Because so many people now have access, computer crimes have become more frequent. Everyone with a computer and a modem can commit a computer crime if so inclined. Anyone, conceivably, could become a "white collar" computer criminal. When the term "white collar" crime came into wide spread use several decades ago, it was thought that certain crimes were committed by persons whom no one would normally suspect of criminal behavior: professional, "white collar" workers. In the late 1990's, however, the term "white collar" is somewhat inaccurate. The playing field has been leveled by the widespread use of computers. Now "white collar crime" tends to mean simply "non violent crime" or "economic crime." As technology becomes increasingly accessible to more and more people, it also becomes a potential tool for increasing numbers of criminals

Like identity theft, some other computer crimes are not new, except that the perpetrator now uses computer to commit them. For example, money laundering has been committed for many decades. But a money laundered using a computer is able to carry out the crime much more quickly6 and efficiently, just as computers enable legitimate workers to for their jobs more quickly and efficiently.

"Crackers", on the other hand, are malicious hackers. They break into systems to vandalize, plant viruses and worms, delete files, or wreak some other kind of havoc. Embezzlement, fraud, or industrial espionage is just a few of the crackers possible objectives. Cyber espionage exists between countries as well as between companies, so it poses a danger to our national security. There is no disputing that what crackers do is dangerous as well as illegal.

One of the most freighting computer crimes is identity theft. This kind of fraud is much easier than it was once, because a wealth of personnel information is available online for free, and even more personal information is available for a small fee. Now that drivers license numbers are also stored on computers, which a re usually part of a larger network, a persons physical characteristics-eye color, height, and persons physical characteristics-are also available. Magnetic strips on credit cards and ATM cards require computers to read them and to keep records of the millions of transactions made ever day.

Employees and ex-employees of the victimized company commit most "white collar crimes". Likewise about 75 to 80 percent of prosecuted computer crimes are committed by current or former employees. There are many different kinds of computer crimes r

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