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|Eบ |5Diskussion|E บ         ^1 I Didn't Know You Could Do That |E          บ |5Diskussion|E บ
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^CCOMPUTER CRIMES OF THE YEAR

^Cby
^CDan Gutman

     Computer crime isn't funny anymore.

     Stories about high school kids breaking into government databases with
     their PCs no longer make me marvel at their ingenuity and
     resourcefulness.  Now I want them thrown in jail.

     A sample of some of the computer crimes pulled off in 1990...

     --A 12-year-old Detroit-area boy had his computer equipment
     confiscated after he gained access to computers at TRW Inc. and
     distributed credit card numbers to computer bulletin boards.  He was
     charged with computer fraud and financial transaction fraud.

     --James William Dayton, a computer scientist at the Naval Avionics
     Center in Indianapolis, ran a male prostitution ring through a
     computer network that drew clients from 39 states.  At least 50
     prostitutes and 300 patrons were involved, including banking
     executives, police officers and even a Cincinnati priest.  Dayton died
     before he could be tried.

     --In August, 13 people were arrested in New York for breaking into a
     computer used by the Secretary of the Air Force. One of the
     perpetrators was 14 years old.

     --In February, 12 people in New York  were arrested for using fake
     computer-generated Metro-North commuter rail tickets. In May, three
     people were nabbed near Los Angeles for passing fake Bank of America
     Traveler's checks.

     With affordable laser printers and scanners, it has become possible to
     duplicate and diddle with stock certificates, gift certificates, ID
     cards, purchase orders, college transcripts and even currency.
     Desktop forgery has become the crime of the year.

     --The total estimated damage of the computer virus unleased by Cornell
     student Robert Tappan Morris was $96 million, according to the
     Computer Virus Industry Association.  The virus had infiltrated 6,000
     computers at universities, private corporations and military
     installations.

     And here's the most diabolical scheme of all.  A 15-year-old Elwood,
     Indiana boy who called himself "Fry Guy," broke into a Maryland credit
     rating service and stole credit information.

     Then he broke into the telephone company's network and changed the
     status of a pay phone in Paducah, Kentucky to a residential phone.

     Next, he called Western Union and had money wired to a bank in
     Paducah.

     When Western Union called to verify the transaction, the calls were
     forwarded to the pay phone.  Fry Guy pretended to be the credit card
     holder, and gave approval.

     Then he simply went to pick up the money.  He made off with $10,000
     using this scheme before he was caught.

     The automobile has been blamed for doubling criminal offenses in the
     20th century.  The computer, undoubtedly, is going to take the rap for
     crime in the 21st century.

     The word "hacker" originally meant a computer enthusiast who was
     proficient at his craft and championed the free exchange of
     information.   Now, unfortunately, "hacker" has come to mean someone
     who uses computers to break the law.

     Computer criminals aren't mischievous kids having fun in their rooms.
     They're criminals.  They give honest computer users a bad name and do
     a disservice to the field of computing.

