Internet Crime

The focus of the week is different ways in which security is compromised over the Internet. So we learned about viruses, trojans, worms, hackers as well as how to protect against them: firewalls, anti-viruses, anti-spyware etc. Our assignment for the week is to search for an article regarding Internet/cyber crime in Singapore.

I found this article in which a 17-year-old was sentenced to 18 months' probation because he was caught piggybacking on his neighbour's wireless Internet. He was reported when said neighbour saw him sitting outside on a kerb at 2am in the morning. The reason he was piggybacking? His mother had confiscated his computer modem. Reason he wanted to go online? To chat online. (Excuse me while I roll on the floor laughing) According to the article, "in doing so he would make Asian legal history" because before this he was "was the first in Singapore, and possibly Asia, to be sentenced in court for "wireless mooching," or piggybacking on an unsecured wireless network to surf the Internet."

I find this article interesting because firstly, it seems as though where other countires can't really be bothered with mooching, Singapore (as per its kiasu self) cared very much. Secondly, I find it interesting that we can link this article to Internet as an addiction. Finally, cyber crime laws are still evolving and being refined in order to correctly label criminals. Just out of random curiosity, I found this online where it provides an overview of cybercrime legislation and gives examples of cases in Singapore.

So that's it for this week.