Internet Crime

It is estimated that over 1 billion people now have access to the Internet. This unprecedented access and use of Internet by individuals around the world, however, is accompanied by malicious and mischievous activities online. With the traditional crimes such as fraud, identity theft, and harassment now being committed with the use of the Internet, and networked home computers being exploited to carry out attacks such as denial of service, spamming, phishing and virus/worm propagation, it has become important to investigate security and privacy issues as they pertain to individual Internet users. To date very little is known about what characteristics of internet users affect their computing and on-line behaviors as they relate to security online. While some attention has been paid to understand the security issues affecting corporations, research investigating security issues as they relate to home users is still in infancy. Drawing from disciplines such as criminology, sociology, consumer fraud, and information security, this study seeks to find the role of computing skills and computer training, social influence, and gender on person’s vulnerability to Internet crimes. Our findings are significant and shed light in this important area of Internet crime contributing to the information security literature.

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Gender Differences in Internet Usage and Task Preferences

Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-815-4.ch086 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 557-563 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kai Zheng ◽

Akhilesh Bajaj ◽

Beth Osborne Daponte ◽

John B. Engberg

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Internet Usage ◽

The Internet ◽

Race And Gender ◽

Internet Behavior ◽

Internet Users ◽

Targeted Marketing ◽

Use Of The Internet ◽

And Gender ◽

And Task

How people use the Internet is an intriguing question to researchers, computer educators, Internet content providers (ICPs), and marketing practitioners. With the expansion of online information resources and the improvement of connection bandwidth, Internet users have been offered more and more choices, at the same time, faced with more and more dilemmas on how to allocate their time and energy online. How much time do people spend on surfing the Internet? What do they do? Are there any traceable patterns to interpret the Internet behavior and to predict future use based on people’s demographic, social, or psychological characteristics? These are all interesting questions that researchers attempt to answer. In 1995, the HomeNet project conducted at the Human Computer Interaction Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, launched a series of field studies to examine the residential Internet behavior. It has found that social demographics—generation, race and gender, rather than socioeconomic factors—income, education—and psychological factors—like social extraversion and attitude toward computing—were major influences on use (Kraut, Scherlis, Mukhopadhyay, Manning, & Kiesler, 1996). Following the HomeNet project’s initial attempt, many empirical studies have been conducted globally to study the Internet behavior and its driving factors. Among these efforts, a noticeable focus is to resolve the long-lasting controversy, inherited from the similar debate of computer behavior studies, on how gender differences influence the way people use the Internet. Many researchers believe that females are less technology-inclined, less motivated, and therefore less competent in the masculine computer and Internet culture; on the other hand, some other researchers argue females have the ability to be proficient in use of the Internet. The present study is thereby conducted to provide more empirical evidence of gender effects on Internet usage and task preferences. In particular, we are interested in examining gender influences when users’ computer proficiency is controlled for. We believe that the results of this study can provide valuable insights into effective online content delivery, targeted marketing strategies, and customized computer education to encourage use. The close examination of people’s actual surfing data can also contribute to a better understanding of how the Internet is actually utilized. The next section describes the debate about how women and men respond in different ways to computers and the Internet. This is followed by a presentation of our study design: the monitoring software, the content classification schema and method, and the user population that we studied. The findings are presented next, followed by concluding remarks.

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Information Security Threats to Network Based Information Systems

Encyclopedia of Multimedia Technology and Networking, Second Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-014-1.ch093 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 691-696

Author(s):

Sumeet Gupta

Keyword(s):

Information Security ◽

Credit Card ◽

New World ◽

Denial Of Service ◽

The Internet ◽

Security Threats ◽

Root Cause ◽

Internet Users ◽

Malicious Codes ◽

Online Experience

While Internet has opened a whole new world of opportunity for interaction and business by removing many trade barriers, it has also opened up new possibilities and means of criminal acts altogether unheard of in the off-line world. Why do people commit crimes online? Perhaps, some of them attempt to gain unauthorised access to other’s money. Some people have fun doing so and there are others who do it to take revenge or to harm others. While the motivation of conducting criminal acts may be the same as in the off-line world, the manner of such criminal acts is unique to the Internet. The vulnerability of the information transmitted over Internet is the root cause of the sprawling of criminal acts over Internet. Both users and vendors become vulnerable to criminal acts that undermine security due to easy accessibility of Internet and easy exploitation of security loopholes in the Internet. These criminal acts can adversely affect Internet users, particularly online vendors and customers. Therefore, it is important that Internet users not only become conversant of such criminal acts but also take suitable measures to counter and avoid becoming victims of these criminal acts. In this article we examine some of the major information security threats to Internet users with particular emphasis on electronic commerce and propose plausible solutions for a safer online experience. The information security threats can be categorised into threats to the users, threats to the vendors, and threats to both users and vendors. Electronic embezzlement, sniffing and spoofing, and denial-of-service attacks are examples of threat to the vendor. Credit card frauds and malicious codes are examples of threats to the users. Cybervandalism and phishing are examples of threats to both users and vendors.

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The Effect of Gender and the Internet on the Level of Corruption in ASEAN 5 (1997-2019)

Media Ekonomi dan Manajemen ◽

10.24856/mem.v36i1.1811 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 36 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Indah Susilowati ◽

Olivia Fachrunnisa ◽

Nugroho Sumarjiyanto BM

Keyword(s):

Labor Force ◽

Labor Force Participation ◽

Female Labor Force Participation ◽

The Philippines ◽

The Internet ◽

Female Labor ◽

Internet Users ◽

Asean Countries ◽

Use Of The Internet ◽

And Gender

The level of corruption in ASEAN countries, especially ASEAN 5, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, although gradually declining but still in the high category. This study aims to analyze the factors that influence the level of corruption in ASEAN-5 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines). The level of corruption is proxied using the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), while the independent variable is internet users, and gender is proxied by female labor force participation and male labor force participation. The results show that the increasing number of internet users will reduce the level of corruption as indicated by the increased CPI value. As for gender, increasing female labor force participation will reduce the level of corruption, but the opposite result is shown by the participation of the male labor force. The policy implication of this study is the need to expand the use of the internet and provide wider opportunities for women to work, especially in public offices, to reduce the level of corruption

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Internet usage patterns and gender differences: a decision tree approach

10.31124/advance.8040185 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Dijana Kovacevic ◽

Ljiljana Kascelan

Keyword(s):

Decision Tree ◽

Internet Usage ◽

The Internet ◽

Modified Model ◽

Explanatory Variables ◽

Internet Users ◽

Usage Patterns ◽

And Gender ◽

The One ◽

Web Developers

the present study deals with a more detailed, and updated, modified model that allows for the identification of internet usage patterns by gender. The model was modified due to the development of the internet and new access models, on the one hand, and to the fact that previous studies mainly focuses on various individual (non-interactive) influences of certain factors, on the other. The Decision Tree (DT) method, which is used in our study, does not require a pre-defined underlying relationship. In addition, the method allows a great many explanatory variables to be processed and the most important variables are easy to identify. Obtained results can serve as to web developers and designers, since by indicating the differences between male and female internet users in terms of their behaviour on the internet it can help in deciding when, where and how to address and appeal to which section of the user base. It is especially important to know their online preferences in order to enable the adequate and targeted placement of information, actions or products and services for the intended target groups.

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Digital practices across the UK population: The influence of socio-economic and techno-social variables in the use of the Internet

European Journal of Communication ◽

10.1177/02673231211046785 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 026732312110467

Author(s):

Daniel Calderón Gómez ◽

Massimo Ragnedda ◽

Maria Laura Ruiu

Keyword(s):

Cluster Analysis ◽

Social Aspects ◽

The Internet ◽

Logit Analysis ◽

Social Variables ◽

Technological Factors ◽

Internet Users ◽

Socio Economic Variables ◽

Use Of The Internet ◽

The Uk

This article investigates the entanglement between socio-economic and technological factors in conditioning people's patterns of Internet use. We analysed the influence of sociodemographic and techno-social aspects in conditioning the distinctive digital practices developed by Internet users. By using a representative sample of UK users and different methods of analysis, such as factor analysis, K-means cluster analysis and logit analysis, this study shows how techno-social variables have a stronger effect than socio-economic variables in explaining the advanced use of the Internet.

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Towards Privacy Awareness in Future Internet Technologies

Cyber Law, Privacy, and Security ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-8897-9.ch089 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 1818-1839

Author(s):

Hosnieh Rafiee ◽

Christoph Meinel

Keyword(s):

Future Internet ◽

The Internet ◽

User Privacy ◽

Current Standard ◽

Important Place ◽

Privacy Issue ◽

Internet Users ◽

The World ◽

Use Of The Internet ◽

Practical Level

With the increased use of the Internet to share confidential information with other users around the world, the demands to protect this information are also increasing. This is why, today, privacy has found its important place in users' lives. However, Internet users have different interpretations of the meaning of privacy. This fact makes it difficult to find the best way to address the privacy issue. In addition, most of the current standard protocols in use over the Internet do not support the level of privacy that most users expect. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the best balance between users' expectation and the practical level of privacy to address user privacy needs and evaluate the most important protocols from privacy aspects.

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Network Worms

Encyclopedia of Information Science and Technology, Second Edition ◽

10.4018/978-1-60566-026-4.ch444 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 2783-2788

Author(s):

Thomas M. Chen ◽

Greg W. Tally

Keyword(s):

Denial Of Service ◽

Human Action ◽

Network Services ◽

The Internet ◽

Distributed Denial Of Service ◽

Functional Perspective ◽

Internet Users ◽

Confidential Data ◽

Self Replication ◽

E Mail

Internet users are currently plagued by an assortment of malicious software (malware). The Internet provides not only connectivity for network services such as e-mail and Web browsing, but also an environment for the spread of malware between computers. Users can be affected even if their computers are not vulnerable to malware. For example, fast-spreading worms can cause widespread congestion that will bring down network services. Worms and viruses are both common types of self-replicating malware but differ in their method of replication (Grimes, 2001; Harley, Slade, & Gattiker, 2001; Szor, 2005). A computer virus depends on hijacking control of another (host) program to attach a copy of its virus code to more files or programs. When the newly infected program is executed, the virus code is also executed. In contrast, a worm is a standalone program that does not depend on other programs (Nazario, 2004). It replicates by searching for vulnerable targets through the network, and attempts to transfer a copy of itself. Worms are dependent on the network environment to spread. Over the years, the Internet has become a fertile environment for worms to thrive. The constant exposure of computer users to worm threats from the Internet is a major concern. Another concern is the possible rate of infection. Because worms are automated programs, they can spread without any human action. The fastest time needed to infect a majority of Internet users is a matter of speculation, but some worry that a new worm outbreak could spread through the Internet much faster than defenses could detect and block it. The most reliable defenses are based on attack signatures. If a new worm does not have an existing signature, it could have some time to spread unhindered and complete its damage before a signature can be devised for it. Perhaps a greater concern about worms is their role as vehicles for delivery of other malware in their payload. Once a worm has compromised a host victim, it can execute any payload. Historical examples of worms have included: • Trojan horses: Software with a hidden malicious function, for example, to steal confidential data or open a backdoor; • Droppers: Designed to facilitate downloading of other malware; • Bots: Software to listen covertly for and execute remote commands, for example, to send spam or carry out a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. These types of malware are not able to spread by themselves, and therefore take advantage of the self-replication characteristic of worms to spread. This article presents a review of the historical development of worms, and an overview of worm anatomy from a functional perspective.

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The Impact of the Internet on Political Activism

Electronic Government ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-947-2.ch249 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 3371-3388

Author(s):

Pippa Norris

Keyword(s):

Civic Engagement ◽

Political Activism ◽

Social Characteristics ◽

The Internet ◽

Political Consequences ◽

Internet Users ◽

The Social ◽

Use Of The Internet ◽

The Public Sphere ◽

The Impact

The core issue for this study concerns less the social than the political consequences of the rise of knowledge societies; in particular, the capacity of the Internet for strengthening democratic participation and civic engagement linking citizens and government. To consider these issues, Part I summarizes debates about the impact of the Internet on the public sphere. The main influence of this development, as it is theorized in a market model, will be determined by the “supply” and “demand” for electronic information and communications about government and politics. Demand, in turn, is assumed to be heavily dependent upon the social characteristics of Internet users and their prior political orientations. Given this understanding, the study predicts that the primary impact of knowledge societies in democratic societies will be upon facilitating cause-oriented and civic forms of political activism, thereby strengthening social movements and interest groups, more than upon conventional channels of political participation exemplified by voting, parties, and election campaigning. Part II summarizes the sources of survey data and the key measures of political activism used in this study, drawing upon the 19-nation European Social Survey, 2002. Part III examines the evidence for the relationship between use of the Internet and indicators of civic engagement. The conclusion in Part IV summarizes the results and considers the broader implications for governance and democracy.

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The Impact of the Internet on Political Activism

Handbook of Research on Public Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-857-4.ch075 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 889-904

Author(s):

Pippa Norris

Keyword(s):

Civic Engagement ◽

Political Activism ◽

Social Characteristics ◽

The Internet ◽

Political Consequences ◽

Internet Users ◽

The Social ◽

Use Of The Internet ◽

The Public Sphere ◽

The Impact

The core issue for this study concerns less the social than the political consequences of the rise of knowledge societies; in particular, the capacity of the Internet for strengthening democratic participation and civic engagement linking citizens and government. To consider these issues, Part I summarizes debates about the impact of the Internet on the public sphere. The main influence of this development, as it is theorized in a market model, will be determined by the “supply” and “demand” for electronic information and communications about government and politics. Demand, in turn, is assumed to be heavily dependent upon the social characteristics of Internet users and their prior political orientations. Given this understanding, the study predicts that the primary impact of knowledge societies in democratic societies will be upon facilitating cause-oriented and civic forms of political activism, thereby strengthening social movements and interest groups, more than upon conventional channels of political participation exemplified by voting, parties, and election campaigning. Part II summarizes the sources of survey data and the key measures of political activism used in this study, drawing upon the 19-nation European Social Survey, 2002. Part III examines the evidence for the relationship between use of the Internet and indicators of civic engagement. The conclusion in Part IV summarizes the results and considers the broader implications for governance and democracy.

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