Cybercrime
Cybercrime i.e. The crime done through Computers and Internet. Cybercrime is any criminal activity involving computers and networks.Cybercrime is one of the fastest growing areas of crime. More and more criminals are exploiting the speed, convenience and anonymity that modern technologies offer in order to commit a diverse range of criminal activities. These include attacks against computer data and systems, identity theft, the distribution of child sexual abuse images, internet auction fraud, the penetration of online financial services, as well as the deployment of viruses, and various email scams such as phishing.
The global nature of the Internet has allowed criminals to commit almost any illegal activity anywhere in the world, making it essential for all countries to adapt their domestic offline controls to cover crimes carried out in cyberspace. The use of the Internet by terrorists, poses a serious threat to national and international security.
Cyber crime cases in the country registered under the IT Act last year rose by about 61 percent to 2,876 with Maharashtra recording the most number of cases, Parliament was informed recently.
The country had witnessed 1,791 cases registered under the Information Technology (IT) Act in 2011, Minister of State for Communication and IT Milind Deora said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.
"As per the cyber crime data maintained by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 288, 420, 966, 1,791 and 2,876 cyber crime cases were registered under IT Act during 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012, respectively".
Maharashtra registered a total of 471 cases in 2012 followed by Andhra Pradesh (429), Karnataka (412), Kerala (269) and Uttar Pradesh (205) under the IT Act.
Types of Cybercrime:--
1 ) Assault by Threat – threatening a person with fear for their lives or the lives of their families or persons whose safety they are responsible for (such as employees or communities) through the use of a computer network such as email, videos, or phones.
2 ) Child pornography – the use of computer networks to create, distribute, or access materials that sexually exploit underage children.
3 ) Cyber contraband – transferring illegal items through the internet (such as encryption technology) that is banned in some locations.
4 ) Cyberlaundering – electronic transfer of illegally-obtained monies with the goal of hiding its source and possibly its destination.
5 ) Cyberstalking – express or implied physical threats that creates fear through the use of computer technology such as email, phones, text messages, webcams, websites or videos.
6 ) Cyberterrorism – premeditated, usually politically-motivated violence committed against civilians through the use of, or with the help of, computer technology.
Cybertheft is using a computer to steal. This includes activities related to: breaking and entering, DNS cache poisoning, embezzlement and unlawful appropriation, espionage, identity theft, fraud, malicious hacking, plagiarism, and piracy.
7 ) Cybertresspass – accessing a computer’s or network’s resources without authorization or permission from the owner, but does not alter, disturb, misuse, or damage the data or system. This is hacking for the purpose of entering an electronic network without permission. Examples might include:
Using a wireless internet connection at a hotel at which you are staying and accessing the hotel’s private files without disturbing them because they are available.
Reading email, files, or notice which programs are installed on a third-party's computer system without permission just for fun, because you can. This is sometimes simply called snooping.
8 ) Cybervandalism - Damaging or destroying data rather than stealing or misusing them (as with cybertheft) is called cybervandalism. This can include a situation where network services are disrupted or stopped. This deprives the computer/network owners and authorized users (website visitors, employees) of the network itself and the data or information contained on the network. Examples:
Entering a network without permission and altering, destroying, or deleting data or files.
Deliberately entering malicious code (viruses, rootkits, trojans) into a computer network to monitor, follow, disrupt, stop, or perform any other action without the permission of the owner of the network.
Attacking the server of the computer network (DDoS attack) so the server does not perform properly or prevents legitimate website visitors from accessing the network resources with the proper permissions.
Cyber Crime Prevention Tips:--
1 )Use Strong Passwords
Use different user ID / password combinations for different accounts and avoid writing them down. Make the passwords more complicated by combining letters, numbers, special characters (minimum 10 characters in total) and change them on a regular basis.
2 )Secure your computer
a )Activate your firewall
Firewalls are the first line of cyber defense; they block connections to unknown or bogus sites and will keep out some types of viruses and hackers.
b )Use anti-virus/malware software
Prevent viruses from infecting your computer by installing and regularly updating anti-virus software.
c )Block spyware attacks
Prevent spyware from infiltrating your computer by installing and updating antispyware software.
3 )Be Social-Media Savvy
Make sure your social networking profiles (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, MSN, etc.) are set to private. Check your security settings. Be careful what information you post online. Once it is on the Internet, it is there forever!
4 )Secure your Mobile Devices
Be aware that your mobile device is vulnerable to viruses and hackers. Download applications from trusted sources.
5 )Install the latest operating system updates
Keep your applications and operating system (e.g. Windows, Mac, Linux) current with the latest system updates. Turn on automatic updates to prevent potential attacks on older software.
6 )Protect your Data
Use encryption for your most sensitive files such as tax returns or financial records, make regular back-ups of all your important data, and store it in another location.
7 )Secure your wireless network
Wi-Fi (wireless) networks at home are vulnerable to intrusion if they are not properly secured. Review and modify default settings. Public Wi-Fi, a.k.a. “Hot Spots”, are also vulnerable. Avoid conducting financial or corporate transactions on these networks.
8 )Protect your e-identity
Be cautious when giving out personal information such as your name, address, phone number or financial information on the Internet. Make sure that websites are secure (e.g. when making online purchases) or that you’ve enabled privacy settings (e.g. when accessing/using social networking sites).
9 )Avoid being scammed
Always think before you click on a link or file of unknown origin. Don’t feel pressured by any emails. Check the source of the message. When in doubt, verify the source. Never reply to emails that ask you to verify your information or confirm your user ID or password.
10 ) Call the right person for help
Don’t panic! If you are a victim, if you encounter illegal Internet content (e.g. child exploitation) or if you suspect a computer crime, identity theft or a commercial scam, report this to your local police. If you need help with maintenance or software installation on your computer, consult with your service provider or a certified computer technician.
