Internet related commercial crimes
| dc.contributor.advisor | Henning, J. J. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Verschoor, T. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ebersöhn, Gerhardus Johannes | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-04-25T10:01:12Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-04-25T10:01:12Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2001-11 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: The purpose of this study was to determine whether these exists a need for legislation in South Africa criminalising Internet related commercial crimes and specifically computer-related crimes, which for all purposes refer to instances where computer experts (hackers) gain access to third parties' computers without authorisation or unlawfully interfere with the latter's computer systems as well as to instances where computer experts disseminate malicious computer programs that do the above. Collectively these instances are referred to as hacking and virus instances. The selling and/or distributing of hackers' tools (used to gain access to computer system or to interfere with the functioning of computer systems) and illegally obtained passwords are also examples of a computer-related crime, studied in this dissertation. In search for an answer to the above-mentioned question, this study assessed whether computer-related crimes can be accommodated by the current definitions of common law as well as statutory offences, with specific reference to the offences of theft, receiving stolen property knowing it to be stolen, fraud, theft by false pretences, malicious injury to property and crimen iniuria. After a thorough analysis of the current law obtaining in South Africa it was concluded that should local courts be willing to extend the application as well as the definitions of common law offences to computer-related crimes, then virtually all instances of computer-related crimes would be encompassed by the above-mentioned common law offences. Only the creation and possession of hackers' tools and illegally obtained passwords would not constitute offences in terms of the South African criminal law. It was further noted that should local courts refuse to extend the application of common law offences to computer-related crimes, then thirteen cyber-"transgression" have to be criminalised. Further note was taken of the South African Law Commission's draft bill, the Computer Misuse Bill, as a proposal to criminalise computer-related crimes. In order to assess whether such proposed legislation is in line with foreign legislation criminalising the above-mentioned aspects, this study also scrutinised the legislation of the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the Netherlands as well as the newly enacted European Convention on Cybercrime. Certain recommendations were also made to the South African Law Commission with regard to the type of conduct that should be criminalised to bring foreseen South African legislation, dealing with cyber-related crimes, in line with foreign legislation. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of daar 'n behoefte aan wetgewing in Suid-Afrika is wat Internet verwante kommersiële misdade bestraf, met spesifieke verwysing na rekenaar-verwante misdade, wat vir alle doeleindes verwys na gevalle waar rekenaarkundiges ("hackers") toegang verkry to derdes se rekenaars sonder laasgenoemde se toestemming of waar hulle onregmatig inmeng met die funksionering van laasgenoemdes se rekenaarstelsels, asook gevalle waar rekenaarkundiges kwaadwilllige programmatuur versprei wat die bogenoemde doen. Die handel in en/of die verspreiding van onwettig verkryde "passwords" en "hackers' tools" (wat gebruik word om onregmatige toegang tot rekenaars te bewerkstelling of om in te meng met die funksionering van rekenaarstelsels) is ook voorbeelde van rekenaar-verwante misdade wat bestudeer was in hierdie studie. Ten einde 'n antwoord op bogenoemde probleemstelling te verkry het, het die studie bepaal of rekenaar-verwante misdade geakkommodeer kan word deur die huidige omskrywings van gemeenregtelike sowel as statutêre misdade, met spesifieke verwysing na diefstal, ontvangs van gesteelde goedere wetende dat dit gesteel is, bedrog, diefstal deur valse voorwendsels, saakbeskadiging en crimen iniuria. Na 'n deeglike studie van die huidige regsposisie in Suid-Afrika, was tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat sou ons howe bereid wees om die toepassing sowel as die definisies van gemeenregtelike misdade na rekenaar-verwante misdade uit te brei, dan sal dit beteken dat feitlik alle gevalle van rekenaar-verwante misdade bestraf sal word deur bogenoemde gemeenregtelike misdade. Slegs die skepping en besit van "hackers' tools" en onwettig verkryde "passwords" sal nie misdade daar stel in terme van die Suid-Afrikaanse strafreg nie. Daar was verder opgemerk dat sou ons howe nie bereid wees om die toepassing van gemeenregtelike misdade uit te brei na rekenaarverwante misdade, moet dertien Internet-"misbruike" gekriminaliseer word. Verder was daar kennis geneem van die Suid-Afrikaanse Regskommissie se konsep wetsontwerp, die Wetsontwerp op Rekenaarmisbruik, as 'n voorstelom rekenaar- verwante misdade te bestraf. Ten einde te bepaal het of die voorgestelde wetgewing in lyn is met buitelandse wetgewing wat bogenoemde aspekte kriminaliseer, het die studie ook die wetgewing van die Verenigde State van Amerika, Brittanje, Singapoer, Nederland asook die nuut gepromulgeerde Europese Konvensie oor Internet Misdade ("Convention on Cybercrime") bestudeer. Sekere aanbevelings word ook gemaak aan die Suid-Afrikaanse Regskommissie met betrekking tot die tipe handelinge wat bestraf moet word ten einde Suid-Afrikaanse wetgewing, wat handel met Internet-verwante misdade, in lyn te bring met buitelandse wetgewing. | af |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/6156 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Computer crimes | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Cybercrimes | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Computer-related crimes | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Hacking | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Viruses | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Theft | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Malicious injury to property | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Fraud | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Crimen iniuria | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Denial-of-service attacks | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Computer networks -- Law and legislation -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Electronic commerce -- Law and legislation -- South Africa -- Criminal provisions | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Computer crimes -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dissertation (LL.M. (Mercantile Law))--University of the Free State, 2002 | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Internet related commercial crimes | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |