Organized Digital Crime via Stuxnet - Case Study Example

Full Paper Organized Digital Crime via Stuxnet As Sean McGurk the acting director of the National Cyber security and Communications Integration Center in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security identifies Stuxnet’ as a game changer for every sector or industry that is equipped with a computer network. ‘Stuxnet’ is fully compatible to conduct a data theft, by modifying the files of the applications that are incorporated with industrial systems, without showing its presence (GROSS, 2010). He further said, “We have not seen this coordinated effort of information technology vulnerabilities and industrial control exploitation completely wrapped up in one unique package” (GROSS, 2010). The virus was developed to target a specific type of equipment installed in the industry. For instance, it can affect high frequency convertors contribute massively for Uranium enrichment. The density level of ‘Stuxnet’ is considered by the fact including a report demonstrating the initial discovery of this virus consisting of more than half the instances. Moreover, the report identified the emergence of this virus from Iran. As previously, some problems were identified in Iran’s uranium enrichment facility. These facts concluded by some analyst were to relate this virus from an example of ‘cyberwarfare’ that was purposely built for Iran’s controversial nuclear facility. However, Iran’s government refused for any possible issues due to ‘Stuxnet’ (Stuxnet (computer virus).2010). ‘Stuxnet’ is a software program or ‘Worm’ that infects the industrial control systems. The complexity of the virus indicates that it has been developed by the group of expert hackers funded by a national government. The software does not indicate that it has been developed by hacker or cyber criminals (The meaning of stuxnet2010). Link : GROSS, G. (2010). Stuxnet changed cybersecurity. Network World, 27(22), 10-10. Verizon Crime Business suffer severe losses from data theft issues as in 2009 investigators related to data breach reported from Verizon business that crooks nabbed 285 million records. Peter Tippett, who is the author of the report and vice president of innovation and technology with Verizon Business, says that the report includes all the IP addresses associated with the account that are used in the thefts, and criminals are identified only because of in depth investigations by collaborative support of law enforcement agencies including FBI and Scotland Yard,. From this particular report, 90 security breaches were studied out of which 68 were reversed for further investigation to a specific IP address and location. The conclusions highlighted Eastern Europe as a common source followed by East Asia and North America (Larkin, 2009). Online data thefts occur when online businesses fail to protect their database by security breaches conducted by hackers or cyber criminals. The data including all the personal information of the customer is breached resulting in exposure of customer personal information and financial status. Link: Larkin, E. (2009). Organized crime moves into data theft. PC World, 27(7), 33. A Case of Cyber Bullying A study was conducted to examine the perceived credibility of social network sites. The study included 252 college students that were involves in the survey based on extended use of social network sites, the perceived credibility of their class fellows on the sites and comparison of these sites to other online sites. The results demonstrated 88% of the sample visited the social networking sites at a regular basis. Whereas, two third of them stayed on the sites less than an hour. The study also illustrated that the class fellows perceived other members to be credible on a moderate level. Therefore, social networking sites turned out to be more credible as compared to chat rooms and blogs (Yeo & Windels, 2008). The impact of wrong identity on social networking sites has a high impact as majority of students and teenagers are addicted of cyber bullying. Impact of cyber bullying in society is immense as: “The woman linked to a fake MySpace profile of a 16-year-old boy created to start an Internet relationship with Megan Meier, the Missouri teen who hanged herself after receiving hurtful messages, is now believed to be the victim of a cyber-bullying impersonator herself” (MySpace mom linked to Missouri teens suicide being cyber-bullied herself). The action was taken due to threats associated with it. Probably the identity credibility is not on the optimal level for these social networking sites that is prompting questions to the United States department of defense. Link: MySpace mom linked to Missouri teens suicide being cyber-bullied herself | fox news Retrieved 10/17/2012, 2012, from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315684,00.html Kettering Animal Hospital Case Crime in terms of identity theft is vast as enormous cases are reported and the impact is high on the society along with the critical business losses. Several cases of identity theft conducted by individuals are highlighted. An employee in ‘kettering animal hospital’ made duplicate copies of credit cards of the customers. The nearby police station received several complaints from the same region related to abnormal activities and transaction associated with credit cards of those people who visited ‘kettring animal hospital’. Police caught the concerned employee for making duplicate copies of customer credit cards and paying rents for lavish hotel rooms, airline tickets and cosmetics from those credit cards (Whitcomb, 2009). Similarly, one more case related to identity theft was published in December 2007. A man was charged in an identity theft of many local citizens. He conducted simultaneous 19 counts of identity thefts as he accused the social security numbers and names of forty-nine people to gain credit cards (Ingersoll 2010). The police in New York caught one more severe incident and they named the crime as ‘Family identity theft business’ in which mom and the son both were operating the business of stealing identities. Link: Whitcomb, R. (2009). Identity theft strikes Ohio clinic, clients lose thousands. DVM: The Newsmagazine of Veterinary Medicine, 40(10), 12-12. Tonia Cheeseman and Verizon business Case The stealing of identities was possible because the mother named as Tonia Cheeseman was working at the doctor’s office, where she has to manage patient files. Moreover, some of the identities were of dead people. Son named as Michael Cheeseman along with his mother named as Tonia Cheeseman were charged for three counts of identity thefts. Mother was charged for $ 400,000 bond or $ 140,000 cash and son was charged for $140,000 bail. An incident related to physical data theft took place in Ohio in which the stolen device consists of information of 1.1 million people and businesses. The files on that stolen device contains names, social security number and the amount that is received by individuals on personal income tax returns for the year of 2005, 2006 and the current year (Willard, 2007). Business suffer severe losses from data theft issues as in 2009 investigators related to data breach reported from Verizon business that crooks nabbed 285 million records. Peter Tippett, who is the author of the report and vice president of innovation and technology with Verizon Business, says that the report includes all the IP addresses associated with the account that are used in the thefts, and criminals are identified only because of in depth investigations by collaborative support of law enforcement agencies including FBI and Scotland Yard. From this particular report, 90 security breaches were studied out of which 68 were reversed for further investigation to a specific IP address and location. The conclusions highlighted Eastern Europe as a common source followed by East Asia and North America (Larkin 2009). Link: Willard, D. J. (2007). Ohio data theft deepens: Stolen device has information on 1.1 million people and businesses. ().Akron Beacon Journal (OH). Additional References The meaning of Stuxnet (2010). Economist Newspaper Limited. Yeo, J. K., & Windels, K. F. (2008). So you are hot, but can I trust you? Examining the perceived credibility of social networking web sites. American Academy of Advertising Conference Proceedings, 291-292. Read More