Cyber Hate-Crime- The setting and the current responses:
According to the US Congress, Hate Crime is defined as "the defendant's conduct was motivated by hatred, bias, or prejudice, based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity of another individual or group of individuals" (HR 4797). Later the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act added disabilities to the list. There are stringent legislative measures to prevent people from practicing hate crime.
Internet being such an open and huge media unfortunately has the scope to carry out these crimes in a bigger way than the normal. Cyber hate crime can be explained as practicing hate crime by using Internet as the media. Internet offers a huge space and the fact being that there are no definite cyber laws to punish people or to make people stop practicing these crimes. It appears to be the best place for one to execute such hatred.
And also anonymity plays a vital role to help people escape the laws in the internet. A person using a nickname or an alias can post a message on the internet and thus hiding his identity from the internet users. Therefore the law cannot be enforced on any pinpointed individual. Similarly setting up the servers in different countries may make the person escape the jury because the cyber laws of different countries are not exactly the same.
Some of the examples of hate crime on the net as of today include, creating websites that contain racial remarks, anti-Semitic remarks, anti-ethnic remarks, politically motivated remarks. Since these websites are viewed by the entire public without any limitation, they tend to create an influence on people who may or may not necessarily support the remarks.
Here are some examples quoted from the Blog Site of the American university, Brandeis University, mybrandeis.edu:
“So I was playing a game of Savage online the other day and this guy joins the game, calling himself "JEW KILLER." Offended, I target him specifically and beat him up a few times until the game ends. Today he and some anti semite friends joined the game, but this time I wasn't the only jew there. Needless to say we grouped together to defend ourselves.”
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“I don't see a lot of anti-Semitism in real life. Too much of my free time is spent online however and I see way too much of it there. I think Jews get bashed on the internet more than all the other groups combined and I have no explanation as to why. If anyone could shed some light on the situation I'd appreciate it.”
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“I'm no expert, but IMHO it has something to do with the relative anonymity of the internet. Sure, there are ways of finding someone's IP address and from there finding their true identity, but the fact that it's not blatant allows people to do things that they wouldn't do otherwise. There's a similar theory about why people are willing to do things in a uniform that they'd never do in real life. The anonymity of a disguise or uniform masks who they really are, thus allowing them to do things that their "normal" personality would not. Again, I'm not an expert...”
A UK based e-mail filtering company Surf control which revealed the fact that the number of hate and violence website has grown up by 300% since 2000(courtesy www.theregister.co.uk, www.electricnews.net). The company further stated that in 2000 there was about 2,756 websites that was categorized as hate and violence sites. Whereas by April 2004, there were about 10,926. Even more interesting fact was that the growth of these websites could be noted by the fact that since January 2004 to March 2004 the rise in the percentage was about 25% whereas the entire rise in Crime was in the whole year 2003 was only 30%
The firm also justified the fact that the existing hate sites have expanded in a much bigger way then expected. For eg., the sites which contained only normal phrases of violence and other such activities now contained some graphic images of the dead and mutilated human beings and also some dreaded incidents that have shocked the whole world.
Defacing of Websites:
Another important cyber hate crime is the defacement of the website. The defacement of the website can be considered a hate crime if it consists of any form of hate messages. Defacement means altering the content of a website by illegally tampering its content and therefore making the organization at a loss.
In August 2003,hundreds of Indian websites were defaced by a pro-Pakistan hacker group and the main motive of this defacement was the anti Indian policy of the hacker’s group and in retaliation hundreds of Pakistani websites were defaced by Indian hackers. In 2001 there were incidents of constant defacement of Chinese websites by the U.S. and the U.S. websites by Chinese. Recently after the infamous cartoon row there were reports that the Danish and the U.S. websites were constantly defaced by the Muslim extremists group. Defacements of Israeli websites and Russian websites by defacers to support terrorist organizations existing in the countries.
Current Responses:
The main mission statements of organizations fighting hate crimes are as follows, as found in their website:
· uniting organisations fighting against cyber hate
· exchanging information to enhance effectivity of such organisations
· lobbying for international legislation to combat discrimination on Internet
· support groups and institutions who want to set up a complaints bureau
· create awareness and promote attitude change about discrimination on the internet by giving information, education
· to start and maintain the website www.inach.net for the network and by
· any other means that are helpful to reach the goal.
Cyber Crime Units: As suggested by Paul A. Curtis, (Sergeant – Arkansas State Police Criminal Justice Institute, Director: Dr. Lee Colwell, School Of Law Enforcement Supervision in November 12, 2000) is one of the many ways to prevent cyber crime. These units with adequate powers must also be able to tackle cyber hate crime.
First of all creating cyber crime units requires huge investment, and techno savvy participants. Apart from this a strong judicial backdrop is required to support these units because after some tough work by the police and after collecting sensitive evidence there should be some law through which action can be taken. The unit must be maintained on a national basis and also proper labs and environment must be set up to train the units.
Ways to combat hate crime:
Revamping License and agreement and Terms of service between the service providers and the webmasters:
Majority of them don’t even go through the license. They blindly accept the license by giving the ‘Next’ or the ‘Accept’ command. In some agreement he has to click on a radio button which means he has accepted the agreements. Thus there is a scenario where a webmaster accepts all the laws, terms of service, agreement but is not aware of many or any legal issues contained in them and the point to note here is, the acceptors are bound by these issues.
Therefore if there is a law which may state that propagating hate crime through website, e-mail, chat or forum is illegal; it is impossible that it will be noticed by a webmaster during his acceptance of the agreements.
So what can we actually make so that the webmaster really understands what he is agreeing on?
- It is a well known fact that the legal procedures which the webmaster signs is a very long document and it is necessary for the document to contain all the legal issues so it is impossible for one to reduce the agreement to a single page.
Therefore the very first page which he views and the page on which (in some pages where he has to check a radio button) he has to click the ‘Next’ button or ‘Agree’ button, certain points can be highlighted. There can be a sentence in a bigger font size then the other text and in bold conveying the main important legal issues to the webmaster.
The remaining agreement can follow the highlighted text. In this way there is a very good probability that the user will read them before accepting them. In case of certain users who are actually going to hire the space for creating hate website, this may serve as a warning.
- An E-Mail should be sent to the user from the webmaster stating very clearly some of the important and sensitive legal issues and it should be made compulsory for the user to acknowledge the email sent by the web service provider.
- In case of forums and chat where there are constant changes in the contents implementing this may not be the remedy. But there can be a constant reviewing of the material and may be using a text filter the harm full content can be deleted and the user can be denied permission to use the chat or the forum.
- There can also be cases where certain blogs can be created just for the sake of propagating cyber hate. In this case also, the above proposed ideas can be a bit difficult to maintain because of the immense volume of the blogs. Again these blogs can be made safer if they are verified using a text and graphics filter before being hosted on the web.
International setup to monitor cyber crime: The internet is growing at a very rapid pace and as discussed earlier it is a dream come true for all the racial abusers and those propagating hate crime. Right now there is no world wide organization that can define the security measures on the Internet and also to prescribe a set of dos and don’ts on the internet.
Therefore as recommended earlier, there should be an International setup to monitor the cyber crime. Internet is a global phenomenon which exists in almost all the countries in the world, therefore the international setup may be constituted by national setups existing in various countries.
This national setup should be the organization which will regulate internet in their respective countries. While forming these organizations there should be a special sub-committee to deal specifically on cyber hate. At present the INACH is doing a very good job and they must be given extensive powers on dealing with Cyber Hate.
Setting up certain parameters on the servers and browsers based on which the websites will be closed: We need to have certain parameters that has the capability of discriminating hate websites and other activities that propagate hate on the internet. If these parameters are effective and result oriented, then they can be used on the servers hosting websites.
Global Hate Index, projects like that must be given importance and can be used on the servers. The GHI must be used to scan all the pages the servers host and the Index should be monitored. There should be a cut-off index. Those websites that has an index higher than that of the cut off index must be shut down automatically. This can be of great use because this type of index is not going to be biased and is going to be an automatic one.
Creating a helpline and to encourage people to report online hate: One more proposed idea is to have a helpline where users can regularly report over the phone or through e-mail about hate content on the Internet. This can be a very good solution if implemented.
The number and e-mail should be advertised and must reach almost everyone.
Creating awareness through ads on the internet and education: There should be a constant urge to create awareness to the public about the rise of hatred content on the Internet. The general public should also be told about the growing trends in cyber hate and how dangerous it can become in the future. Therefore all the websites or at least the popular websites should contains ads stating that hatred content is bad and should advice people from not getting involved with the hate content on the internet.
Also reports showed that a large number of the hate websites involve adolescent and teenagers. Therefore there should be a compulsory ethical training, teaching them what is bad and what should not be done over the internet, especially there should be some emphasis that urge the children to refrain from committing hate crime on the internet.
BIOMETRICS: Biometric authentication methods –
Factors influencing choice
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"Bio," means life, and "Metric," means a measure of. So, Biometrics is, in essence, the measure of life. Biometrics uses one or more of the unique human physiological or behavioral characteristics, such as fingerprint, voice recognition, facial recognition, iris scan, retina scan, palm scan, signature dynamics, wrist vein pattern, and hand geometry.
Biometric methods have come to stay wherever multifactor authentication is required. With increasing reporting of infractions of networked information systems, security experts are moving more towards multifactor authentication and identity provisioning methods. Despite various limitations, biometrics is still regarded as a relatively more reliable form of authentication compared to other methods when it comes to authentication of individuals. Many security managers have considered a number of parameters on which to rank biometric methods before they can be implemented on specific applications. It is also clear that what is suitable for one set of implementation will not be suitable for another since the technology to be chosen depends on the rigor of authentication required in the system and the ease of being embedded into the application.
The major drawback of password-based system is the compromise of the password and PIN which will result in unauthorized access. The basic flaw in this type of system is that there is no fool-proof process which can link the password or the PIN to the individual. This has led to hacking, cracking and illegal penetrations into networks. The limitations of password based security are so large that has resulted in the creation of a million dollar authentication techniques business which depends heavily on multifactor authentication systems. Multifactor authentication systems are often based on the uniqueness of human traits which are hacker-resistant and non-duplicatable.
The Various Methods Used in Biometrics authentication System:
Fingerprint identification:Fingerprint identification is the most commonly recognized and most widely applied form of Biometric technology. Fingerprint ID is based on the fact that a person's fingerprint is completely unique to the individual.
Hand geometry:Hand geometry is even older than digital fingerprinting; it was first used for security purposes on Wall Street more than 20 years ago. Hand geometry is based on the fact that virtually every person a hand is shaped differently and that the shape of a person's hand (after a certain age) does not significantly change. When the user places a hand on the hand reader, a three-dimensional image of the hand is captured. Then, the shape and length of the fingers and knuckles are measured.
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Face pattern recognition:Face recognition uses the visible physical structure of the face and analyses the spatial geometry of distinguishing features in it to identify an individual.
Eye scanning: Biometrics, which analyzes the complex and unique characteristics of the eye, can be divided into two different fields: iris biometrics and retina biometrics. The iris is the colored band of tissue that surrounds the pupil of the eye. An iris recognition system uses a video camera to capture the sample while the software compares the resulting data against stored templates.
Signature dynamics:
Signature identification, also known as Dynamic Signature Verification (DSV), analyses the way a user signs his name. It analyses two different areas of an individual's signature: the specific features of the signature and specific features of the process of signing like speed, pen pressure, directions, stroke length, and the points in time when the pen is lifted from the paper.
Voice verification:Voice verification is the science of verifying a person's identity on the basis of their voice characteristics. Unique features of a person's voice are digitized and compared with the individual's pre-recorded "voiceprint" sample stored in the database for identity verification. It is different from speech recognition because the technology does not recognize the spoken word itself. Rather, it recognizes the speaker of the words by analyzing unique speech characteristics, such as the frequency between phonetics.
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Face recognition:Face recognition systems identify an individual by analyzing the unique shape, pattern and positioning of facial features. There are essentially two methods of processing the data: video and thermal imaging. Standard video techniques are based on the facial image captured by a video camera. Thermal imaging techniques analyze the heat-generated pattern of blood vessels underneath the skin.
The below table gives the various biometric group and its cross over ratio.
| Biometric Methods | Cross Over Ratio |
| Retinal Scan | 1:10,000,000+ |
| Iris Scan | 1:131,000 |
| Fingerprints | 1:500 |
| Hand Geometry | 1:500 (against a very small background database) |
| Signature Dynamics | 1:50 |
| Voice Dynamics | 1:50 |
The use of Biometric has increased significantly primarily due to the decreasing cost associated with biometric solutions, the speed with which a biometric transaction can be completed, and the non-obtrusive nature of many of the new biometric readers.
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Applications of Biometric Devices: 1 Leading car manufacturers use fingerprint recognition as a requirement for ignition of the engine.
2 Disney World uses a fingerprint scanner to verify season-pass holders entering the theme park.
3 GM and Hertz uses voice identification technology to protect their computer facilities.
4 NetNanny has developed a user identification system using keystroke dynamics.
5 British Employment Services use signature verification to verify an individual who is claiming benefits.
6 Pentonville Prison in England employs signature identification to prevent prisoner's signing off food against other prisoner's accounts.
7 Heathrow airport uses iris recognition to check the identity of travellers entering UK.
Future Prospects: Biometry is one of the most promising and life-altering technologies in existence today. It is all set to change the way we live in the future. Some of the emerging biometrics technologies in the near future are:
1. Ear shape identification - measures the shape and geometry of the ear. Ears have more identification richness than any other part of the human body except fingerprints. They do not change significantly from the time the subject reaches adult age.
2. Body odour identification - body odour can be digitally recorded for identification.
3. Body salinity identification - it exploits the natural level of salinity in the human body. An electric field is passed through the body on which data can be carried.
4. EEG Fingerprint - the baseline brainwave pattern of every individual is unique and thus could feasibly meet the qualifications of a biometric.
5. DNA matching - the "Ultimate" biometric technology that would produce proof-positive identification of an individual. This technology is still not considered a "biometric" technology and is years away from any kind of implementation.
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Windows Vista............Great Expectation but failed to deliver:After such a long gap of nearly 2 years Microsoft came up with the new OS Win VISTA.....Well, Frankly speaking it appears as if the OS has failed to cope up with the expectation and the hype which was created b4 its release.
Microsoft, before the release of the OS kept using the mantra:"Confidence, clarity, and connection."Well contemplating on that we may assume they mean greater stability and security within the OS, better graphics throughout, and an enhanced ability to share documents and files, including built-in P2P services.Instalation:The set up of the OS, which is very important and forms the first impressio on the user is very much simplified. Windows Vista, comes mainly on a DVD. Even though versions of CDs are availlable. Setup only prompts you for a few simple items and then does its thing. An upgrade install (where you upgrade from XP to Vista) does not appear to be available in Beta 1. The routine goes like this , First is the REG KEY followed by the EULA and then choosing the installation type, Partition and then the installation.Display and Visuals-An Extravaganca?
One that clearly strikes the user of WIN XP when using WIN VISTA is their styles and schemes. A Sense of using a non windows platform sweeps our mind.
he Windows, Windows feature a polished, glass-like translucent look, and the window buttons light up as you mouse over them. The Recycle Bin visually appears to fill up with little crumpled balls of paper as you use them.
There is also a change in the way the all program list in windows start menu is instead of the cascading menu it appears as if they all will be set up in a group. This is not so comfortable.
Overall the look and feel of Windows Vista is cool and well-designed, with a slight Mac OS X-like look. The use of transparencies and translucencies, however, shows that Microsoft is still years behind Apple. File System and User Settings:Windows Vista, also introduces the concept of Virtual Folders. These are not "real" folders but are instead XML-based containers for links to other files and folders. Virtual Folders point to lists of other files. Further these Folders are smart ie., they update dynamically hence make it easier for you to organize your data in ways that make sense to you. Windows VISTA also has this preview sort of thing for all the folders and they tend to appear all over the place as we use different folders there is nothing like consistency.Yeah, the explorer window in the VISTA is excellent.
In Windows Vista, Microsoft borrows a lot of clever ideas from its competitors. Borrowing from Linux, Windows Vista runs all users at a Standard user level and creates a separate Administrator login, so even if you are the only user of the OS, you will still need to log in with Administrator privileges to do high-level work, such as changing the status of hidden or read-only files. Standard users should still be able to install and uninstall applications, provided they know the password for Administrator privileges. This extra effort should minimise the occurrence of spyware installing without your knowledge and remote-access exploits from taking control of your computer.
Borrowing from Apple's MAC OS, Windows Vista incorporates enhanced desktop search features throughout its new OS. You can search from the Windows Start menu or within applications.
Newbies:
Well Vista comes with the IE7 and Win Media Player 7 whose reviews will be updated soon.
Conclusion:It's too early to say how successful Microsoft Windows Vista will be. Windows XP hasn't swept the world after four years (there are millions of people still using Windows 98 SE, for example), and in the corporate space, Windows 2000 remains the preferred environment, despite Microsoft's many attempts to discontinue support of Windows 2000.Windows VISTA may not be a new trend in the operating system like either WIN 98 or WIN XP. So VISTA may well be a OS which is just a enhanced version of WIN XP.PLUS:- Visual themes and styles
- Explorer bar
- Enhanced Search
- Performance compared with WIN XP
Negative:- Feels as if something is less
- Appears out of 'windows platform' and leans more into MAC and Linux
- The change in 'all programs' start menu
- Inbuilt firewall is not too powerful
- Could have done better with transperancy
Rating:6/10
