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Computer Crime Worms, Viruses, and Trojan Horses |
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by Michael T. Coates
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Of all the globally emerging fields of criminal technology, computer crime is the best known and garners the most public attention. Criminals today can use the Internet to commit illegal activity at a much higher rate without having to leave the confines of their dwellings. The vulnerability of individuals, corporations, and government-protected information is a serious concern and can result in the loss of billions of dollars and valuable information; in fact, in 2005, computer crime cost American business alone approximately $67.2 billion. Most of the costs associated with this figure are the time and money corporations used to counter worms, viruses, and Trojan horses.
Worms are self-replicating computer programs that consume bandwidth to significantly slow or shut down Internet traffic. What’s most interesting about computer worms is they do not damage or modify computer systems, but rather act as barriers to slow down productivity. Businesses are the most common target for this type of attack which can result in the loss of revenue, production, and efficiency. |
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Economic Crime 
