & Anand, A. (2017). Ethical Hacking and Hacking Attacks. International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science. doi:10.18535/ijecs/v6i4.42
Hall, G., & Watson, E. (2016). Hacking: Computer hacking, security testing, penetration testing and basic security.
In Bosworth, S., In Kabay, M. E., & In Whyne, E. (2014). Computer security handbook.
Kleiman, D. (2011). The Official CHFI Study Guide (Exam 312-49): For Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator.
Krausz, M. (2014). Information security breaches: Avoidance treatment based on ISO27001. Ely, Cambridgeshire: IT Governance Press.
Morris, R. G. (n.d.). Computer Hacking and the Techniques of Neutralization. Corporate Hacking and Technology-Driven Crime, 1-17. doi:10.4018/978-1-61692-805-6.ch001
Rajagopal, A. (2013). Hacking design.
Tung, L. (2015, May 29). Rent-a-hacker site leaks Australian buyers’ names and addresses. Retrieved May 6, 2018, from https://www.smh.com.au/technology/rentahacker-site-leaks-australian-buyers-names-and-addresses-20150529-ghca3f.html
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