Campus Journalist 
Cyber Crime And Cyber Frauds
Technology is growing at such a rapid pace that man is having a hard time keeping up with it. The latest smartphones and electronic devices are evolving to include the latest trends in hardware and software. Android, IOS and other operating systems are rolling out newer versions every year and advanced updates every day. If we were to sit and keep track of these advancements, we would be driven crazy! We study, play, connect, interact, work, shop and perform innumerable tasks online. But just as Technology continues to evolve, so does crime involved with it.
What is Cyber Crime?
Cyber crime is any type of crime that occurs with electronic devices as the targets or with the devices serving as the means of the crime. From online theft of information to the stoppage of online services attack, cyber crime includes it all. It could include hacking, infringement of intellectual property rights, cyber stalking, cyber extortion, child
pornography and destructive activities like cyber terrorism. It generally consists of two categories-
Crimes that target computer devices, systems and networks range from the introduction of malicious software in a computer to denial of service (DoS) attacks.
Another category is the utilisation of computers and networks to further their criminal agendas like cyber stalking, phishing, fraud, cheating and identity theft to name a few.
The example of the first category of cybercrime is hacking and extortion where the cyber criminal targets a computer device or system and introduces malicious software with the objective of gaining remote control over the target device. Once such control is established the criminal makes demands and extorts the target user for money, property
or services in return for relinquishing control over the target computer. Denial of service also works in a similar fashion where the criminal after establishing control over the target device denies the provision of essential online services in order to extort the target user.
An example of the second category of cybercrime is financial fraud through computers. It is one of the most common type of cyber crime. It involves the unauthorised manipulation of financial data stored in the computer device or system to illegally obtain financial benefit. Identity theft involves the use of the computer devices or systems to illegally steal personal and valuable data of the target and then defrauding other users by posing as the target to obtain benefits. Nations around the World have enacted laws and provisions against various types of cyber crime. The Parliament of India enacted the Information Technology Act, 2000, to curb the menace of cyber crime and provide a regulatory framework for e-commerce transactions. The USA has enacted the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in the year of 1984 to bolster cybersecurity. The dangers of cyber crime range from victimising individuals to anti- national activities.
Cyber crime has a direct relation with technology. The new technology which is used for up gradation and growth will definitely somewhere upgrading the cyber crime. So in the cyber space this is our responsibility to keep ourselves safe.
Very informative article.