Preventing Cybercrimes - Coursework Example

Even then only one bullet could be fired at a time before the musket would need to be reloaded. Compare this to now, where a semi-automatic machine gun can spray out hundreds of bullets per minute and rarely needs to be reloaded. The example used of a bank robbery is perfect because it is low risk and low reward. The robber is only going to be able to do it once, and he will only make a small return for doing so. If a hacker gains access to a computer system, he can steal multiple times and also take large amounts of cash each time. These two instances of crime are different in nature and different in reward. I also agree that those who commit cyber crimes should be punished more severely than those who commit traditional crimes. The level of skill involved almost removes the defense argument that the accused did not know what they were doing.

Although terrorists may seem irrational in their actions, they are clever and calculated when it comes to doing damage to those who they oppose. Risk and return are a huge part of any terrorist operation because there is no point in doing something only to be caught for doing so. Terrorists are always trying to do the most damage and gain the most value without being apprehended for what they do. Cyber terrorists, however, do not seem to act rationally when it comes to doing an illegal act. This is quite ironic because “computer geeks” are always thought to be smart and calculated. I agree that the objective may not always be to gain something but to simply disrupt services already provided and diminish the public’s confidence in those services. The incentive for cyber terrorists is huge because they have the chance to disturb society from its normal state and become infamous at the same time. Owners of important government infrastructure need to ensure that defenses against cyber terrorists remain strong, because if even one succeeds, it may spur other like-minded individuals on to doing something similar. If a cyber attack cannot be prevented, then the focus should switch to how to repair things after the fact. Transportation systems and the like are vital to the functioning of society, so they need to be fixed as soon as possible after a cyber attack. Doing so only frustrates these individuals and discourages them from doing so again. Read More