Digital Crimes, Committed Against Robots

The purpose of the research. The rapid development of end-to-end digital technologies, the introduction and application of robotics determines the need to find solutions to the problems of protecting public relations related to the digital security of robots. A robot is essentially a software and hardware tool, the functioning of which is impossible in the absence of a digital code of a computer program. These programs are not characterized by significant differences from the software of other digital devices, which is why the entire range of attacks, including unauthorized access and the introduction of malicious computer programs that are currently committed against conventional computer equipment can be extended to their computer programs. Results. The conducted theoretical research allowed us to come to the following main conclusions: 1) unauthorized access can be carried out not only to information stored, processed and transmitted by means of computer and other microprocessor technology, but also by robotic devices; 2) if a malicious computer program contains elements of digital code that make it suitable for capturing robot control, it becomes an increased public danger; 3) if the robot against which the attack was carried out is an integral part of an automated control system or an information system of a subject of a critical information infrastructure, the responsibility must come under article 274.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, since the robot falls under the characteristics of the subject of this crime. Based on the considerations of ensuring the digital security of robots and countering their illegal use, we find it possible to propose to the legislator to supplement the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation with rules on liability for unlawful access to legally protected computer information contained in the robot, if this act entailed the seizure of control of the robot and for the creation, distribution or use of computer programs or other computer information, deliberately intended to capture control of the robot.

robot, digital information, control takeover, robotics, unauthorized access, malicious computer program, criminal liability, public danger, digital technologies