COMPUTER ABUSES. There are some activities however that most educators would agree are misuses of computer technology in a school environment. They include: profanity and obscenity, harassment, hacking, spamming, password sharing/"sniffing", deploying, viruses/trojan horses/worms, copying copyrighted software and inappropriate virtual interaction with minor children. Other grayer areas of computer misuse might include: use of internet filters, restricting free speech, commercialism, political content, art/health issues vs. obscenity and sharing files via peer-to-peer networks.
"Data Diddling" - Probably the most common method used to commit computer crime because it does not require sophisticated technical knowledge and is relatively safe. Information is changed at the time of input to the computer or during output. For example, at input, documents may be forged, valid disks exchanged, and data falsified.
"Browsing" - Another common method of obtaining information which can lead to crime. Employees looking in others' files have discovered personal information about coworkers. Ways to gain access to computer files or alter them have been found in trash containers by persons looking for such information. Disks left on desks have been read, copied, and stolen. The very sophisticated browser may even be able to look for residual information left on the computer or on a storage media after the completion of a job.
"Trojan Horse" - This method assumes that no one will notice that a computer program was altered to include another function before it was ever used. A computer program with a valid, useful function is written to contain additional hidden functions that exploit the security features of the system.
"Trap Door" - This method relies on a hidden software or hardware mechanism that permits system protection methods to be circumvented. The mechanism is activated in some nonapperent manner. Sometimes the program is written so that a specific event, e.g., number of transactions processed or a certain calender date, will cause the unauthorized mechanism to function.
"Salami Technique" - So named because this technique relies on taking slices so small that the whole is not obviously affected. This technique is usually accomplished by altering a computer program. For example, benefit payments may be rounded down a few cents and these funds, which can be considerable in the aggregate, diverted to a fraudulent account.
"Supperzapping" - Named after the program used in many computer centers which bypasses all system controls and is designed to be used in time of an emergency. Possession of this "master key" gives the holder opportunity to access, at any time, the computer and all of its information.
PRIVACY ISSUES. Yes. Many people expect that their online activities are anonymous. They are not. It is possible to record virtually all online activities, including which newsgroups or files a subscriber accesses and which web sites are visited. This information can be collected by a subscriber's own ISP and by web site operators.
Cookies. When you "surf" the web, many web sites deposit data about your visit, called "cookies," on your hard drive When you return to that site, the cookie data will reveal that you've been there before. The web site might offer you products or ads tailored to your interests, based on the contents of the cookie data.
Most cookies are used only by the web site that placed it on your computer. But some, called third-party cookies, communicate data about you to an advertising clearinghouse which in turn shares that data with other online marketers. Your web browser and some software products enable you to detect and delete cookies, including third-party cookies.
Web Bugs. A web bug is a graphic in a web site or an "enhanced" e-mail message that enables a third party to monitor who is reading the page or message. The graphic may be a standard size image that is easily seen, or it may be a nearly invisible one-pixel graphic. E-mail messages that include graphic displays like web sites are known as enhanced messages, also called stylized or HTML e-mail. The web bug can confirm when the message or web page is viewed and record the IP address of the viewer. The IP address is a multi-digit number that uniquely identifies a computer or other hardware device (such as a printer) attached to the Internet.
You can defeat web-bugs by reading your email while offline, an option on most email programs. You can also install a software program that detects web bugs. To learn more about web bugs, visit http://www.bugnosis.org/. This site offers a free bug detection program. Many software products that detect and delete third-party cookies are also able to detect web bugs. The latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer enables users to turn off third-party cookies and disable web bugs.
Marketing uses and "spam." Records of browsing patterns are a potentially valuable source of revenue for online services and commercial web site operators. Direct marketers can use such data to develop targeted lists of online users with similar likes and behaviors. Such data can also lead to unsolicited e-mail, known as "spam." Additionally, browsing data may prove embarrassing for users who have accessed sensitive or controversial materials online.
Browsers. It's important to be aware of the information transmitted to remote computers by the software you use to browse web sites. The major browsers are Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
Most web browsers invisibly provide web site operators with information about your ISP as well as information about other web sites you have visited. Some web browsers, particularly if they have not been updated with security fixes, may be tricked into reporting the user's default e-mail address, phone number, and other information in the "address book" if the browser also handles your e-mail. (See the demonstration in Additional Resources to learn more about the information transmitted by your browser.)
1 comment:
can you include all your url references for computer abuse
-Mar
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