ABSTRACT
Computer crime can be broadly defined as a criminal act either aimed at a computer or carried out with its assistance. The most public manifestation of computer crime is the practice known as hacking, which basically entails use of the telephone system to gain unauthorized access to computer systems and their data. A trojan horse is a set of program procedures that will sometimes perform unauthorized functions but will usually allow the program to perform its intended purpose. Computer security can be improved greatly by the simple expedient of password control. In 1986, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, extended federal jurisdiction over interstate computer crimes in the private sector. There is still no easy answer to the question of whether information and communication technologies will fit into existing social patterns or whether social behaviour will be modified to fit the technology.
