Cybercrime: A Reference Handbook documents the history of computer hacking from free long distance phone calls to virtual espionage to worries of a supposed "cyber apocalypse, " and provides accessible information everyone should know.An issue so new and evolving so quickly, there are few sources from which readers can get the information they need to inform themselves about and protect themselves from cybercrime. Written by experts in the field, this reference work contains original essays, descriptions of technical aspects, and numerous contributions from over 100 sources.Cybercrime uses fascinating case studies to analyze the beginning of cybercrime and the path it has followed to the present day. With biographical sketches of many influential hackers, the reader will better understand the development of the cybercriminal, and how many of these individuals went on to create some of the computer industry’s most useful software. From cyberstalking to viruses, scholars and students alike will find the answers they need to understand these issues.