The ESCWA Cyber Legislation Digest information systems. Pirating media, pornography, harassment, malware cannot be easily stopped. The required legal framework needs to define the crimes in specific terms and formulate relevant sanctions. In general, cybercrime can be categorized into crimes that use the computer as the criminal instrument, the means towards the crime and those crimes where the computer systems, networks or facilities are the target of the crime. The issues researched and addressed by this directive include: 1. Crimes whose target is data and information and information systems. This covers the misuse of such systems through illegal access, acquisition or distribution of such systems or software or their related passwords or access credentials. 2. Financial crimes covering the use of methods which aim at illegal financial benefits. These cover swindling, embezzlement, illegal promotion or dissemination, the acquisition of passwords, identity theft and access and dissemination of private and confidential data. Crimes related to the misuse of banking cards and electronic money can also be grouped under financial crimes. 3. Sexual abuse of minors: the dissemination of images, text or video clips or incitement to pornographic activities. 4. Infringement of intellectual property: the fraudulent assumption of authorship, imitation of signatures or stamps, copying of electronic documents or the piracy of software products, the sale and promotion of such products and the infringement of intellectual rights. 5. Crimes that misuse personal data. This covers issues related to the processing of personal data without prior authority as well as the divulging of such information. 6. Hate crimes and crimes against humanity through the use of Information Systems. Hate crimes include the publication and dissemination of racial information, threats to or attacks of persons based on their race, colour or beliefs. The denial or distortion of genocide and crimes against humanity are also addressed. Crimes against humanity include the promotion of genocidal activities and incitement to genocide. 7. Promotion and facilitation of drugs and gambling through the use of Information Systems as well as the promotion of alcoholic beverages to minors. 8. Crimes against public and national security using Information Systems: the disruption of governmental activities through the use of Information Systems, the failure of reporting or the misreporting of cybercrimes, access to classified information, illegal manipulation of evidence, its destruction or hiding as well as any terrorist activities or incitement to homicide. 17