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'''Computer fraud''' is the use of computers, the Internet, Internet devices, and Internet services to defraud people or organizations of resources.<ref>{{cite web |title=Computer fraud |url=https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/c/computer-fraud.htm |website=Computer Hope |access-date=19 June 2023}}</ref> In the United States, computer fraud is specifically proscribed by the [[Computer Fraud and Abuse Act]] (CFAA), which criminalizes computer-related acts under federal jurisdiction and directly combats the insufficiencies of existing laws. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kevin Jakopchek |date=2014-01-01 |title="Obtaining" the Right Result: A Novel Interpretation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act That Provides Liability for Insider Theft Without Overbreadth |journal=Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology |url=https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclc/vol104/iss3/4 |volume=104 |issue=3 |pages=605}}</ref> Types of computer fraud include:

*Distributing [[Hoax|hoax emails]]
*Accessing unauthorized computers
*Engaging in data mining via [[spyware]] and [[malware]]
*[[Hacker_(computer_security)|Hacking]] into computer systems to illegally access personal information, such as [[Credit_card|credit cards]] or [[Social_Security_number|Social Security numbers]]
*Sending [[Computer_virus|computer viruses]] or worms with the intent to destroy or ruin another party's computer or system.<ref>{{Cite web|title = What is Computer Fraud? (with pictures)|url = http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-computer-fraud.htm|website = wiseGEEK|accessdate = 2015-12-08}}</ref>

[[Phishing]], [[social engineering (security)|social engineering]], [[computer virus|viruses]], and [[DDoS]] attacks are fairly well-known tactics used to disrupt service or gain access to another's network, but this list is not inclusive.

==Notable incidents==

;The [[Melissa Worm|Melissa Virus/Worm]]
The Melissa Virus appeared on thousands of email systems on March 26, 1999. It was disguised in each instance as an important message from a colleague or friend.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Melissa Worm|url = https://lawsofmalta.com/blogs/other/melissa-worm/|website = lawsofmalta.com| date=2 April 2024 }}</ref> The [[Computer virus|virus]] was designed to send an infected email to the first 50 email addresses on the users’ [[Microsoft Outlook]] address book. Each infected computer would infect 50 additional computers, which in turn would infect another 50 computers. The virus proliferated rapidly and exponentially, resulting in substantial interruption and impairment of public communications and services. Many [[system administrators]] had to disconnect their computer systems from the Internet. Companies such as [[Microsoft]], [[Intel]], [[Lockheed Martin]] and [[Lucent Technologies]] were forced to shut down their email gateways due to the vast amount of emails the virus was generating. The Melissa virus is the most costly outbreak to date, causing more than $400 million in damages to [[North America]]n businesses.

After an investigation conducted by multiple branches of government and law enforcement, the Melissa Virus/Worm was attributed to [[David L. Smith (virus writer)|David L. Smith]], a 32-year-old [[New Jersey]] programmer, who was eventually charged with computer fraud.<ref>Johanna Granville [http://www.scribd.com/doc/14361572/Dotcon-Dangers-of-Cybercrime-by-Johanna-Granville “Dot.Con: The Dangers of Cyber Crime and a Call for Proactive Solutions,”] ''Australian Journal of Politics and History'', vol. 49, no. 1. (Winter 2003), pp. 102-109.

http://www.softpanorama.org/Malware/Malware_defense_history/Ch05_macro_viruses/Zoo/melissa.shtml
</ref> Smith was one of the first people ever to be prosecuted for the act of writing a virus. He was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison and was fined $5,000. In addition, he was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completion of his prison sentence. The investigation involved members of [[New Jersey]] State Police High Technology Crime Unit, the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] (FBI), the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and the [[Defense Criminal Investigative Service]].

==See also==
*[[Information Security|Information security]]
*[[Information technology audit]]

==External links==
*[http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/security/investigator/ Information Security & Computer Fraud Cases & Investigations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224205938/http://blogs.ittoolbox.com/security/investigator/ |date=2009-02-24 }}
*[https://www.ubs.com/ Union Bank of Switzerland]
*[https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/computer_and_internet_fraud Cornell Law: Computer and Internet Fraud]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Information security}}

[[Category:Internet fraud]]
[[Category:Information technology audit]]

Computer fraud - Revision history

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