Modules 11-13

1. What is computer crime?
            Well, as the name suggests, it's a crime that has something to do with the technology or more specifically to computers. In our modern world today, as technology significantly eases the performance of many tasks.
            Computerization significantly eases the performance of many tasks. For example, the speed and ability to communicate with people is fostered by the Internet, a worldwide network that is used to send communiqués and provide access to the world-wide web. But this same speed and ability to communicate also opens the door to criminal conduct. Computer crime plays a significant role in the criminal law of the information age. Accompanying the influx of computers is an increase in criminal acts and, as a result, an increase in the number of statutes to punish those who abuse and misuse this technology.
           Computer crime, sometimes known as cyber-crime, is a serious concern. The crime can be perpetrated instantaneously and its effects can spread with incredible quickness. Furthermore, the ever-increasing use of computers, especially in serving critical infrastructure, makes computer criminality increasingly important.
           There is an endless list of possible crimes that can occur through use of the Internet. For example, the Internet can be a medium used for committing hate crimes, pornography, consumer fraud, stalking, terrorism, theft of security or trade secrets, software piracy, economic espionage, and financial institution fraud. The threat of computer crime is underlined by the fact that a security organization such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation was forced to temporarily take down its Internet site in 1991 after an attack by hackers.
            Companies have been equally vulnerable and have incurred millions of dollars in damage due to the effect of certain viruses.
            Misuse of the computer threatens individual and business privacy, public safety, and national security. There have been considerable efforts made by state, federal, and international governments to curb computer crime.

2. Give an example of a computer crime not stated in the Computer Ethics blog
Cyberterrorism is an example to a computer crime.
Cyberterrorism in general, can be defined as an act of terrorism committed through the use of cyberspace or computer resources (Parker 1983). As such, a simple propaganda in the Internet, that there will be bomb attacks during the holidays can be considered cyberterrorism. As well there are also hacking activities directed towards individuals, families, organized by groups within networks, tending to cause fear among people, demonstrate power, collecting information relevant for ruining peoples' lives, robberies, blackmailing etc.

3. What is stated in section 33a of Republic Act 8792?
Cracking and hacking under the Philippine Electronic Commerce Act (Republic Act No. 8792) are used interchangeably. The Act provides specifically that “hacking or cracking ... refers to unauthorized access into or interference in a computer system / server or information and communication system; or any access in order to corrupt, alter, steal, or destroy using a computer or other similar information and communication devices, without the knowledge and consent of the owner of the computer or information and communications system, including the introduction of computer viruses and the like, resulting in the corruption, destruction, alteration, theft or loss of electronic data messages or electronic document.


4. In Visayas State University, there is an office that deals with protecting
the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) of those who publish their intellectual
output works. What is this office that caters with IPR concerns? Who is the head
of this office?
ODREx deals with the Intellectual Property Rights or the IPR concerns header by Dr. Othello Capuno.