DEFINITION OF CYBER CRIME

Cyber crime encompasses any criminal act dealing with computers and networks (called hacking). Additionally, cyber crime also includes traditional crimes conducted through the Internet. For example; hate crimes, telemarketing and Internet fraud, identity theft, and credit card account thefts are considered to be cyber crimes when the illegal activities are committed through the use of a computer and the Internet."
A generalized definition of cyber crime may be “ unlawful acts wherein the computer is either a tool or target or both”. The computer may be used as a tool in the following kinds of activity- financial crimes, sale of illegal articles, pornography, online gambling, intellectual property crime, e-mail spoofing, forgery, cyber defamation, cyber stalking. The computer may however be target for unlawful acts in the following cases- unauthorized access to computer/ computer system/ computer networks, theft of information contained in the electronic form, e-mail bombing, data didling, salami attacks, logic bombs, Trojan attacks, internet time thefts, web jacking, theft of computer system, physically damaging the computer system.

TYPES OF CYBER CRIME:-

HACKING

Hackers write or use ready-made computer programs to attack the target computer. They possess the quality to enter in to target computer and obtain the data. Some hackers hack for personal monetary gains, such as to stealing the credit card information, transferring money from various bank accounts to their own account followed by withdrawal of money. They extort money from some corporate giant threatening them to publish the stolen information which is critical in nature.  

CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

The Internet is being highly used by its abusers to reach and abuse children sexually, worldwide. The easy access to the pornographic contents readily and freely available over the internet lowers the inhibitions of the children. Paedophiles lure the children by distributing pornographic material, then they try to meet them for sex or to take their nude photographs including their engagement in sexual positions. Sometimes Paedophiles contact children in the chat rooms posing as teenagers or a child of similar age, then they start becoming friendlier with them and win their confidence. Then slowly paedophiles start sexual chat to help children shed their inhibitions about sex and then call them out for personal interaction. Then starts actual exploitation of the children by offering them some money or falsely promising them good opportunities in life. The paedophiles then sexually exploit the children either by using them as sexual objects or by taking their pornographic pictures in order to sell those over the internet. The children are advised to not to chat with strangers.

CYBER STALKING

Cyber Stalking can be defined as the repeated acts harassment or threatening behaviour of the cyber criminal towards the victim by using internet services. The Stalkers have desire to control the victims life. Majority of the stalkers are the dejected lovers or ex-lovers, who then want to harass the victim because they failed to satisfy their secret desires. Most of the stalkers are men and victim female. Go top

CREDIT CARD FRAUD

The unauthorized and illegal use of a credit card to purchase property. Information about the credit card is obtained by using skimmers, the most prone places to such crimes are restaurants, bars etc. Information about the Credit Card is also obtained through Phishing. In case of anyone asking for the credit card details of the user on the internet, it is advised to first confirm telephonically from that particular organization.

PHISHING

The act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The e-mail directs the user to visit a Web site where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card, social security, and bank account numbers, that the legitimate organization already has. The Web site, however, is bogus and set up only to steal the users information. Phishing is the idea that bait is thrown out with the hopes that while most will ignore the bait, some will be tempted into biting. it is advised that the user should first confirm telephonically from that particular organization to whom he thinks he is supplying the information as genuine.

NET EXTORTION

Copying the company’s confidential data in order to extort said company for huge amount.

VIRUS DISSEMINATION

Malicious software that attaches itself to other software. (virus, worms, Trojan Horse, Time bomb, Logic Bomb, Rabbit and Bacterium are the malicious

SOFTWARE PIRACY

Theft of software through the illegal copying of genuine programs or the counterfeiting and distribution of products intended to pass for the original. 

IRC CRIME

Internet Relay Chat (IRC) servers have chat rooms in which people from anywhere the world can come together and chat with each other. It is requested that, a summary of the above mentioned Cyber related crimes may be published in leading newspapers in Public Interest, to make the innocent net users aware of the same to prevent them from falling in traps of cyber criminals.

DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACK

This is an act by the criminal, who floods the bandwidth of the victims network or fills his e-mail box with spam mail depriving him of the services he is entitled to access or provide. Denial of Service attack, is  a type of attack on a network that is designed to bring the network to its knees by flooding it with useless traffic.. For all known DoS attacks, there are software that fixes the system administrators and can be installed to limit the damage caused by the attacks. But, like Virus, new DoS attacks are constantly being dreamed up by Hacker. In case the user feels that he has become the victim to denial of service he should complain about the same to the police.

E - SECURITY TIPS

GENERAL INFORMATION

● Don't delete harmful communications (emails, chat logs, posts etc). These may help provide vital information about the identity of the person behind these. 
● Try not to panic. 
● If you feel any immediate physical danger of bodily harm, call your local police. 
● Avoid getting into huge arguments online during chat or discussions with other users. 
● Remember that all other internet users are strangers. You do not know who you are chatting with. So be careful and polite. 
● Be extremely careful about how you share personal information about yourself online. 
● Choose your chatting nickname carefully so as not to offend others. 
● Do not share personal information in public spaces anywhere online, do not give it to strangers, including in e-mail or chat rooms. Do not use your real name or nickname as your screen name or user ID. Pick a name that is gender and age neutral. And do not post personal information as part of any user profile. 
● Be extremely cautious about meeting online acquaintances in person. If you choose to meet, do so in a public place and take along a friend. 
● Make sure that your ISP and Internet Relay Chart (IRC) network have an acceptable use policy that prohibits cyber-stalking. And if your network fails to respond to your complaints, consider switching to a provider that is more responsive to user complaints. 
● If a situation online becomes hostile, log off or surf elsewhere. If a situation places you in fear, contact a local law enforcement agency. 
● Save all communications for evidence. Do not edit or alter them in any way. Also, keep a record of your contacts with Internet System Administrators or Law 

GENERAL SECURITY TIPS

Do not give out identifying information such as Name, Home address,
School Name or Telephone Number in a chat room. Do not send your photograph to anyone on the Net without first checking with your parents or guardians. Do not respond to messages or bulletin board items that are suggestive, obscene, belligerent or threatening. Never arrange a face-to-face meeting without telling parents or guardians. Remember that people online may not be who they seem to be.

Use content filtering softwares on your PC to protect children from
 pornography, gambling, hate speech, drugs and alcohol. There is also software to establish time controls for individual users (for example blocking usage after a particular time at night) and log surfing activities allowing parents to see which site the child has visited. Use this software to keep track of the activities of your children.

SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER SECURITY:-

● Use strong passwords: Choose passwords that are difficult or impossible to guess. Give different passwords to all other accounts. 
● Make regular back-up of critical data. Back-up must be made atleast once in each day. Larger organizations should perform a full back-up weekly and incremental back-up every day. Atleast once in a month the back-up media should be verified. 
● Use virus protection software. That means three things: having it on your computer in the first place, checking daily for new virus signature updates, and then actually scanning all the files on your computer periodically. 
● Use a firewall as a gatekeeper between your computer and the Internet. Firewalls are usually software products. They are essential for those who keep their computers online through the popular DSL and cable modem connections but they are also valuable for those who still dial in. 
● Do not keep computers online when not in use. Either shut them off or physically disconnect them from Internet connection. 
● Do not open e-mail attachments from strangers, regardless of how enticing the subject line or attachment may be. Be suspicious of any unexpected e-mail attachment from someone you do know because it may have been sent without that person's knowledge from an infected machine. 
● Regularly download security patches from your software vendors. 

● The Internet is the global storehouse for information. It is like having the biggest library in the World at your fingertip.---Use the net to increase your knowledge, to do class work better. 
● Visit interesting places sitting at your computer - visit the Taj or the Smithsonian Institution or the Louvre in Paris - all without stirring from your chair. --This is what the net is all about-an explosion of information. 
● Use the net to keep in touch with children from other parts of the Country or other Countries-make new pen friends; collect information. Many on-line service providers host chat rooms especially for children, monitored continuously for safety. -- The net is a global community - without any barriers, distances, boundaries. 
● Be careful about talking to "strangers" on a computer network. 
Respect privacy on the net. You may have known the password of some other user- your friend/schoolmate. But do not use it to read their mail or send mail from their ID. Remember somebody else can also do this to you. 
● Use the net to find information about schools and colleges-events or courses they may be offering. Many of them offer you a virtual guided tour of their facilities. Take advantage of this. This will help you take a decision when planning your future

● Be careful about what you download from the net. Use a virus scan before the download as many programs may contain virus-this has the potential to destroy your system. 

● Do not give your password to anybody. Somebody who is malicious can cause great harm to you and your reputation. It is like leaving your house open for a stranger and walking away. 
● When talking to somebody new on the net, do not give away personal information-like numbers of the credit card used by your parents, your home addresses/ phone numbers and such other personal information. 
● If you feel uncomfortable or threatened when somebody on the net feeds you an improper or indecent message inform your parents or elders. 
● Do not break into somebody else's computer and worse still change things; you are probably destroying a lifetime of hard work by somebody. You may be intelligent but use your intelligence for better things. Somebody else can be as ruthless and as intelligent to break into your system and destroy your creations as well. 
● Do not copy a program that is copyrighted on the net. It is illegal. You are actually stealing somebody else's hard work. There is a lot of illegally available material on the net. Do not use it yourself.