ABSTRACT

This chapter explores the crime of cybertrespass, commonly called “hacking.” Cybertrespass refers to “the unauthorized crossing of the boundaries of computer systems into spaces where rights of ownership or title have been already established”. Cybertrespass is grounded on the notion that areas of the digital environment are pieces of real estate that someone owns. Cybertrespass is prohibited at the federal level by the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. One area in which criminologists and other social scientists have contributed to an understanding of cybertrespass is by exploring the culture and motivations of hackers. Hackers can be divided into several categories based upon their motives and skill level. Hackers have developed and employed many tools and techniques for gaining unauthorized access or exceeding authorized access. Worms can be understood as self-replicating malware that performs its actions without the intervention of a user. Trojans are named after the mythological Trojan Horse used to smuggle Greek soldiers during the Trojan War.