Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: Identity Theft
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Stealing passwords and using them to act as if you are someone else is a serious cybercrime. When an attacker gains access to another person's credentials, they can log in to email accounts, social networks, banking services, and other systems, causing financial and personal damage. This question asks for the common name given to this type of crime in the context of information security and general computer awareness.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
Identity theft is the crime in which someone illegally obtains and uses another person's personal data and credentials, often including passwords, account numbers, or other identifying information, to assume their identity. Spoofing refers more specifically to forging a sender address or false identity in one communication, such as email spoofing or IP spoofing, but does not by itself mean the entire theft of someone's identity. Surfing simply means browsing the Internet. Keylogging is a specific technique where malicious software or hardware records keystrokes to capture passwords; it is one method used to commit identity theft but is not the overarching crime itself. Therefore, identity theft is the most accurate and commonly used term for stealing passwords to impersonate someone.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Focus on the key action described: stealing passwords to act as another person.
Step 2: Match this with the general crime name used in media and law.
The common name is identity theft, meaning theft of another person's identity and credentials.
Step 3: Consider spoofing.
Spoofing is about faking a source or address, not necessarily stealing and using full identity data.
Step 4: Consider surfing.
Surfing is harmless browsing and is not a crime in itself.
Step 5: Consider keylogging attacks.
Keylogging is a technique to capture passwords, but the broader crime of using stolen credentials is identity theft.
Step 6: Conclude that identity theft is the correct answer.
Verification / Alternative check:
Cybercrime reports from law enforcement and consumer protection agencies repeatedly use the term identity theft when describing cases where criminals steal login details, credit card information, and other personal data to access accounts as if they were the victim. Spoofing appears as a related term but usually describes specific technical tricks. Educational material for general computer awareness exams also presents identity theft as the crime of stealing someone's personal information and passwords for fraudulent use. This confirms that identity theft is the correct label for the crime described in the question.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A (Spoofing): Refers to forging a sender address or misleading identity in communications, which is a technique but not the broader crime of stealing and misusing someone's identity.
Option B (Surfing): Means casual browsing on the Internet and is not a crime.
Option D (Keylogging attacks): A method of capturing keystrokes to obtain passwords, which can be part of identity theft but is not the general crime name.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the method with the crime. For example, they may think keylogging is the crime itself, when it is only one way criminals steal credentials. Spoofing also sounds related because it involves false identities, but it is usually used to describe technical tricks, not the full theft and misuse of a person's identity. To avoid confusion, remember that the broad crime involving stolen personal data and passwords is called identity theft, no matter which technique is used to obtain the data.
Final Answer:
The crime of stealing passwords and using them to impersonate someone is commonly called Identity Theft.
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