Computer Crime: Definition, Correlation, and Criminal Activity

Running head: CRIME
CRIME
Name of Student
Name of University
Author’s Note

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Computer crime definition
Computer crime: computer crime can be described as an act that is performed by a
specific computer user who is knowledgeable enough, this user is referred to as a hacker who
tends to illegally browse or steal an individual or a company’s private data (Kerr 2018). In
most of the cases, the group or an individual proves to be malicious and destroy or corrupt the
data files or the entire computer.
Field Correlation
Vulnerability A computer crime is more vulnerable compared to a traditional crime.
Whereas traditional crime is less vulnerable than cyber crime
Scale Attacks are allowed to be carried out on a specific scale which is
impossible in the actual aspect. A particular robber who is traditional in
nature might be able to target one or some more entities a weak, whereas a
specific cyber-attack could target around 100 to 1000 sites in one attempt.
The reach Attacks could be carried out from any place in the entire world, they could
also be carried out anonymously along with within the jurisdictions where
these provided consequences might not be addressed with the help of a
system of criminal justice. Attackers would be allowed to access more
amount of data in a digital manner than it is ever possible in the physical
world.
Table 1: correlation between computer crime and traditional crime.
Criminal activity
Actus Reus and mens rea have been the foundations for criminal law, these two terms
are usually referred to the act and the mental state of the criminal. These two activities
usually constitute of a criminal activity, firstly the act that is involved in the crime and the

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mental state of the criminal while carrying out the activity (Wilding 2017). It is considered
that a person would be guilty if it is proved that they are culpable in thought as well as action.
Suppose if a user while accessing someone else’s data, due to work purpose, it would not be
considered as crime, but if a user accesses the data of an individual in the intention of stealing
it, it would be a crime.
Hacking definition and explanation
Hacking: hacking can be referred to an intrusion that is unauthorized in nature into a
computer or a specific computer and a particular network. The individual who is engaged in
the activity of hacking is called a hacker (Muangsean and Gilani 2018). This individual might
be responsible for altering systems or various features of security for accomplishing a
specific goal which is different from the actual purpose of the entire system. Hacking could
be considered as a non-malicious activity which involves various alterations that are aimed in
improvising a system (Maras 2015). Hackers tend to employ variety of techniques for the
purpose of hacking such as passwords cracking, vulnerability scanner, spoofing attack,
packer sniffer, root kit, Trojan horse, viruses, key loggers and some more.
Notion of threat agents
Threat agents’ classifications make use of three factors, these factors are as follows
 Motivation: motivation is the degree to which a particular threat agent implements a
threat (White, Fisch and Pooch 2017). The motivational factors are considered as the
elements that drive a particular threat agent for considering attacking a specific
computer system.
 Opportunity: opportunity is usually the easiest to manage, opportunity could be
defined as a particular favourable occasion for action.