NCJ Number
64624
Journal
Security World Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1980) Pages: 44-47
Date Published
1980
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE MAGNITUDE OF COMPUTER CRIME IS DESCRIBED AS WELL AS POSSIBLE CONTROLS AND STRATEGIES INCLUDING AUTHORIZATION AND IDENTIFICATION, SURVEILLANCE CONTROLS, SYSTEM INTEGRITY, AND PROSECUTION.
Abstract
COMPUTER CRIME COSTS ARE EXAMINED AT BETWEEN $100 AND $300 MILLION ANNUALLY. ACCORDING TO 1 SECURITY INSTITUTE, MORE THAN 85 PERCENT OF COMPUTER CRIME GOES UNDETECTED. FURTHER, ONLY HALF OF THE KNOWN INCIDENTS GO TO COURT, AND OF THESE, LESS THAN HALF OF THE OFFENDERS ARE CONVICTED. WHILE FEDERAL ASSISTANCE IN PREVENTION IS A POSSIBILITY, MOST ORGANIZATIONS OR BUSINESSES WILL HAVE TO RELY MOST STRONGLY ON DETERRENCE TO COUNTERACT COMPUTER CRIME. DEFENSIVE MEASURES FALL INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: IDENTIFICATION AND AUTHENTIFICATION, WHICH ALLOWS THE PERSON ACCESS TO A COMPUTER SYSTEM; AUTHORIZATION, WHICH LIMITS THE PERSON'S LEVEL OF ACCESS; SURVEILLANCE CONTROLS; AND SYSTEM INTEGRITY. SOME CURRENT METHODS OF IDENTIFICATION, CONSIDERED MORE SECURE THAN COMPUTER PASSWORDS OF ACCESS CARDS, INCLUDE OPTICAL SCANNING FINGERPRINT METHODS, HAND GEOMETRY DEVICES, AND VOICEPRINT AND SIGNATURE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS. SURVEILLANCE CONTROLS MIGHT INCLUDE VARIOUS SOFTWARE OR FIRMWARE PACKAGES WITHIN THE COMPUTER OR A SEPARATE MINICOMPUTER FOR MONITORING. SYSTEM INTEGRITY--A FUNCTION OF BOTH MANAGEMENT AND EQUIPMENT VENDORS--INCLUDES PROTECTION OF HARDWARE FROM ACCIDENTAL OR INTENDED DAMAGE. AT PRESENT ONLY 11 STATES HAVE LAWS GOVERNING COMPUTER CRIME, AND COMPUTER SECURITY IS EXPECTED TO RAISE CONTINUING PROBLEMS FOR DATA USERS. PHOTOGRAPHS AND DIAGRAMS ARE INCLUDED. (AOP)