INTRODUCTION:

Computer has become an integral part of our live. We have become technology savvy and it would not be wrong to say that we are fully dependent on technologies but rather than talking about its advantages, one more topic which goes parallel is the dark side of this ever-evolving technology, the computer crimes. The computer crimes refer to the criminal activities involving a computer but they can bring more harm than the conventional weapons and has become a favorite choice for criminals to commit crime so we all, knowingly or unknowingly become victim of such crimes at some point of our lives.

Why do cyber-attacks happen?

Most of the computer crimes have an intention of economic gain and when the option of low risk and high gain is there, low risk because your identity is not apparent and we are hiding behind a network, so this perception of low risk and very high financial reward prompts many cyber criminals to engage in software piracy, malware, and fraudulent money laundering crimes.

Another reason for such crimes is that more and more or our personal and sensitive information whether be it your financial detail, intellectual property, organization information, personal detail, political detail, is stored online which enhances the chances of being breached at the hands of criminals and increases their chances of rewards.

Some online crimes occur against property, that property being a computer or a server or a criminal could illegally possess someone’s credit card/bank detail, and would do transactions. Other example in this category includes DDOS attacks, internet time thefts, hacking, virus transmission, computer vandalism, copyright infringement and IPR violations.

When a cybercrime is committed against the government, it is considered an attack on that nation’s law & sovereignty like hacking defense confidential information, cyber warfare, cyber terrorism, and drug and human trafficking, online gambling, money laundering and distributing child pornography content.

There are many types of the computer crimes ranging from pirated software, stealing information, identity theft, crimes related to email and most severe cyber terrorism:

• Software Piracy: Piracy means the illegal duplication of copyrighted software and it is one of the most common computer crimes.

• Unauthorized control/access over computer system: This activity is commonly referred to as hacking.

• Cracking: Breaking or deciphering codes designed to protect data.

• Identity theft: The identity thefts has become more frequent where someone uses another’s personally identifying information, like their name, identifying number or credit card number, without their permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.

• Cyber bully or Cyber stalking: Again, social media is playing a major role in crimes like where internet or other electronic means are used to stalk or harass or to defame an individual, group or organizations.

• Child pornography: It is sometimes called “child sexual abuse images” and are distributed online. Although highly prohibited worldwide, it is freely circulated online.

• Cyber terrorism: The politically motivated use of computers and information technology to cause severe disruption or widespread fear in society.

• Cyber-squatting: Setting up a domain of another person or company with the sole intention of selling it to them later at a premium price.

• Denial of service attack: Overloading a system with so many requests that it cannot serve normal requests.

• Fraud: Manipulating data, e.g., changing banking records to transfer money to an account or participating in credit card fraud.

• Harvesting: Collect account or account-related information of other people.

• Human trafficking: Again, a serious type of crime where criminals participate in the illegal act of buying or selling other humans.

• Illegal sales: Buying or selling illicit goods online including drugs, guns and psychotropic substances.

• Intellectual property theft: Stealing practical or conceptual information developed by another person or company.

• Salami slicing: Stealing tiny amounts of money from each transaction.

• Scam: Tricking people into believing something that is not true.

• Spamming: Distributing unsolicited email to dozens or hundreds of different addresses.

• Spoofing: Deceiving a system into thinking you’re someone you are not.

• Unauthorized access: Gaining access to system you have no permission to access.

• Wiretapping: Connecting a device to a phone line to listen to conversations.

• Phishing: Phishing is a type of cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution. This is done just to lure or deceive an individual to provide sensitive data such as banking and credit card details and passwords.

Why such crimes are increasing so exponentially?

Because of the anonymity the criminal show dissociative behavior in cyber world. They even attempt such actions which they are not able to attempt in real world.

• Technology associated with computers is far simpler, far affordable, and far outreached and we work on graphic user interface, which is so user friendly that even small toddlers are operating the mobiles, tablets and even an immature person can attempt hacking after devoting a little bit of time.

• And moreover, there is free literature available for everything, either you want to assemble a car or a bomb, a toy gun or a real weapon; you can have everything just in one click.

• There are many freeware for trial version which help in commission of such crimes, like there are hundreds of free software for hackers.

• There is a lack of deterrent punishment, criminals are most likely to be escaped from punishment due to lack of asserted evidence.

CONCLUSION:

We are at the verge of increasing cyber-crimes and it is posing a great threat to every profession, every industry, every company and millions of online users worldwide. Although great amount of literature is available but still more awareness of computer related crimes is required because both in public web and dark web, cybercriminals are more skilled and are not easy to find.

REFERENCES:

•https://www.tutorialsmate.com/2020/09/what-is-cybercrime.html?m=1

• Digital Forensics and Investigations by Jason Sachowski

KAPIL RAIKWAR

CYBER VOLUNTEER

APPLIED FORENSIC RESEARCH SCIENCES

STUDENT OF MSc 1st Year

GURU GHASIDAS VISHWAVIDYALAYA

CENTRAL UNIVERSITY IN BILASPUR