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CISSP 19.2 - Major Categories of Computer Crime
This episode of the ISC2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) exam prep series maps the motives behind computer crime from Domain 7. It works through what actually counts as a computer crime and the reasons attackers act, so that reading an adversary’s purpose becomes a practical way to predict their moves and defend the assets that truly matter.
What this episode covers
- What counts as a computer crime — any crime where the computer is the target or the tool, driven by old motives with a new toolkit.
- The seven categories — military and intelligence, business, financial, terrorist, grudge, thrill, and hacktivist attacks.
- Military and intelligence attacks — the hunt for secret information, and the advanced persistent threat that leaves no trace.
- Business and financial attacks — corporate espionage, ransomware, stolen card numbers, and cybercrime for hire with rented botnets.
- Terrorist and grudge attacks — disruption and fear against critical systems, and revenge fueled by the insider threat.
- Thrill attacks and hacktivists — script kiddies chasing a rush, and political collectives turning disruption into a message.
- Defending by motive — reading why an attacker acts so you can predict their moves and harden the right targets.
Watch the full episode above for the worked examples and detailed explanations of each concept.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a computer crime?
A computer crime is any crime that involves a computer, where the machine is either the target of the attack or the tool used to commit the offense. The motives are no different from any other crime, greed, revenge, ideology, and thrill drive both, and only the method changes. Anyone who violates your security policy counts as an attacker.
What are the seven categories of computer crime?
There are seven categories, each a different purpose behind an attack. Military and intelligence attacks chase secret information, business attacks target a company’s data and systems, and financial attacks pursue money. Terrorist attacks aim to disrupt and instill fear, grudge attacks seek revenge, thrill attacks are done for fun, and hacktivist attacks push a political cause.
What drives a military and intelligence attack?
A military and intelligence attack hunts for secret and restricted information such as military plans, sensitive intelligence, or investigation details, often as a prelude to a bigger strike. Because these targets are so valuable, they draw the most skilled adversaries, including the advanced persistent threat, well funded, highly skilled attackers backed by a nation-state who focus relentlessly on one target and often leave no trace.
What is behind a thrill attack?
A thrill attack is driven by the simple rush of breaking in. These attackers often lack the skill to build their own tools, so they download ready-made programs and run them, earning the nickname script kiddies. The usual outcome is a service interruption or a compromised system, and a common signature is website defacement that boasts about the break-in.
What sets hacktivists apart?
Hacktivists fuse politics with the thrill of hacking, combining the words hacker and activist and organizing into loosely named collectives. Their aim is to disrupt organizations they disagree with philosophically, often launching large denial of service attacks that overwhelm a target with traffic. The cause is the point, since the attack is a form of protest rather than personal gain.
📚 Master the ISC2 CISSP Exam!
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Reference: This article is based on concepts discussed in CISSP 19.2 - Major Categories of Computer Crime.