Computer crimes: Taxonomy and prevention strategies

Computer and communications networks have greatly enhanced the effectiveness and efficiencies of organizations. They have, however, also created an opportunity for computer criminals. Computer crimes are committed for many reasons: 1) revenge by disgruntled em ployees, 2) desire for a challenge, 3) to cause mischief, and 4) money. In order to better under stand the nature of computer crimes, a comprehensive taxonomy of computer crimes is devel oped in this paper. Strategies to effectively combat the various computer crimes are then pre sented. It is hoped that the information provided in this paper makes the readers more knowl edgeable on this important topic and motivates them to deploy strategies to secure their orga nizational information resource from computer criminals