CDI 9

Introduction to Cybercrime and

Environmental Law Protection
An Introduction to Cyber-Crimes and Environmental Laws and Protection
The major objectives in the study of Cyber-crimes and Environmental Laws and Protection in relation to
the new curriculum for the Bachelor of Science of Criminology as stipulated in CHED Memo #05 are
enumerated:
 To become familiar with various definitions and typologies of cybercrime and environmental laws
and protection.
 To understand the contribution of hackers, victims and IT managers to cybercrime.
 To apply criminological theories in the study of cybercrime and environmental laws.
 To become familiar with technical tools allowing the collection of data in cyber space
 To explain the role of both the private sector and law enforcement agencies in investigating,
prosecuting and preventing cyber crime
 To apply environmental aspects in analytical, conceptual and implementation stage of dealing with a
specific problem
 Conceptual solutions of regional development issues
 To apply the research process on cybercrime, environmental laws and protection .

Cybercrime research has grown in visibility and importance during the last two decades.
Nevertheless, despite the growing public interest in cybercrime and its consequences for businesses and
individuals, only limited attention has been given in the criminological discipline to investigation and
understanding of this new type of crime. The purpose of this subject is to introduce students with the
technical, social and legal aspects of cybercrime as well as expose students to theories and tools that enable
scientific exploration of this phenomenon. In the first weeks of the semester we will learn about the
computer and the Internet, and discuss several definitions and typologies of cybercrime, then discuss the
hacker, the victim and the IT manager. We will conclude this section by reviewing important steps taken
by scholars while conducting scientific research. We will review various theories of crime causation, and
assess the relevance of these theories in the context of cyber space. We will then describe several technical
tools that allow the collection of data from the Internet. We will conclude with a discussion on the legal
issues affected and created by online crime.

Likewise on the second part of this book which is the study of Environmental Laws and
Protection. It will provide students with an understanding of the major environmental statutes and the
common and constitutional law that are relevant to environmental protection in the Philippines. Law will
be examined from the point of view of its effectiveness in developing healthy and sustainable human
societies that also honor the inherent value of nature and of people as part of nature.
Students will examine how we can use law to develop a cleaner, safer and more stable economy, to
protect our health, and the natural resources our descendants will need.
With its provisions for general and particular care of the environment, environmental law will
continue to stress the absolute need for a regulatory framework within which its existential, social and
aesthetic functions can be fulfilled.
The five development trends of environmental law that have been identified since the 1980s are
now grouped together in three focuses of development:

1. Integrated environmental strategies for the internal and external integration of environmental care by
means of the further ecological development and harmonization of environmental law,

2. Indirect environmental strategies for the indirect guidance of environmental care conduct by means
of corresponding economic and other incentives and instruments and

3. International environmental strategies to link national, multinational and international

environmental law by means of the promotion or adoption of multinational and international
developments.
In order to be able to master these development focuses appropriately, environmental law needs a
fundamental reform that builds upon the solid basis of the intervening measures of direct conduct guidance
and the planning measures that have been somewhat underestimated in recent decades. At a national level
the Environmental Code offers an appropriate legislative type of action and changes at the same time. It
forms the constitution of environmental order.
This environmental order is designed not only to realize the State’s constitutional objective of care
of the environment. Linked to an economic order which guarantees the autonomy of the individual and
competition, and a strongly structured social order, an environment order also helps the social market
economy to gear itself to the needs of the environment in such a way that it can do ecological, economic
and social justice to the model of sustainable development.

Introduction

Computer crime refers to criminal activity involving a computer. The computer may be used in
the commission of a crime or it may be the target. Net-crime refers to criminal use of the Internet. Cyber-
crimes are essentially a combination of these two elements and can be best defined as “Offenses that are
committed against individuals or groups of individuals with a criminal motive to intentionally harm the
reputation of the victim or cause physical or mental harm to the victim directly or indirectly using modern
telecommunication networks such as the Internet (Chat rooms, emails, notice boards and groups) and
mobile phones (SMS/MMS)”.
In its most simple form, cyber-crime can be defined as any illegal activity that uses a computer as its
primary means of function. The U.S. Department of Justice broadens this definition to include any illegal
activity that uses a computer for the storage of evidence. The term ‘cyber-crime’ can refer to offenses
including criminal activity against data, infringement of content and copyright, fraud, unauthorized access,
child pornography and cyber-stalking.
The United Nations Manual on the Prevention and Control of Computer Related Crime includes fraud,
forgery and unauthorized access in its definition of cyber-crime. Cyber-crime in effect covers a wide range
of attacks on individuals and organizations alike. These crimes may include anything from an individual’s
emotional or financial state to a nation’s security.
There are two main categories that define the make-up of cyber-crimes:

1. Those that target computer networks or devices such as viruses, malware, or denial of service
attacks.

2. Those that relate to crimes that are facilitated by computer networks or devices like cyber-stalking,
fraud, identity-theft, extortion, phishing (spam) and theft of classified information.
Cyber-crimes have expanded to include activities that cross international borders and can now be
considered a global epidemic. The international legal system ensures cyber criminals are held accountable
through the International Criminal Court.L enforcement agencies are faced with unique challenges
and the anonymity of the Internet only complicates the issues. There are problems with gathering
evidence, cross-jurisdictional issues and miscommunication related to reporting.
It is widely Known that victims of Internet crimes are often reluctant to report an offense to
authorities. In some cases the individual or organization may not even be aware a crime has been
committed. Even though facilities for reporting incidents of cyber-crime have improved in recent years
many victims remain reluctant due essentially to embarrassment.
International cooperation is essential if an effective response is to be found against global cyber-
crime. No nation can expect to effectively combat the issue alone. Many computer based crimes are
initiated ‘off-shore’ and this presents enormous challenges to any nations law enforcement agencies. It is
critical that agencies from around the world formulate actionable plans to detect, follow, arrest and
prosecute cyber criminals.
The problem of cyber-crime seems almost immeasurable in size. Looking at recent trends and
advances in mobile technology and cloud computing we realize it is an ever-evolving and rapidly
changing dynamic. There is growing evidence globally of newly formed partnerships between government
and industry aimed at prevention. These partnerships create opportunities to share information and bolster
law enforcement response to organized Internet-based crime.
This sharing of information creates concerns in its self. It is an extremely complex and sensitive
issue. A balance must be found in efficiently maximizing distribution of information and protecting it from
the organized cyber-criminal element.
Cyber-crime covers such a broad scope of criminal enterprise. The examples mentioned above are
only a few of the thousands of variants of illegal activities commonly classed as cyber-crimes. Computers
and the Internet have improved our lives in many ways, unfortunately criminals now make use of these
technologies to the detriment of society.
In our daily life, economic activities, and national security highly depend on stability, safely, and
resilient cyberspace. A network brings communications and transports, power to our homes, run our
economy, and provide government with various services.
However it is through the same cyber networks which intrude and attack our privacy, economy,
social life in a way which is harmful. Some scholars have interestingly argued that, “in the Internet nobody
knows you are a dog”.
Environmental Law: The Perspective
With its provisions for general and particular care of the environment, environmental law will continue to
stress the absolute need for a regulatory framework within which its existential, social and aesthetic
functions can be fulfilled. The five development trends of environmental law that have been identified
since the 1980s are now grouped together in three focuses of development:
• Integrated environmental strategies for the internal and external integration of environmental care by
means of the further ecological development and harmonization of environmental law,
• Indirect environmental strategies for the indirect guidance of environmental care conduct by means of
corresponding economic and other incentives and instruments and
• International environmental strategies to link national, supranational and
international environmental law by means of the promotion or adoption of supranational and international
developments.
In order to be able to master these development focuses appropriately, environmental law needs a
fundamental reform that builds upon the solid basis of the intervening measures of direct conduct guidance
and the planning measures that have been somewhat underestimated in recent decades. At a national level
the Environmental Code offers an appropriate legislative type of action for this reform of environmental
reform and, at the same time, forms the constitution of environmental order. This environmental order is
designed not only to realize the State’s constitutional objective of care of the environment. Linked to an
economic order which guarantees the autonomy of the individual and competition, and a strongly
structured social order, an environment order also helps the social market economy to gear itself to the
needs of the environment in such a way that it can do ecological, economic and social justice to the model
of sustainable development.
It is high time and necessary to protect environment and save whole mankind. It is important to
protect the environment because man-made disruptions to ecosystems can cause extinction, because
pollution creates dangers for both animals and people, and because mankind owes the natural world a
moral obligation
Environmental protection is an important concept of sustainable development. As the main player
of sustainable development, enterprises should pursue the ecological, economic and social sustainable
development and take social responsibility for the harmonious development of the society and
environment. Under the consideration of environmental protection and sustainable development,
enterprises should behave environmental friendly to obtain the legitimacy from constituencies. Based on
the theme of environmental protection, this book introduces and discusses the literatures related to
sustainable development and legitimacy of enterprises.
Climate change. It’s worse than we imagined it would be. The effects of climate change can have a
disastrous impact on our planet Earth. High temperatures, loss of wildlife species, increase in sea level,
changes in rainfall patterns, heat waves, stronger storms, wildfires and shrinking of arctic ice are few of the
dangerous effects of climate change.
Are we still going to ignore this problem as if it isn’t real? I implore you not to.
Here are five little things you can do to help save our planet as students.
5 Ways Students Can Help Save the Environment
1. Use Reusable Bags. Plastic grocery-Plastic grocery-type bags that get thrown out end up in lakes and
landfills or in other parts of the environment. These can clog sewage pipes and drainage canals and
ultimately pollute the water bodies into which sewage water is pumped into. Also, it takes a while for
the bags to decompose. Whether you are shopping for food, clothes or books, use a reusable bag.
2. Recycle.
Recycling is such a simple thing to do, but so many people don’t do it. Look for recycling cans near
trashcans. Instead of throwing recyclables in the trash with your non-recyclables, make it a point to take an
extra step to locate recycling cans around your campus. Always separate biodegradable and non-
biodegradable wastes.
3. Save Electricity!
Use energy-efficient light bulbs instead of regular bulbs. They last longer, which will save you a bit of
money too. Make sure you turn off lights, the TV, and other appliances when you are not using them.
Lower your air conditioning or when it is not necessary. I know this is hard to do with the excruciating
heat this summer, but it is necessary.
4. Save Water
Water is wasted more frequently than we can see. Turn off the faucet as you are brushing your teeth. Don’t
turn your shower on until you're ready to get in and wash your hair. Limit your water usage as you wash
dishes. Changing old habits will be extremely good for the environment.
5. Walk or cycle.
Driving is one of the biggest causes of pollution. If you want to use your car, ask yourself the following
question: do i really need my car? Walk or use your bicycle if the journey is a short one.
It’s high time each and every one of us took action. It’s our planet, and it’s our responsibility to take care
of it. We’ve damaged it enough. Climate change is reversible, we just need enough motivated people doing
the right thing.
CHAPTER 1
The Computer and the Internet

Famed mathematician Charles Babbage designed a Victorian-er computer called the Analytical Engine.
This is a portion of the mill with a printing mechanism.

The computer was born not for entertainment or email but out of a need to solve a serious number-
crunching crisis. By 1880, the U.S. population had grown so large that it took more than seven years to
tabulate the U.S. Census results. The government sought a faster way to get the job done, giving rise to
punch-card based computers that took up entire rooms.
Today, we carry more computing power on our smartphones than was available in these early models. The
following brief history of computing is a timeline of how computersevolved from their humble
beginnings to the machines of today that surf the internet play games and stream multimedia in addition
to crunching numbers.

History of the Computer

The computer as we know it today had its beginning with a 19th century English mathematics
professor named Charles Babbage. He designed the Analytical Engine and it was this design that the basic
framework of the computers of today are based on.
Generally speaking, computers can be classified into three generations. Each generation lasted for
a certain period of time, and each gave us either a new and improved computer or an improvement to the
existing computer.
First generation:1937-1946 -In 1937 the first electronic digital computer was built by Dr. John V.
Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. It was called the Atanasoff-Berry Computer (ABC). In 1943 an electronic
computer name the Colossus was built for the military. Other developments continued until in 1946 the
first general- purpose digital computer, the Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was
built. It is said that this computer weighed 30 tons, and had 18,000 vacuum tubes which was used for
processing. When this computer was turned on for the first time lights dim in sections of Philadelphia.
Computers of this generation could only perform single task, and they had no operating system.
Second generation:1947-1962 -This generation of computers used transistors instead of vacuum tubes
which were more reliable. In 1951 the first computer for commercial use was introduced to the public; the
Universal Automatic Computer (UNIVAC 1). In 1953 the International Business Machine (IBM) 650 and
700 series computers made their mark in the computer world. During this generation of computers over
100 computer programming languages were developed, computers had memory and operating systems.
Storage media such as tape and disk were in use also were printers for output.
Third generation: 1963 – present – The invention of integrated circuit brought us the third generation of
computers. With this invention computers became smaller, more powerful more reliable and they are able
to run many different programs at the same time. In1980 Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-Dos) was
born and in 1981 IBM introduced the personal computer (PC) for home and office use. Three years later
Apple gave us the Macintosh computer with its icon driven interface and the 90s gave us Windows
operating system.
As a result of the various improvements to the development of the computer we have seen the computer
being used in all areas of life. It is a very useful tool that will continue to experience new development as
time passes.

What does Computer mean?

A computer is a machine or device that performs processes, calculations and operations based on
instructions provided by a software or hardware program. It is designed to execute applications and
provides a variety of solutions by combining integrated hardware and software components.
A computer is made up of multiple parts and components that facilitate user functionality. A computer has
two primary categories:

1. Hardware: Physical structure that houses a computer's processor, memory, storage, communication
ports and peripheral devices

2. Software: Includes operating system (OS) and software applications

A computer works with software programs that are sent to its underlying hardware architecture for reading,
interpretation and execution. Computers are classified according to computing power, capacity, size,
mobility and other factors, as personal computers (PC), desktop computers, laptop computers,
minicomputers, handheld computers and devices, mainframes or supercomputers.

Computer Fundamentals
A computer is an electronic machine that accepts data, stores and processes data into information.
The computer is able to work because there are instructions in its memory directing it. The parts of the
computer that you can see and touch, such as the keyboard, monitor and the mouse are called hardware.
The instructions that direct the computer are called software or computer program.
Data which is raw facts that the user enters into the computer is called input. These includes;
words, numbers, sound and pictures. When the data is entered into the computer, the computer
processes the data to produce information which is output. For example, you enter 2+2 into the computer
as data, the computer processes it and the result is 4 which is information.
Computers are usually categories into three general categories:

1. Supercomputer - The fastest, largest, most powerful and most expensive computer.
2. Mainframe Computer - This is a little smaller and less powerful than the supercomputer, but, like the
supercomputer it is also expensive.

3. Personal Computer (PC) -This is the computer that most people use in their daily lives. This computer
is much smaller, less powerful and less expensive than the supercomputer and the mainframe computer.
There are two main types of personal computers. Macintosh (Macs) and the PC compatibles
(PC).The main difference between the two is the operating systems and the processors they
use. This category of computer has two additional types of computers. These are mobile computer
and handheld computer. The most popular type of mobile computer is the notebook or laptop
computer, and the handheld computer is a very small PC that you can hold in your hand.
It is important to note that, any computer; regardless of its size has an input device, output device and a
system unit.
Computer Hardware
You learned earlier that a computer has electronic and mechanical parts known as hardware. Hardware also
includes input devices, output devices, system unit, storage devices and communication devices. Without
these components we would not be able to use the computer.
Input Devices-An input device is any hardware component that allows you the user to enter data into the
computer. There are many input devices.
Six of the most widely used input devices are:
1. Keyboard - You use the keyboard to type letters, numbers, and symbols into the computer.Mouse-The
mouse is a pointing device that has a pointer that changes into different shapes as you use the mouse. You
click the mouse by pressing and releasing the button. This action allows you to enter data when using a
mouse.

2. Scanner - This input device copies from paper into your computer.
3. Microphone - The microphone is usually used for voice input into the computer.
4. Digital Camera - The digital camera allows you to take pictures that you can input into your computer.
5. PC Video Camera - The PC video camera allows you take both video and still images that you can
input onto your computer.
Output Devices- An output device is any hardware component that gives information to the user.
Three commonly used output devices are as follow:

1. Monitor - This output device displays your information on a screen,

2. Printer - This output device prints information on paper. This type of printed output is called a hard
copy

3. Speaker - Sound is the type of output you will get from a speaker.
Computer Software
The computer will not work without software. Software also call programs. These are the instructions
that tell the computer what to do and how o do it. The two main categories of software are system software
and application software. The system software also called the operating system(OS)actually runs the
computer. This software controls all the operations of the computer and its devices. All computers use
system software and without the system software the application software will not work. The most
common OS on a PC is the Windows operating system and for the Mac computer it would be the Mac
operating system.
Application software is a program that allows users to a specific task on the computer. There are a number
of different types of application software available to do many of the tasks we do daily.
Four examples of common application software and what they are used for are:

1. Word Processing Application: One word processing program is Microsoft Word. This program allows
you to type letters, assignments and do any other written activity on the computer.
2. Spreadsheet Application: Microsoft Excel is an example of a spreadsheet program. One can use this
program to create charts and do calculations. E-mail Application: Outlook Express is an e-mail program
that allows you to receive and send e-mails.

3. Internet Application: Internet Explorer is a program that allows you to get connected to the Internet
and look at Web sites like the one you are reading now.
It is important to note that when you buy a computer the computer comes with the operating system and
some software already installed. You may have to buy more software and install them on the computer.
Install means to load the software onto the hard disk of the computer so that you can run or use the
software.
Like any other equipment the computer needs to be cared for; let us discuss how we should go about caring
for our computer.

Storage Media
Storage keeps data, information and instructions for use in the future. All computers use storage to keep
the software that makes the hardware work.
As a user you store a variety of data and information on your computer or on storage media. Storage media
are the physical materials on which data, information and instructions are kept. When a user saves
information or data to a storage medium he or she is storing a file, and this process is called writing. When
the file is opened the process is called reading.

Common storage media are:

1. Hard Drive: This storage medium which looks like the one below, is a hard drive. This medium comes
with the computer and is always inside the computer. It stores all the programs that the computer needs to
work. In addition users store their data and information on the hard drive.

2. Floppy Disk: This storage medium is considered to be a portable storage medium. You put it into the
computer save your information on it, take it out, and take it with you wherever you go.

3. CD & DVD: These types of storage media hold much more information than a floppy disk. They are
also considered portable storage. These types of storage media come in different forms. This means that
there are CDs and DVDs that you can only save information on but you cannot erase the information. In
addition there are those that can both save information on and erase the information you have saved.

4. USB Flash Drive: This is a storage medium that is very easy to carry around and it also holds more data
than a floppy disk. As you can see from the picture below it is very small when compared with the others.
Computer Care
Taking care of your computer is just as important as taking care of your books. Both the internal and the
external parts of the computer have to be cared for. Scanning, defragging and reformatting are some of the
activities performed to clean up the hard drive. These activities are best left to a grown up and such you
should not attempt them.
However, there are certain tasks you can perform to ensure your computer is clean; here are a few:

1. Keep Dust Away: Dust your computer to keep it free of dust and dirt.
2. Keep Food Away: Do not eat or drink while working on the computer.
3. Use Clean Hands: Make sure your hands are clean before you type on the keyboard of click the mouse.
4. Treat With Respect: If you are having problems with your computer, ask for help. Do not bang or hit
the computer.

5. Keep Off: Seeing that the computer is connected to electricity, this means that lightning could be
conducted to your computer through the electrical connection. For this reason it is best not to use your
computer during a storm.

6. Stop Virus Attack: A computer virus is a program written by a person on purpose to harm other
peoples’ computers. A computer virus is passed from one computer o another when you share and
download files without the protection of an antivirus software. For this reason you should get permission
before downloading files.

7. Handle With Care: The way you handle your CDs will determine how long they will last. Always
hold the CD correctly.

History of Internet
The Internet Timeline begins in1962, before the word ‘Internet’ is invented. The world’s 10,000 computers
are primitive, although they cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. They have only a few thousand words
of magnetic core memory, and programming them is far from easy.
Domestically, data communication over the phone lines is an AT & T monopoly. The ‘Picture phone’ of
1939, shown again at the New York World’s Fair in 1964, is still AT&T’s answer to the future of
worldwide communications.
But the four-year old Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense, a
future-oriented funder of ‘high-risk, high-gain’ research, lays the groundwork for what becomes the
ARPANET and, much later, the Internet.
ARPANET adopted TCP/IP on January 1,1983,and from there researchers began to assemble the “network
of networks” that became the modern Internet. The online world
then took on a more recognizable form in 1990,when computer scientist Tim Berners- Lee invented the
World Wide Web.
Vint Cerf. Widely known as a “Father of the Internet,” Cerf is the co-designer of the TCP/IP protocols and
the architecture of the Internet. In December 1997,President Bill Clinton presented the U.S. National
Medal of Technology to Cerf and his colleague, Robert E. Kahn, founding and developing the Internet.
Michael Bauer, the original owner of Internet.org before Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg,
discovered what became of his treasured domain just like anyone else: while watching Chris Cuomo on
CNN.
Meaning of Internet
The Internet, sometimes called simply “the Net,” is a worldwide system of computer networks-a network
of networks in which users at any one computer can, if they have permission, get information from any
other computer (and sometimes talk directly users at other computers).
It is also a means of connecting a computer to any other computer anywhere in the world via dedicated
routers and servers. When two computers are connected over the Internet, they can send and receive all
kinds of information such as text, graphics, voice, video, and computer programs.
 Basically, the way the Internet works is by connecting billions of computers together in things
called networks. Networks (“Net” for short) are clusters of computers linked together so that they can send
data to each other. That is the ISP’s network you are on. The Internet grew out of the Advanced Research
Projects Agency’s Wide Area Network (then called ARPANET) established by the US Department Of
Defense in 1960s for collaboration in military research among business and government laboratories.
Later universities and other US institutions connected to it. This resulted in ARPANET
growing beyond everyone’s expectations and acquiring the name ‘Internet.’ The development of hypertext
based technology (called World Wide Web, WWW, or just the Web) provided means of displaying text,
graphics, and animations, and easy search and navigation tools that triggered Internet’s explosive
worldwide growth.

Different Types of Internet Connections

There are many ways a personal electronic device can connect to the internet. They all use different
hardware and each has a range of connection speeds. As technology changes, faster internet connections
are needed to handle those changes. I thought it would be interesting to list some of the different types of
internet connections that are available for home and personal use, paired with their average speeds.

1. Dial-Up (Analog 56K). -Dial-up access is cheap but slow. A modem (internal or external) connects to
the Internet afterthe computer dials a phone number. This analog signal is converted to digital via the
modem and sent over a land-line serviced by a public telephone network. Telephone lines are variable in
quality and the connection can be poor at times. The lines regularly experience interference and this affects
the speed, anywhere from 28K to 56K. Since a computer or other device shares the same line as the
telephone, they can’t be active at the same time.

2. DSL. DSL stands for Digital Subscriber Line. It is an internet connection that is always “on”. This uses
2 lines so your phone is not tied up when your computer is connected. There is also no need to dial a
phone number to connect. DSL uses a router to transport data and the range of connection speed,
depending on the service offered, is between 128K to 8 Mbps.
3. Cable. Cable provides an internet connection through a cable modem and operates over cable TV lines.
There are different speeds depending on if you are uploading data transmissions or downloading. Since the
coax cable provides a much greater bandwidth over dial-up or DSL telephone lines, you can get faster
access. Cable speeds range from 512K to 20 Mbps.

4. Wireless. Wireless, or Wi-Fi, as the name suggests, does not use telephone lines or cables to connect to
the internet. Instead, it uses radio frequency. Wireless is also an always on connection and it can be
accessed from just about anywhere. Wireless networks are growing in coverage areas by the minute so
when I mean access from just about anywhere, I really mean it. Speeds will vary, and the range is between
5 Mbps to 20 Mbps.

5. Satellite. Satellite accesses the internet via a satellite in Earth’s orbit. The enormous distance that a
signal travels from earth to satellite and back again, provides a delayed connection compared to cable and
DSL. Satellite connection speeds are around 512K to 2.0 Mbps.
6. Cellular. Cellular technology provides wireless Internet ccess through cell phones. The speeds vary
depending on the provider, but the most common are 3G and 4G speeds A 3G is a term that describes a 3rd
generation cellular network obtaining mobile speeds of around 2.0 Mbps. 4G is the fourth generation of
cellular wireless standards. The goal of 4G is to achieve peak mobile speeds of 100 Mbps but the reality is
about 21 Mbps currently.

The Internet is one of the fastest-growing areas of technical infrastructure development. Today,
information and communication technologies (ICTs) are omnipresent and the trend towards digitization is
growing. The demand for Internet and computer connectivity has led to the integration of computer
technology into products that have usually functioned without it, such as cars and buildings. Electricity
supply, transportation infrastructure, military services and logistics-virtually all modern services depend on
the use of ICTs.
Although the development of new technologies is focused mainly on meeting consumer demands in
western countries, developing countries can also benefit from new technologies. With the availability of
long-distance wireless communication technologies such as WiMAX and computer systems that are
now available for less than USD 2006, many more people in developing countries should have easier
access to the Internet and related products and services.
The influence of ICTs on society goes far beyond establishing basic information infrastructure. The
availability of ICTs is a foundation for development in the creation, availability and use of network-based
services. E-mails have displaced traditional letters
online web representation is nowadays more important for businesses than printed publicity materials; and
Internet-based communication and phone services are growing faster than landline communications.
The availability of ICTs and new network-based services offer a number of advantages for society in
general, especially for developing countries. ICT applications, such as e-government, e-commerce, e-
education, e-health and e-environment, are seen as enablers for development, as they provide an efficient
channel to deliver a wide range of basic services in remote and rural areas.
ICT applications can facilitate the achievement of millennium development targets, reducing poverty and
improving health and environmental conditions in developing countries. Given the right approach, context
and implementation processes, investments in ICT applications and tools can result in productivity and
quality improvements. In turn, ICT applications may release technical and human capacity and enable
greater access to basic services. In this regard, online identity theft and the act of capturing another
person’s credentials and/or personal information via the Internet with the intent to fraudulently reuse it for
criminal purposes is now one of the main threats to further deployment of e-government and e-business
services.
The costs of Internet services are often also much lower than comparable services outside the network. E-
mail services are often available free of charge or cost very little compared to traditional postal services.
The online encyclopedia Wikipedia can be used free of charge, as can hundreds of online hosting services.
Lower costs are important, as they enable services to be used by many more users, including people with
only limited income. Given the limited financial resources of many people in developing countries, the
Internet enables them to use services they may not otherwise have access to outside the network.
Advantages and Risks of information and communication technologies(ICTs)
The introduction of ICTs into many aspects of everyday life has led to the development of the modern
concept of the information society. This development of the information society offers great opportunities.
Unhindered access to information can support democracy, as the flow of information is taken out of the
control of state authorities (as has happened, for example, in Eastern Europe and North Africa).Technical
developments have improved daily life -for example, online banking and shopping, the use of mobile data
services and voice over Internet protocol (VolP) telephony are just some examples of how far the
integration of ICTs into our daily lives has advanced.
However, the growth of the information society is accompanied by new and serious threats. Essential
services such as water and electricity supply now rely on ICTs. Cars, traffic control, elevators, air
conditioning and telephones also depend on the smooth functioning of ICTs. Attacks against information
infrastructure and Internetservices now have the potential to harm society in new and critical ways.
Attacks against information infrastructure and Internet services have already taken place. Online fraud and
hacking attacks are just some examples of computer-related crimes that are committed on a large scale
every day. The financial damage caused by cybercrime is reported to be enormous.
In 2003 alone, malicious software caused damages of up to USD 17 billion. By some estimates, revenues
from cybercrime exceeded USD 100 billion in 2007,outstripping the illegal trade in drugs for the first time.
Nearly 600 per cent of businesses in the United States believe that cybercrime is more costly to them than
physical crime. These estimates clearly demonstrate the importance of protecting information
infrastructures. Most of the above-mentioned attacks against computer infrastructure are not necessarily
targeting critical infrastructure. However, the malicious software “Stuxnet” that was discovered in 2010
underlines the threat of attacks focusing on critical infrastructure. The software, with more than 4 000
functions, focused on computer systems running software that is typically used to control critical
infrastructure.
Committing a cybercrime automatically involves a number of people and businesses, even if the offender
acts alone. Due to the structure of the Internet, the transmission of a simple e-mail requires the service of a
number of providers. In addition to the e-mail provider, the transmission involves access providers as well
as routers who forward the e-mail to the recipient. The situation is similar for the downloading of movies
containing child pornography. The downloading process involves the content provider who uploaded the
pictures (for example on a website), the hosting provider who provided the storage media for the website,
the routers who forwarded the files to the user, and finally the access provider who enabled the user to
access the Internet. Because of this involvement by multiple parties, Internet service providers have long
since been at the center of criminal investigations involving offenders who use the ISPs’ services to
commit an offense.
One of the main reasons for this development is that, even when the offender is acting from abroad, the
providers located within the country’s national borders are a suitable subject for criminal investigations
without violating the principle of national sovereignty. The fact that, on the one hand, cybercrime
cannot be committed without the involvement of providers, and, on the other hand, providers often do not
have the ability to prevent these crime
The answer to the question is critical for economic development of the ICT infrastructure. Providers will
only operate their services if they are able to avoid criminalization within their regular mode of
operation. In addition, law enforcement agencies also have a keen interest in this question. The work of
law-enforcement agencies very often depends on cooperation of, and with, Internet providers. This raises
some concern, since limiting the liability of Internet providers for acts committed by their users could have
an impact on the ISPs’ cooperation and support for cybercrime investigations, as well as on the actual
prevention of crime.