Problems of Forensic Sciences 2005 Vol. 61 (LXI) 30-41
PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS COMMITTING COMPUTER CRIMES
Jakub LICKIEWICZ
Department of General Psychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin
Streszczenie
Nowadays, the Internet is used both for work and entertainment. However, the increasing popularity of this medium means that it has also become a target for criminal activities. People who commit such offences are referred to as hackers. This term was understood in various ways until, in the course of time, it achieved its present negative meaning. Various definitions and typologies of the term are given nowadays, aimed at facilitating understanding of this phenomenon. However, research carried out up till now indicates that hackers are not an internally homogenous group, which makes it difficult to define the personality features of a typical hacker. Due to the growing number of computer attacks, a new branch of legal sciences, computer forensics, has been set up, which deals with the creation of psychological profiles of criminals. Analogies between hacker attacks and other aggressive crimes are sought more and more frequently. In order to create an adequate profile, we should collect as much information as possible about the time and place of the event, and also the victim of the attack. Only in this manner will we be able to determine precisely the personality traits and motivation of the criminal.
Słowa kluczowe
Motivation; Profiling; Computer forensics.