prevalent that a name has been given to the perpetrators: hackers. Hackers, and the crimes that they commit, have become a very serious threat to the well being of society in the United States. Hacking is defined by the CCI Online Computer Dictionary as using ingenuity and creativity to solve computer-programming problems, and to overcome the limitations of a system and expand its capabilities (CCI Computing). Though by this definition, hacking seems harmless, and maybe even useful, the act is more commonly associated with negative actions and aggressive crimes. The PC Webopedia defines hacking as modifying a program, often in an unauthorized manner, by changing the code itself (PC Webopedia). The term hacker references the latter definition, and refers to the person who invades the affected computers. Perhaps the most threatening aspect of hackers, though, is that anyone with more than a cursory knowledge of computer programming can quickly begin wreaking havoc. The average person tends to think of hackers as malicious, professional computer criminals who spend all of their time writing destructive computer viruses to break into the most secure and important computer systems to steal information or money (Hayward, 2). However, hackers are more often the guy next door, young teenagers or college students, or men and women that work for technologys leading firms. Even more frightening is the fact that home computers are just as susceptible to becoming the next victims of computer crime as the Pentagons computer systems. David Dunagen, a resident of Dallas, Texas, knows this threat all too well. Dunagen, a computer security expert, was a victim of computer hacking fraud. A computer criminal stole his identity and credit card number, and then used them to order a notebook computer over the Internet. The Dallas police refused to look into his case, claiming that they did not have the time or the resources to track down t...
