Which statement best defines cyber crime?

Which statement best defines cyber crime?

• A. Online gaming misconduct
• B. A minor privacy violation by individuals
• C. Criminal activity in which computers or networks are a tool, a target, or a place of criminal activity
• D. Only crimes committed using physical devices

Answer: (C)

Cyber crime centers on criminal activity that involves computers or networks in some capacity. It covers cases where technology is used to commit the crime, cases where the crime targets digital systems or data, and cases where the crime occurs within a computer or networked environment itself. This breadth is why the statement describing criminal activity in which computers or networks are a tool, a target, or a place best captures what cyber crime is. Examples include hacking into systems, spreading malware, stealing online identities, and ransomware—each relies on digital tech in some way, whether as the means, the objective, or the setting. The other options are too narrow. Online gaming misconduct isn’t inherently criminal in all cases. A minor privacy violation by individuals addresses only a narrow privacy issue and doesn’t encompass the full scope of cyber crime. And crimes can be carried out without physical devices, since many cyber offenses occur entirely over networks or in virtual environments.

Cyber crime centers on criminal activity that involves computers or networks in some capacity. It covers cases where technology is used to commit the crime, cases where the crime targets digital systems or data, and cases where the crime occurs within a computer or networked environment itself. This breadth is why the statement describing criminal activity in which computers or networks are a tool, a target, or a place best captures what cyber crime is. Examples include hacking into systems, spreading malware, stealing online identities, and ransomware—each relies on digital tech in some way, whether as the means, the objective, or the setting.

The other options are too narrow. Online gaming misconduct isn’t inherently criminal in all cases. A minor privacy violation by individuals addresses only a narrow privacy issue and doesn’t encompass the full scope of cyber crime. And crimes can be carried out without physical devices, since many cyber offenses occur entirely over networks or in virtual environments.