Digital Forensic Certification Practice Exam

Which cybercrime is demonstrated by Medicing Inc. employing a hacker to gather information about a competitor's product?

1. Intellectual property theft

2. Cyber defamation

3. Espionage

4. Brute-force attack

The correct answer is: Espionage

The situation described involves Medicing Inc. hiring a hacker to collect information about a competitor's product, which falls under the umbrella of corporate espionage. Espionage in this context refers to the covert act of seeking unauthorized access to confidential or sensitive information, typically for competitive advantage, and is often executed through unethical means, such as hiring hackers. This behavior demonstrates disregard for legal and ethical boundaries as it seeks to gain insights into a rival's operations or innovations, which can significantly impact market dynamics. Companies engaging in such practices aim to undermine their competition through illicit tactics rather than fair business competition. Other options, while related to cybercrime in various forms, do not accurately encapsulate the scenario. Intellectual property theft pertains specifically to stealing protected creations or their use without permission, which may or may not involve hacking. Cyber defamation involves harming someone's reputation through false information online, and a brute-force attack refers to a method of cracking passwords through repeated guesses rather than information gathering. Hence, espionage is the most appropriate classification for the actions of Medicing Inc. in the given scenario.