Page 118 - Grasp English C1 (Student Book)

9 Law and Order

Cybercrime is any criminal activity that involves a computer or a computer network. Most cybercrimes are carried
out in order to generate financial profit for the cybercriminals, but the term encompasses a huge range of crimes
from copyright infringement to identity theft, illegal gambling, stalking and the sale of illegal items.

Cybercrime can be divided into three categories: crimes in which the computing device is the target, for example,
when it is used to gain access into a network; crimes in which the computer is used as a weapon, for example,
to launch a denial-of-service attack; and crimes in which the computer is used as an accessory to a crime, such
as when A .
The global ubiquity and connectivity of computers nowadays makes cybercrime increasingly attractive. The
Internet is fast, convenient, anonymous and has no international borders; moreover, a criminal need not be
present at the scene of a crime in order to commit it, B .
Cybercrimes may be carried out by individuals or by large, highly organised groups of skilled experts. Cybercriminals
try to avoid criminal charges by C .

Cybercriminals are constantly seeking new methods of attacking computer networks while evading detection.
There are a number of common ways to attack. Denial-of-service attacks shut down entire systems and networks.
Similarly, systems may be infected with viruses and malware. These attacks may be done simply for malicious
reasons, or for financial gain, for example, a ransomware attack, in which a system is encrypted or shut down
until money is paid. Phishing is another kind of attack which involves sending fraudulent emails to users, enticing
them to click on links that then spread viruses through their company’s networks or D or revealing
personal information. Another type of crime is identity theft, whereby cybercriminals try to steal or obtain user
IDs and passwords to gain personal, health or bank account information. This can be done by phishing or by
E . Personal information can be bought and sold on darknet markets, allowing hackers who have
stolen mass quantities of personal information to profit by F who profit by carrying out fraud against
individuals. Cybercriminals might also commit cyber espionage, in which they hack into a computer system or
network to access or destroy confidential information, trade secrets, intellectual property and other sensitive
information.
Cybercrime can be very damaging to individuals and businesses. Individuals face financial loss, inconvenience
and feelings of vulnerability and powerlessness. Businesses stand to lose not only money, but also their reputations,
as both investor and customer confidence are damaged. Share prices fall, which impacts their ability to raise future
capital. Moreover, loss of sensitive customer data can result in fines and penalties and legal fines if businesses are
sued over the data breach. All of the above incur costs for cybersecurity, incident response and public relations.
Consequently, it is vital for both individuals and businesses to remain cyber aware in order to keep their finances
and their information safe.

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