Virtual vandalism is a sub-type of virtual crime. Williams’ Internet journal of criminology paper describes the differences and similarities between online (virtual) and offline vandalism: Terrestrial forms of vandalism are material crimes because they have a physical presence. Conversely acts of online vandalism have no tangible element, making them immaterial. Although the defacement inflicted by a hacker on a website is visual, there is actually no physical damage – and repairing the damage done usually involves nothing more than downloading the original file of computer code to replace the corrupted one. The effects of online vandalism, however, are said to be disproportionate because the damage to either corporate or political reputation can be substantial.