Brief summary of cybercrime in Australia

1. Research Assignment
Communication Technologies & Change
Sarah Johnson – u3025130
Tutorial Group #4

2. Cybercrime is defined as:
‘computer-mediated activities which are either
illegal or considered illicit by certain parties and
which can be conducted through global electronic
networks’
(Yar, 2006, p9)

3.  Cracking – accessing computer systems without
authority to commit a crime. Includes deliberately corrupting or
erasing information within computer systems, defacing websites, and
running copy-protected programs without a password or valid license
string
 Piracy – copying protected software without
authorisation
 Phreaking – manipulating a phone system using a
computer or other device to obtain free telephone calls
or charge calls to another account

4.  Cyberstalking – using a computer to harass and
terrorise selected human and institutional targets,
causing them to fear injury or harm
 Cyberpornography – producing and/or
distributing pornography using a computer
 Cyberterrorism – unlawful attacks and threats of
attack by terrorists against computers, networks, and
the information stored therein to intimidate or coerce a
government or its people to further the perpetrator’s
political or social objectives

5.  Hacker unions or crews (domestic and foreign)
 Organised crime
 Foreign Intelligence Services
 Botnet operators
 Random individuals looking to take advantage
of readily available black (underground)
technologies
(Fujitsu, 2009, p4)

6.  In 2008, security vendor AVG conducted a survey into global
cybercrime and found that Australia has the highest incidence of
cyber crime in the world with more than 39 per cent of
Australian’s having been the victim of cyber crime
(Fujitsu, 2009, p3)
 The 2005 AusCERT Australian Computer Crime and Security Survey
found that in total, $16.9million was lost by 110 of the Australian
organisations surveyed (Arias, 2007)
 A recent report by the Australian Institute of Criminology found
that cybercrime is costing Australian businesses more than $600
million annually (Edwards, 2009)

7. The Commonwealth Cybercrime Bill 2001
– covers the following offences:
 Unauthorised access, modification or impairment to commit a
serious offence
 Unauthorised modification of data to cause impairment
 Unauthorised impairment of electronic communications
 Possession of data with intent to commit computer offence
(described as "akin to the more familiar offences of 'going
equipped for stealing' or possession of an offensive weapon")
 Supply of data with intent to commit a computer offence
 Unauthorised access to restricted data
 Unauthorised impairment of data held in a computer disk, credit
card, etc.
(Electronic Frontiers Australia, Inc., 2008)

8. The Model Criminal Code –
Chapter 4: Damage and Computing Offences
 State & territory regulation of cybercrime
 Contains a range of offences concerned with unauthorised access,
modification and impairment of data
 Further divided into Serious Computer Offences (Division
477) or Other Computer Offences (Division 478)
(Clough, 2010, p44)

9. For an in-depth exploration of
Cybercrime and the implications it is
having on Australian Society, read
the “Cybercrime” research paper by
Sarah Johnson.

10.  Arias, M. (2007, March 6) Internet Law – Cybercrime statistics in Australia. Europe: Internet
Business Law Services, Inc. Available from URL:
http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?id=1646&s=latestnews
[Accessed 13/11/2010]
 Clough, J. (2010) Principles of Cybercrime. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.
 Edwards, K. (2009, June 9) Cybercrime costs businesses $600m: report. Australia: IDG
Communications. Available from URL:
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/306743/cybercrime_costs_business_600m_
report/ [Accessed 13/11/2010]
 Electronic Frontiers Australia, Inc. (2008) Cybercrime / Computer Legislation. Australia:
EFA, Inc. Available from URL:
http://www.efa.org.au/Issues/Privacy/cybercrimeact.html [Accessed 13/11/2010]
 Fujitsu (2009, June 26) Submission to the Standing Committee on Communications – New
Enquiry into Cybercrime. Australia: Fujitsu Australia Limited. PDF available for download
from URL:
http://www.aph.gov.au/House/committee/coms/cybercrime/subs/sub13.pdf
[Accessed 13/11/2010]
 Schell, B. & Martin, C. (2004) Cybercrime: a reference handbook. United States of America:
ABC-CLIO.
 Yar, M. (2006) Cybercrime and Society. London: SAGE Publications Ltd.