Cybercrimes
Cybercrimes refers to criminal activities that are carried out using online platforms for illegal purposes like hacking, phishing, fraud, and cyberbullying.
Now in modern days you will often hear this term “cybercrime”. Modern technologies make people’s lives easier and easier as well as create new opportunities for criminals. Cyber criminals always existed even before the term “Cybercrime” originated. So the questions rises what is cybercrime? How a cyber crime takes place? How to protect yourself from cyber crimes? and is there are any cyber crimes law?. To clarify the questions you have on your mind, we will be discussing this matter below.
cyber crime cases
- What is Cyber Crime
- How a cyber crime takes place
- Types of cyber crimes
- Hacking
- Some common types of hackers example are given below
What is Cyber Crime?
A cyber crime is a type of crime that is committed by criminals using internet, online platforms or any modern technology that are involved in. Cyber criminals often targets on information of individuals, organization or even government. In other words we all have our virtual identities which are important and stealing, blackmailing to destroy this information’s or using it against you, just to make money out of you is called cyber crime. Sometimes criminals just wants to damage these information’s or your computers rather than making money.
How a cyber crime takes place?
Most of the time victims fall for cyber crime due to ignorance about privacy on internet/online platforms. Using internet comes with some rules and regulations that most of the time people doesn’t follow. In result criminals committing these crimes. fighting it requires a combination of technological solutions, legal measures, and raising user awareness
Types of cyber crimes
Cyber criminal’s use’s different types of method, technology to commit a cybercrime. Here are some types of crimes are given below
Hacking
Hacking normally refers to gaining unauthorized access, control, or exploitation of computer systems or networks. It can include accessing data that one shouldn’t have. Most of the time these hackers or criminals’ primary objective is to threaten you for money by gaining access to your system or your personal information.
Hackers are like rough programmer who are highly skilled in breaking though security systems by modifying it. Day by day they are getting more advanced that sometimes they got unnoticed by the cyber security teams.
Some common types of hackers example are given below :
White Hat Hackers : White hat hackers are also known as Ethical Hackers. These are the individuals who uses their skills and knowledge to protect security systems, helping organizations finding weak or vulnerabilities in security system and help them to fix these types of issues. They works on improving cyber security and protect the system.
Black Hat Hackers : Black hat hackers are the criminals who engage in these activities for personal gain, financial motives, or simply to cause harm. They are responsible for this whole cyber criminal activities all over the internet. Their primary motive is how they can break through a security system and how they can make money out of you by blackmailing.
Gray Hat Hackers : Gray hat hackers are comes between black hat hackers and gray hat hackers. Their motive is always unclear. They gain unauthorized access to your system but not with the intention of harming but pointing out weakness sometimes expecting a reward. They identify the weak or vulnerable parts of your system. Although their intention is not to harm but its not ethical the way they do it.
Hacktivists : Hacktivists are individuals or groups who use hacking techniques to draw attention to their chosen cause. When a group or individuals don’t agree with actions or decisions that are taken by any organizations, they just deface there websites, leak sensitive information, or disrupt online services just as an act of protest.
Crackers Crackers only focus on breaking software securities, such as copy protection, license keys, or digital rights management (DRM) systems. means they just bypass the security protection of software’s that allows unauthorized users to use it for free. Their intention is to make a way to use any authorized software’s for unauthorized users.
Computer Virus
A computer virus is a type of malware that can replicate itself and spreads into computers and causes damage to data and software’s, like a biological virus. These viruses are designed in a way when a user opens it or extract it and they immediately activate and infect users computer. Cyber criminals often use virus to attack through email or malware affected applications from unauthorized sites. There are some common types of viruses out there such as :
- Worms
- Ransomware
- Trojan horse
- polymorphic Viruses
- Metamorphic Viruses
- Melissa Virus
- Macro Viruses
- File-Infecting Viruses
Phishing
Phishing is a type of cyber attack in where attackers use deceptive tactics to fool individuals to gain access and expose sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data. Phasing attacker often impose as legitimate websites, banks, or government agencies to make you believe its safe to put your password on or important information’s into their system. As a result they gain access to the users system without getting noticed. they often use tactics like Deceptive Emails, Impersonation, Use of Malicious Links.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or download softwares from unauthorized sites
- Verify the legitimacy of unknown emails by contacting them with authorized channels.
- Use Two steps verification type system
- Use security software to detect and block phishing attempts.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is where an individual’s personal information is stolen and used by someone else for fraud or malicious activity. The stolen information may include details such as the person’s name, date of birth, bank account information, and other sensitive data.
Criminals uses these information to pretend to be someone else. Identity theft can ruin one’s reputation, and various other negative consequences. Their primary motive is financial gain or destroy the reputation of individuals.
Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks
The purpose of a DoS attack is an attack meant to shut down a machine or network, such as bandwidth, processing power, or memory, making it difficult or impossible for users to access the services. The motive behind DoS attacks can be for financial gain, ideological reasons, revenge, or simply to cause disruption.
Some features of a denial-of-service (DoS) attack :
- Flooding Attacks
- Ping Flood
- Application-Layer Attacks
- Smurf Attack
- Botnets
- Resource Depletion
- Amplification Attacks
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a form of harassment on online platform also known as online harassment. In other word harassing (verbal abuse) people using online platforms. Now a days its common in teenagers, due to wide spread of technology, teenagers tend to bully others as a fun thing to do or not knowing the consequences of it. The harassment can have wide reaching impacts on the victim. As cyberbullying has become more pervasive with the use of technology, Majority of the states now have cyberbullying laws considering it as a cybercrime.
Financial Cybercrime
Targeting financial systems, institutions, or individuals with the intention of committing malicious acts for financial gain using internet/technology is called Financial Cybercrime. As technology and digital financial systems have advanced, this type of cybercrime is increasing day by day. To counter these threats, organizations are routinely employing cyber security measures and encryption technologies to protect their digital assets/information.
Cyber Espionage
Cyber espionage, also known as cyber spying. Means using hacking techniques and technologies to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or data from individuals, organizations, or government, like business secrets, military plans, trade secrets or any important information that can give an upper hand.
Selling illegal items online
Selling illegal items like drugs, counterfeit goods, stolen data, weapons, human trafficking services, illegal gambling services etc are all Considers as cybercrimes . As it is often involves illegal activities conducted over the Internet, different countries have different laws to prevent it.
Data Breaches
Data breaches is when a cybercriminal gain unauthorized access to an individual’s sensitive information like personal information, financial records, login credentials, intellectual property etc, leading individual’s financial losses, reputational damage, and potential legal consequences.
ATM fraud
ATM fraud refers to fraudulent activity that occurs at ATM’S. These Types of Cyber criminals primary aim is sensitive information or financial advantage. Criminals use various tactics to trick users into revealing their personal or financial information.
Some common forms of ATM fraud are :
- Card Skimming
- PIN Theft
- Card Replacement
- Transaction Reversal
- Cash Trapping
File sharing and piracy
File sharing and piracy refers to unauthorized distribution, reproduction or sharing of digital files for illegal or encroaching purposes including software, music, movies, books, and other digital media. engaging in file sharing or piracy without authorization of Content creators is illegal and can have serious consequences.
Counterfeiting and forgery
Counterfeiting or duplicating refers to fake currency, securities, or imitation electronics, and forgery or fabrication refers to falsifying documents such as checks, passports, licenses, credit cards, certificates, or ID cards. Counterfeiting can lead to economic losses for businesses and governments. Forgery is considered a criminal offense. So criminals who are involved in counterfeiting and forgery may face legal consequences, including fines and imprisonment.
Spam, steganography, and e-mail hacking
Spam, steganography, and email hacking are three different but related concepts in cybercrime.
Spam is sending of unsolicited and frequently unimportant or improper messages, regularly in huge amounts, over the internet. The primary goal of spammers is to promote products or services, disperse malware, or taking part in phishing attacks.
Steganography is the practice of hiding information among other information to avoid detection. Their primary goal is covert communication or to hide malware. Cybercriminals often use steganographic techniques to disperse malicious code within files to evade detection by security systems.
Email hacking is gaining unauthorized access to someone’s email account, leading to privacy breaches, identity theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Cybercriminals use various methods like phishing attacks, credential stuffing to gain unauthorized access.
Impact of cybercrime
In this modern era, the impact of cyber crime on society and economy has become a serious issue. Due to wide spread of modern technology, criminals are always finding new ways to commit crimes. Children’s, Teens and the elders are the common victim of cyber crimes and leaving psychological impact on them, causing depression, and even trauma.
Economically, billions of dollars are losing every year and its increasing day by day. The only way to prevent cyber crime is taking proactive measures like Advanced security Systems , Password Managers and rising Awareness in society.
File sharing and piracy refers to unauthorized distribution, reproduction or sharing of digital files for illegal or encroaching purposes including software, music, movies, books, and other digital media. engaging in file sharing or piracy without authorization of Content creators is illegal and can have serious consequences.
Counterfeiting and forgery
Counterfeiting or duplicating refers to fake currency, securities, or imitation electronics, and forgery or fabrication refers to falsifying documents such as checks, passports, licenses, credit cards, certificates, or ID cards. Counterfeiting can lead to economic losses for businesses and governments. Forgery is considered a criminal offense. So criminals who are involved in counterfeiting and forgery may face legal consequences, including fines and imprisonment.
Spam, steganography, and e-mail hacking
Spam, steganography, and email hacking are three different but related concepts in cybercrime.
Spam is sending of unsolicited and frequently unimportant or improper messages, regularly in huge amounts, over the internet. The primary goal of spammers is to promote products or services, disperse malware, or taking part in phishing attacks.
Steganography is the practice of hiding information among other information to avoid detection. Their primary goal is covert communication or to hide malware. Cybercriminals often use steganographic techniques to disperse malicious code within files to evade detection by security systems.
Email hacking is gaining unauthorized access to someone’s email account, leading to privacy breaches, identity theft, and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Cybercriminals use various methods like phishing attacks, credential stuffing to gain unauthorized access.
Impact of cybercrime
In this modern era, the impact of cyber crime on society and economy has become a serious issue. Due to wide spread of modern technology, criminals are always finding new ways to commit crimes. Children’s, Teens and the elders are the common victim of cyber crimes and leaving psychological impact on them, causing depression, and even trauma.
Economically, billions of dollars are losing every year and its increasing day by day. The only way to prevent cyber crime is taking proactive measures like Advanced security Systems , Password Managers and rising Awareness in society.