Home > Security

Computerworld - Stalking can take any number of forms: following a person, appearing at his home or place of employment, making harassing phone calls, vandalizing his property or leaving objects or written messages. In contrast, cyberstalking generally refers to the use of the Internet, e-mail messaging or other electronic communication methods such as instant messaging to stalk someone.

In recent years, stalkers have found that the Internet provides a new medium through which to commit crimes against their victims. Cyberstalkers, like other predators, are opportunists and are often motivated by a desire to exert control over their victims. Given the enormous amount of personal information available through the Internet, a determined cyberstalker can often easily locate private information about a potential victim. Numerous Web sites offer personal information, including unlisted telephone numbers and detailed directions to homes or offices. For a fee, other Web sites promise to provide Social Security numbers, financial data and other personal information that cyberstalkers might find useful in the pursuit of their victims.

	Douglas Schweitzer is an Internet security specialist with a focus on malicious code. He is the author of several books, including Internet Security Made Easy and Securing the Network from Malicious Code and the recently released Incident Response: Computer Forensics Toolkit.

As the Internet becomes ever more an integrated part of our personal and professional lives, stalkers take advantage of the ease of communications. Although a potential stalker may be unwilling or unable to confront a victim in person or even over the telephone, he may have little hesitation in sending harassing or threatening electronic communications to a victim. As with physical stalking, online harassment and threats may be a prelude to more serious actions, including physical violence.

Cyberstalkers will use a variety of techniques. They may initially use the Internet to identify and track their victims. The anonymous nature of the Internet provides new opportunities for budding cyberstalkers. A cyberstalker's true identity can be concealed by using different Internet service providers and/or by adopting different screen names. More seasoned stalkers may even employ the use of anonymous remailers, making it all but impossible to determine the true identity or source of an e-mail message. Under the cloak of anonymity, they may send unsolicited e-mail messages, which can include hate, obscene or threatening content.

Via newsgroups, the cyberstalker may even create postings about the victim or start rumors that spread through a bulletin board system. Another technique used by cyberstalkers is to assume the victim's persona online (such as in chat room) for the purpose of sullying the victim's reputation, posting details (whether factual or false) about the victim or soliciting unwanted contacts from others. In addition, online harassment may include sending the victim computer viruses or electronic junk mail (spamming).