Legal Definitions - computer crime

A computer crime refers to any illegal act where a computer, computer network, or networked device is either the primary tool used to commit the offense, the target of the offense, or both. These crimes often involve unauthorized access, data manipulation, theft of information, or disruption of digital services, and are typically governed by specific laws designed to address offenses in the digital realm.

Here are some examples illustrating computer crime:

• Scenario 1: Data Breach and Identity Theft
  A hacker gains unauthorized access to a retail company's customer database by exploiting a vulnerability in their server. The hacker then steals sensitive personal information, including names, addresses, and credit card numbers, intending to sell this data on the dark web or use it for identity theft.
  This is a computer crime because the computer system (the company's server) was the target of the illegal access, and the computer (the hacker's device) was the tool used to commit the theft of digital data.
• Scenario 2: Ransomware Attack on a Municipal System
  A group of cybercriminals deploys ransomware onto a city's administrative computer network, encrypting critical files and making them inaccessible. They then demand a large sum of cryptocurrency in exchange for the decryption key, threatening to permanently delete the data if the ransom is not paid.
  This constitutes a computer crime because the computer network and its data were the direct targets of the attack, and the malicious software (ransomware) was delivered and executed via computers to disrupt services and extort money.
• Scenario 3: Online Financial Fraud
  An individual creates a sophisticated phishing website that mimics a legitimate bank's online portal. They then send out mass emails, tricking unsuspecting customers into entering their banking credentials on the fake site. Once the credentials are captured, the perpetrator uses them to illegally transfer funds from the victims' actual bank accounts.
  This is a computer crime because the computer (the perpetrator's device) was used to create the fraudulent website and send the phishing emails, and the victims' computers were used to access the fake site, making the computer an essential tool in committing the financial fraud.