COMPUTER CRIMES - CASE HISTORIES AND PROPOSED LEGISLATION - REMARKS (FROM SECRETARY'S NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FRAUD, ABUSE, AND ERROR - PROTECTING THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLAR, P 134-144, 1978 - SEE NCJ-68143)

• NCJ Number: 68152
• Author(s): D B PARKER; S H NYCUM
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 11 pages
• Grant Number(s): MCS76-01242
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: NCJ-68152 AVAILABLE ON MICROFICHE FROM NCJRS UNDER NCJ68143.

Annotation

THIS CONFERENCE PANEL PRESENTS A SUMMARY OF THE NATURE OF COMPUTERS BASED ON 8 YEARS OF RESEARCH AND AN ANALYSIS OF PROPOSED COMPUTER CRIME LEGISLATION.

Abstract

CONDITIONS THAT HAVE GIVEN RISE TO COMPUTER ABUSE ARE IDENTIFIED, ALONG WITH FOUR TYPES OF COMPUTER ABUSE, FOUR ROLES COMPUTERS CAN PLAY IN COMPUTER ABUSE AS THE OBJECT, THE ENVIRONMENT, THE INSTRUMENT, OR THE SYMBOL OF AN ABUSE, AND DEFINITIONS THAT VARY FROM 'COMPUTER CRIME' TO LESS RESTRICTIVE APPELLATIONS. ESTIMATES OF THE SIZE OF THE PROBLEMS OF COMPUTER ABUSE ARE OFFERED, AS ARE PROFILES ON PERPETRATORS TYPICALLY FOUND TO BE INVOLVED IN COMPUTER ABUSE. IN THIS RESPECT, ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO THE HIGH POSITIONS OF TRUST THAT COMPUTER TECHNOLOGISTS OCCUPY AND THE BUILTIN WEAKNESSES OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS. FOLLOWING THIS, ANTICIPATED FRAUDS AND CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES THAT MIGHT DEVELOP IN THE ARENA OF COMPUTER ABUSE ARE SUGGESTED AS A BACKGROUND FOR A DISCUSSION ON LEGISLATION AND THE DIRECTIONS IT SHOULD TAKE. CONSIDERATIONS IS GIVEN TO PROBLEMS IN STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, AND TO MISLEADING DEFINISTIONS IN THE PENDING SENATE BILL S1766 ON COMPUTER FRAUD. FINALLY, THE IMPACT OF ANY SUCH LEGISLATION IS EXPLORED, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE SENSITIVITY OF COMPUTER PERSONNELS' CIVIL AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. CAUTION IS RECOMMENDED IN DEALING WITH SUCH A NEW FIELD. A SUMMARY OF THE ENSUING PANEL DISCUSSION IS INCLUDED. (MHP)