Week 7 Entry: Cyber-crime in Singapore

SPRING 2011 COM 125: Introduction to the Internet

Blog Entry 6: Internet Security Woes

This week we talked about Internet security and the various threats that we, as computer users, are vulnerable. I finally know the differences between a Computer Virus, Worms, Trojan and Phishing. (: These digital epidemics are things that many people are still unaware of. To protect yourself from these, be one step ahead: Get anti-virus protection.

In September 2010, it was reported that 70% of Internet users in Singapore are victims of cyber-crime.

"A new study, released by Symantec consumer division Norton, revealed that 70 per cent of Internet users in Singapore have fallen victim to cyber-crimes including computer viruses, online credit card fraud and identity theft. And, 71 per cent do not expect cyber-criminals to be brought to justice." http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1080159/1/.html

Aside from that, I found an interesting case of a Singaporean hacker who faces 180 years in prison charged with posting a fake July 2005 bomb threat on a technology website and 60 counts of illegally accessing a wireless network. This incident occurred shortly after the London bus and subway bombings.

It was reported that Lin Zhenghuang, then 21, was charged for a fake warning of a bomb threat at a local bus stop, with violating Singapore's Computer Misuse Act.

Cyber-crime is serious. And the law can catch up with you. But lately, cyber-crime and "cool" idea of hacking has been portrayed as something good and useful. We see it in movies and television crime serials. In these shows, hacking is usually done for the "greater good".

I guess that it would get harder to distinguish between the good and the bad as the media constantly crosses moral boundaries. People do get influenced sub-consciously. They just don't know it yet.