HACKERS, CRACKERS, AND INTERNET ATTACKS AND FRAUD

Questions to keep in mind:  What is a “hacker?? What are some of the ways they break into the computer systems and networks? How do some hackers defend their actions? What is the difference between a hacker trying to illegally break into a computer and a burglar trying to break into a home? Is there a “hacker culture”?  Why do hackers often preferred to be called "crackers"? What is a "hackitivist"? What age are most hackers? How would you describe it? What values do you they hold to be important? What drives hackers to do what they do? What prompts a hacker to start hacking? What satisfactions do they get out of it?  What do the authorities think of hackers? Are organized hardcore criminals engaged in hacking for profit? Are all computer crimes reported?  Are they all detected? Why or why not? What are some of the tactics that businesses used to defend themselves?? What is a “denial of service” attack? A “trojan horse”? A “virus”? A “worm”? What kinds of serious damage can hackers wreak upon the United States? What kind of minor damage? What kind of serious damage? How is the United States, so powerful in its armed forces and political power, uniquely valuable to computer attack? How can governments, companies, and individuals make cyberspace safe? How have hackers “come of age”? Has the hacker’s community matures?  Who are the “enemies” of hackers?  Do hackers help improve software? Make our society better? Who are some of the infamous hackers in the past?

Key Words: hacking and cybercrime, history of hacking and cybercrime, cyberterrorism, cyberterrorist, cyber-terrorism, cyber-terrorist, cyberterror definition,

Starting Points:

Three Men and a Lady, An Internet Hotlist on Computer Hacking, created by Dave, Jody, Kanell, Steve Lesley University: Helps teach what cybercrime is and how to protect yourself: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listcomputerda1.html

Cybercrime Time-Line (History of events) : http://www.symantec.com/region/au_nz/homecomputing/library/cybercrime.html

Cybercrime threat 'real and growing': Article about current cybercrime problems. : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/978163.stm

CYBERTERRORISM: What is cyberterrorism and what are the dangers of cyberterror? http://www.cs.georgetown.edu/~denning/infosec/cyberterror.html

INFORMATION AGE TERRORISM: TOWARD CYBERTERROR (1995 Article about the "future" threat of cyberterror) : http://www.fas.org/irp/threat/cyber/docs/npgs/terror.htm

Amazon Wish List:

Black Ice: The Invisible Threat of Cyber-Terrorism
by Dan Verton, Dan Verton

Cybershock: Surviving Hackers, Phreakers, Identity Thieves, Internet Terrorists and Weapons of Mass Disruption
by Winn Schwartau