CYBER FRAUD. CYBER FRAUD Name of the Student Name of th

Running head: CYBER FRAUD
CYBER FRAUD
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Answer 1
Equifax is among the three primary organizations that deals in the credit information of
the customers. Equifax was affected by the crimes of the cyber fraud. It fell victim to the
misconducts of cyber-attack done by the hackers (Gressin, 2017). Equifax is an agency that takes
care of the sensitive special information of various people all over the United States. These
information and data was compromised. The hackers and cyber lawbreakers committed the
offence of compromising such personal data. The hackers gained access to the private data of the
customers of Equifax. This attack on the organization is among the biggest risks to sensitive
private data in the current years (Berghel, 2017). The outbreak was the third risk in relation to
cyber security since the year 2015. The customers of Equifax suffered the major effect. Around
143 million population of the nation of United States, that is, half the population of the country,
suffered at the hands of cyber criminals. Data regarding the addresses, driver licenses, birth dates
and social security numbers including credit information of the customers of Equifax were
compromised. This violation is considered to be among the most dangerous breaches of private
data ever done.
Answer 2
The infringement of personal data of many people can be done in several ways. In the
case study of Equifax, the type of cyber fraud that was done is hacking. In the words of a
common person, hacking shall be considered as the act of accessing the computer without the
permission of an individual. Hacking may include other forms of cybercrimes such as phishing,
which is, extracting personal data from online users by making use of a fraudulent mail-ID and

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hacking includes the misconduct of the private data in order to steal various identity information.
Hacking also means the misuse of different computer websites and networks (Gunkel, 2018).
The criminals committing the offence of hacking are known as the ‘hackers’. These
offenders are generally computer programmers, who have a cutting-edge knowledge about the
computers and usually abuse the knowledge for scheming motives like exploiting the people for
their personal sensitive data. Other scheming motives most commonly includes power and greed.
Some individuals do the crime simply out of interest. The hackers are technology buffs who have
a high degree of expertise in one or many software languages and programs. Their motives are
basically the reasons that causes them to hack into the online information in relation to a bank or
a corporation or the monetary data of private individuals. However, on many occasions, the
hackers do the hacking to get famous in order to receive job opportunities regarding online
security specialists with the large multinational organizations (Powell, 2016). ‘Grey Hat’ is term
that is used in cases of such individuals. In the past, many of the geniuses with computer
background have used their expertise to help build and develop technology and are now
considered as technological giants. For instance, Shawn Fanning developed Napster and Mark
Zuckerberg created Facebook (Hurlburt, 2016).
Answer 3
The internet, in today’s world, is an invention of technology that has changed the life of
the people of the world, for better and worse both. The worst part is that internet gave rise to
cybercrime. Cybercrime, unlike the real or conventional crime, is committed with the help of
technology and computers, which creates difficulty to trail and search the offender. In the area of
criminology, there are various theories that provide explanation as to why the offenders commit
crime. It describes the reasons as to why do the criminals behave in the way they do. Although,

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these theories are used to explain the conventional crimes in the actual world, however, these
theories are also applied to the crimes committed online, that is, cybercrime (Hagan & Daigle,
2018). These theories include social learning theory, hypothesis for frustration aggression, theory
of general strain and low self-control theory.
In the case study of Equifax, the theory that is chosen is the social learning theory. The
social learning theory by Aker is a basic theory of crime. This theory has been utilized in order to
provide an explanation for the various ranges of the manner and activities of the criminals. This
theory include four important grounds, which are the definitions, the differential reinforcement,
the differential association and the imitation (Akers, 2017). The social learning theory is based
on the notion that through the groups and involvement with or acquaintance to people who are
actively tangled with crime and the criminal world, other people develop enthusiasms and the
abilities to commit crime (Akers & Jennings, 2015). According to Aker, these definitions of the
association are contemplated as justifications of actions for the offenders when the crime is being
committed. The differential reinforcement is referred to as the prizes that are related with the
specific behavior of the criminal. A particular criminal conduct is studied through the method of
imitation. The procedure of imitation takes place when a person studies the actions and conduct
of other persons simply by observing and paying attention. Therefore, when a particular
individual tries to commit an offence or commits an offence, then that individual is
impersonating the conduct and activities of another offender or wrongdoer. If the rewards and
the prizes from committing cybercrime are positive, then it shall influence the people
participating in the crime of cyber world. Therefore, the chief idea in relation to the social
learning theory is that an individual will commit a crime or not, shall be analyzed on the grounds
of his surrounding environment and association (Illeris, 2018).

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In the given case, Equifax was affected by the cyber fraud. Applying the social learning
theory and its various components it can be said that hackers in this case have been in the
association of other hackers already involved with the cyber world. The hackers in this case have
observed other hackers and intimated their actions. The differential reinforcements that is the
rewards in this case is huge as having private delicate data about so many people is resourceful
and has a lot of value can be used to earn a huge sum of money.
Answer 4
Cybercrime can have lasting impact. The impact may be on a large corporations or
organizations due to theft of intellectual property or corporate conundrums. The consequences
may include identity theft and loss of personal data and credit information. Giving a response to
the cybercrime is challenging. A particular individual can create a crisis for an organization or a
large population using just a desktop or a laptop. The monetary expenses for committing a
cybercrime is zero. Any person having a laptop can commit an offence in the cyber world.
Hence, to speak the truth, the balance of power is on the side of the offenders in the cyber world.
However, there must be forces established in order to fight the crime and provide an appropriate
response to such offences (Brenner, 2013). The cyber security must be amplified, modified and
made stronger to fight the hackers and cybercrimes. These must be done in relation to the
individuals and especially in cases of large-scale corporations and organizations. Cyber security
is duty and an obligation that must be shared by the relevant stockholders. A partnership must be
established effectively among the organizations, large and small, the national agencies, state
agencies, local agencies, territorial agencies and the tribal agencies, in order to contradict the
various terrorizations, weaknesses and the global risk in the cyber world. Each and every
individual shall be properly educated regarding the cyberspace and the offences that can be

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committed by the offenders and the proper methods to exterminate the problems and risks arising
out of cybercrime.
There are five chief strategies that contradict and help to fight the cybercrime. They are
as follows (Holt & Bossler, 2015):-
 Raising awareness
 Leveraging reliable resources
 Establishing an economic structure
 Working with financed partners
 Instigating a response plan
In the provided case study, any two of the above methods shall be explained and applied.
The first method that shall be applied to the case study of Equifax is leveraging reliable
resources. Establishing, preserving, climbing and modifying an online source that provides
information about how the users from various fields and creating and developing their own
protection profiles in the cyber world is very significant. Leveraging abilities is the primary
factor of any effective cyber security database. Such design has been improvised in the United
States as well as the United Kingdom. The National Cyber Security Alliance has created the
mechanism. In the United States, it is ‘Stay Safe Online’ and in the United Kingdom, it is ‘Get
Safe Online’. These are created to incoporate an inclusive and a constant nationwide edification
and awareness crusade. Presently, the Homeland Security is sponsoring the campaign of
Stop….Think….Connect in relation to crime in the cyber world and facing the risks and finding
proper solutions to such dangers and risks.

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The second method is establishing an economic structure. It is mandatory for an
individual and the large scale organizations to make decisions regarding investment in the cyber
security and the management of the dangers and the risk arising out of the cybercrime. The
AFCEA International Committee for Cyber Security is supporting this issue.
The above two methods should be applied in the case of Equifax.

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References
Akers, R. (2017). Social learning and social structure: A general theory of crime and deviance.
Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315129587
Akers, R. L., & Jennings, W. G. (2015). Social learning theory. The Handbook of
Criminological Theory, 4, 230-240.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118512449#page=246
Berghel, H. (2017). Equifax and the latest round of identity theft roulette. Computer, 50(12), 72-
76. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8220474
Brenner, S. W. (2013). Cybercrime: Re-thinking crime control strategies. In Crime online (pp.
22-38). Willan.
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781843925828/chapters/10.4324/978184392582
8-6
Gressin, S. (2017). The equifax data breach: What to do. US Federal Trade Commission, as
viewed Oct, 1.
http://www.knoxcountyecu.com/Docs_Pdfs/KCECU/Equifax_Data_Breach-
What_To_Do.pdf
Gunkel, D. J. (2018). Hacking cyberspace. Routledge.
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9780429500084
Hagan, F. E., & Daigle, L. E. (2018). Introduction to criminology: Theories, methods, and
criminal behavior. Sage Publications. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl

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Holt, T. J., & Bossler, A. M. (2015). Cybercrime in progress: Theory and prevention of
technology-enabled offenses. Routledge.
https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315775944
Hurlburt, G. (2016). " Good Enough" Security: The Best We'll Ever Have. Computer, 49(7), 98-
101. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7503499
Illeris, K. (Ed.). (2018). Contemporary theories of learning: learning theorists... in their own
words. Routledge. https://books.google.co.in/books?hl=en&lr
Powell, A. (2016). Hacking in the public interest: Authority, legitimacy, means, and ends. New
media & society, 18(4), 600-616.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1461444816629470