Ways in which an organization can combat computer crime are given below:
1. Hire Trustworthy People:
Employers should carefully investigate the background of anyone being considered for sensitive computer work. Some people falsify resumes to get jobs.
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Others may have criminal records. Despite the publicity given to groups such as hackers, studies have consistently shown that most computer crimes are committed by insiders
2. Beware of Malcontents :
The types of employee who is most likely to commit a computer crime is one who has recently been terminated or passed over for a promotion, or one who has some reasons to “get even” with the organization.
In cases where an employee has been terminated and potential for computer crime exists, records should be updated immediately to indicate that the person involved is no longer an employee.
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3. Separate Employee Functions :
An employee with many related responsibilities can more easily commit a crime than one with a single responsibility. For example, the person who authorizes adding new vendors to a file should not be the same one who authorizes payments to those vendors.
4. Restrict System Use :
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People who use a computer system should have access only to the things they need to do their jobs. A computer operator, for example, should be told only how to execute a program and not what the program does. People who need only to retrieve information should not be given updating privileges too.
5. Limit Access to Programs and Data :
On many systems, users can restrict access to programs and data with passwords. For example, a user might specify that anyone wanting access to a program named AR-148 must first enter the password FRED.
Users can change passwords frequently and also protect particularly sensitive files with several passwords. Today many organizations use measures such as access cards and sophisticated biometric security devices in place of or in combination with passwords.
6. Use Site Licensing :
Software vendors often protect their products from unauthorized copying with site licenses. A site license allows organizations buying a software product to make copies of it and to distribute the copies among employees for internal use.
7. Disguise Programs or Data Through Encryption :
Some users and vendors encrypt data or programs to protect them. Encryption is the process of disguising data and programs by using some coding method. The encrypting procedure must provide for both coding and decoding.
As with passwords, the encryption method should be changed regularly if it is protecting particularly sensitive materials.
8. Devise Staff Controls :
Overtime work should be carefully scrutinized, because computer crimes often occur at times when the criminal is unlikely to be interrupted. Sensitive documents that are no longer needed should be shredded.
Access to the computer room or program/data library should be strictly limited to authorized personnel. Callback devices, which hang up on and call back people phoning in from remote locations, should be used in communications systems to deter hacking and virus implantation.
9. Monitor Important System Transactions :
The systems software should include a program for maintaining a log of every person gaining or attempting to gain access to the system. The log should contain information on the terminal used, the data files and programs used, and the time at which the work began and ended. Such a log allows management to isolate unauthorized system use.
10. Conduct Regular Audits :
Unfortunately, many crimes are discovered by accident. Key elements of the system should be subjected to regular audits- inspections that certify that the system is working as expected- to ensure that no foul play is taking place.
11. Educate Employees :
One of the best ways to prevent computer crime is to educate employees about security matters. People should be told about various types of computer crime and the conditions that foster them, informed of the seriousness of computer crime, and instructed on what to do when they suspect a computer crime is taking place or is about to occur.
Because most people are relatively unaware of how others can use computers illegally, a computer crime can be committed in front of several witnesses without their knowing that a crime is taking place.
12. Artificial Intelligence :
A computer is a device that, when given some instruction, can perform work at extremely fast speed, drawing on a large memory. Also it can be programmed with a set of rules or guidelines that enable it to draw a certain types of conclusion based on the input it receives.
A good deal of human mental activities involves these same processes. For this reason, the ability of computer systems to performs in ways that would be considers intelligent if observe in humans is commonly referred to as Artificial Intelligence(AI). Consequently, the computer system that embody principles of AI are frequently called AI systems.