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Computer Crime-Abetting Sites Will Dramatically Increase Costs For Businesses And Consumers
October 18, 1999
Corporate Press Release
[Editor´s Note: As soon as we saw this press release we called the contact at the bottom. We spoke with several people at the company and received some large amount of cooperation.
In response to our views they agreed to issue a second press release elaborating on this one, explaining that most of the software they mentioned here has dual uses and is legitimate. They did, however, ask if there was any software only used by "criminals." We told them we´d think about it.
You´re welcome to send your comments and suggestions.]
(Carlsbad, CA) Hacking and computer-crime-abetting Web sites are supplying Web surfers with tools and instructions that could cost consumers and businesses worldwide over a trillion dollars this year.
Computer Economics research shows that hacking and computer crime will experience a dramatic increase in the next few years due to the abundance of Web sites devoted to these topics. Also factoring into the growth of computer crime is the low cost of the tools and instructions that these sites sell, and the rise of the wireless Internet.
"The Internet has always been a haven for computer criminals," said Computer Economics research analyst Adam Harriss. "The technologically savvy hackers have been online swapping tips and programming for decades, but now the information is being posted and sold at low cost in a form that even the techno-illiterate can understand. Causing damage to machines and infiltrating systems has become as easy as putting together a child's Christmas toy."
While some hacker sites warn that the products they sell are to be used for informational purposes only, other sites pander to malicious users, and are growing a future generation of hackers by targeting children. The proprietors of some hacking manuals tout them as guides that help users "search for company secrets." Vendors of hacking hardware often boast that their goods "screw up all types of computer disks." Software that could be used to pirate other programs is sometimes said to be "a must for anyone who doesn't want to pay full price for software."
Not only are these hacking tools priced very low, but many of the most popular hacking tools, such as L0phtCrack, AntiSniff, nmap, and netcat are free shareware. Manuals and software about hacking and computer crime interests such as viruses, counterfeiting, piracy, and various types of fraud typically run from $8 to $60.
The following table shows a few examples of the types of information and technology that is available for order at low prices on the Internet.
Computer Crime Instructions and Software Available OnlineA manual that tells Microsoft users how to avoid the $35 per incident fee for tech support after the 90 days of free support has run out.$10Software and instructions to circumvent any Internet sites that are restricted by a "parental block."30Software to remotely infiltrate the hard drives of people in chat rooms and copy their software.50A disk containing over 4000 live viruses including CIA, Michaelangelo, JerusalemB, Dark Avenger, Darth Vader, Kool Aid, AIDS, Rape, Keydrop, Null, and Quiet.42A guide to making a profit from software bootlegging.8Complete guide to hacking a Novell network. Software and texts are included. 25Instructions about how to break into any Eudora account. 30The low cost of computer crime software and hardware combined with the dramatic expansion of the Internet into new, lesser-developed regions of the world promises to exacerbate the hacking problem. There are roughly three times as many people using wireless phone services as there are people on the Internet, so there is possibility for an online explosion once a wireless Internet is established. With the expansion and proliferation of the Internet in many countries with loose regulation of computer crime and poorly organized law enforcement, hacking and computer crime will flourish in the years to come.
Computer Economics is an independent research firm specializing in helping IT decision makers plan, manage, and control IT costs through advisory services, analyst support, an innovative Web site, and printed reports. Based in Carlsbad, California, Computer Economics serves 82 percent of the Fortune 500.
Contact: Catherine Huneke - Computer Economics, Inc.
Phone: 760-438-8100, ext. 108 or 116
E-mail: chuneke@compecon.com
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