WHAT IS CYBERCRIME AND HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM IT ??

CYBERCRIME

A cybercrime is any illegal activity done through the internet, e.g., identity theft, where somebody can steal your e-mail id or password and use it to send fake e-mails containing false information about a product , winning a lottery, etc.

There are also credit card account thefts and internet frauds like ordering goods in others` name, extracting the mobile phone contacts, forgery, imitating documents, currency and objects people with bad intentions, harassing others, and mischief mongering by sending threatening messages, all of which come under the jurisdiction of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). All the above mentioned practices come under cybercrime.

Cybercrimes can be divided into three main categories:

Ø Crime against an individual person

Ø Crime against property

Ø Criem against an organisation/society

SAFETY MEASURES WHILE USING COMPUTER AND THE INTERNET

Let us look at the various measures which should be undertaken while using a computer or the internet:

Ø Minors should always surf the internet under the supervision of their parents.

Ø Parents should decide and suggest age appropraite websites to their children.

Ø To minimise the chances of the attack of hackers and crackers, one should use strong psswords. A strong password consists of at least six cahracters (more the characters, stronger the passowrd) that are a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols (@,#,$,&,etc.).

Ø To avoid losing data privacy while transmitting the data from one site to another, encryption can be implemented. Encryption is the process of  transforming data into an unreadable code. The result is an encyrpted file, which is transferred over the network. At the receivingb end, it undrgoes a process called Decryption which converts the encrypted information into a readable form.

Ø Set up your computer for automatic software and operating systems updates to make your system robust.

Ø Taking regular data backup  is the primary and the most reliable method of data protection.

Ø Ignore unwanted and strange e-mails and be cautions of attachments, limks, and forms in e-mails that come from unknown people.

Ø Make use of firewalls. Firewall is a security that prevents unauthorised people to access your system and network. It can be either hardware or software, or a combinatio of both. It is implemented on the gaetway of a network and follows a specific set of rules defined by the user or the netwrok administrator. Based on these rules, it controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic.

THERE ARE MANY KINDS OF CYBERCRIMES HAPPENING WITH MOST OF US TODAY ARE LISTED BELOW :-

PLAGIARISM

Plagiarism is the usage or imitation of the language and thoughts of another person projected as one`s own original work. It is considered a crime or fraudulent cat.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary describes plagiarism` as follows:

Ø To steal and pass off ideas or words of another as one`s own.

Ø To use another`s production, without credting the source

Ø To commit literary theft.

Ø To present as new and original, an idea or product derived from an existing source.

Intenational Copyright laws also state that, “expression of original ideas is considered as intellectual property and is protected by copyright laws”, just like original inventions. Almost all forms of expressions fall under the copyright protection as long as they are recorded in some manner (such as a book a computer file).

Plagiarism has become very easy with technological advantages like web searching and copy/paste options. Most critics have linked carelessnes, laziness, lack of interest, and arrogance as the major reasons of plagiarism.

Measures to prevent Plagiarism

Ø The simplest way to prevent plagiarism is ‘citation’. The process of acknowleding the original writer and the source from where the material has been taken is called citation. It includes the following steps:

Ø All sources are neither acurate, nor they validate the information as accurate. Therefore, you must specify the source, which informs readers regarding the basic of your ideas and the extent of your research. Citation gives strength to your resources.

Ø To avoid plagiarism, one can rephrase the matter.

Ø Use quotation marks around all the quoted words of another person to avoid plagiarism.

Ø In the education sector, students should be encourged to present their original and innovative ideas. Even if they wish to refer to the resources, they should be mad aware of the pattern of references. In this manner, plagiarism can be avoided and students can be motivated to work hard and bring out their original work.

CYBERBULLING

It is an act of deliberately harming, harassing, or targeting a person by another person using the internet. This includes insulting remarks and threatening messages sent b e-mail, spreading rumors about the pesonj either by e-mails or social networking sites, posting embarrasing photos and videos to hurt he person, and derogatory remarks against gender, race, religion or nationality.

 

Measures to Prevent Cyberbulling

Ø Do not disclose your identity to unknown persons.

Ø Safeguard your password and all private information from inquistive peers. Do not give bullies any opportunity to misuse the information on the social media platform.

Ø Search the whereabouts of the person you meet online and know about him fully before startring any conversation with him.

Ø Restrict your online profile to be checked by the trusted friends only .

Ø If you are cyberbullied by someone, do not remain silent but take action against cyberbulling. Do not use abusive language, rather block the communication with the cyberbully and share this problem with your parents.

PHISHING

It is act of sending an e-mail to a user misleading him to believe that it is a trusted person or organisation. The user is asked to visit a website in which he is supposed to update or validate his personal details, such as user  name,password, cedit card details, etc. in this way the operators of the fake website steal your identity and commit crimes in your name.this could damage your reputation and cause heavy financial losses.

Measures to prevent Phishing

Ø Identify suspected phishing e-mails that come from unrecognised senders. Guard against scam.

Ø Do not click on the links, download files, or open attachments in e-mails from unknown senders.

Ø Beware of links in e-mails that ask for the personal details.

Ø Enhance the security of your computer by protecting it with a firewall, spam filters, antivirus, and anti-spyware software.

Ø Do not divulge personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call. Enter your sensitive data in secured websites only. The URL of a secured website starts with https:// and your browser displays an icon of the closed lock.

Ø Check your online accounts and bank statements regularly to ensure no unauthorized transaction are made.

HACKING

Hacking refers to an illegal intrusion into a computer system or network. Hackers are highly technical person who secretly break into computers to steal or sometimes, destroy important data. Hackers not only steal important data but also hack applications and websites to change program logics. Hackers usually tamper with data for unethical purposes, just for an obsession to break system securities. Although hacking is done without any consent from the user, yet it is not always destructive. Hacking whichis done for a good cause, such as national security, etc., is known as ethical hacking.

Another form of nmalicious cyber activity is cracking. Crackers are technical people who are expert in breaking into systems, to steal important data, such as financial details, passowrds, etc. sometimes they use key loggers for this purpose. Crackers also cause harm to computers by destroying data. Apart from this, they distribute applications by spreading malwares and changing program logics and outputs.

Measures to prevent Hacking

Ø Keep your passwords secret and change them periodically.

Ø Frequently update your operating system and other software, like antivirus.

Ø Avoid using open Wi-Fi as it makes it easy for hackers to steal the information and download inappropriate content to your system.

Ø Always make use of secure websites by looking at the lock sign or https on the address bar. This ensures that the sensitive data which is passed from your device is ebcrypted, making it difficult for thr hackers to decipher.

Ø Always check permissions and authenticity on the apps before installing them. You should also ensure that the apps are not accessing unnecessary information. For example, a drawing app should not have access to your contact list or your network information.

Ø Never store your credit card information on a website.

SPAMMING

Spams are unwanted bulk e-mails that come from strange sources. Spams are generally sent in large numbers for commercial advertising. In spamming, millions of copies of the same message are sent to e-mail users worldwide. Spam is a serious security concern as it can be used to deliver trojan horses, viruses, worms, spywares, and organise targeted phishing attacks.

Measure to prevent spamming

Ø Install spam filtering/blocking software.

Ø If you suspect that an e-mail is spam, do not respond, just delete it.

Ø Reject all instant messages from persons who are not in your contact list.

Ø Do not click on the URL links within instant messenger unless it is received from a known source.

Ø Keep the sotware and security patches up-to-date.

SOFTWARE PIRACY

When software is copied and distributed illegally, it is called software piracy. A license or copyright is required to copy the genuine programs of someone else. You encourage software piracy when:

Ø You purchase a single licensed copy of the software and load in onto several computers contrary to the license`s. this is called Softlifting.

Ø You make unauthorised copies of the copyrighted software and distribute them.

Ø You install unauthorised copies of software on the hard disks of personal computers.

Ø You make unauthorised copies of software on the hard disks of personal computers.

Ø You make unauthorised selling of software for temporary ude or sell or buy the software CDs/DVDs on rent.

Measures to prevent Software Piracy

Ø Buy the licensed copy of software. Follow the terms and conditions of the license for each software product you purchase. Never make copies and circulate them.

Ø Purchase software CDs from a reputed seller to ensure that it is genuine. Avoid using illegal CDs given by your friend to listen to your favourite music or watch movies.

Ø If software is available online, donwload it directly from the manufacturer`s website.

Ø Register your software to avoid softlifting.

INDIVIDUAL RIGHT TO PRIVACY

In this digital era. There has been a significant increase in the use of technology. As the technology is progressing, so are the privacy parameters diminishing. The internet is commonly used for various purposes, such as for personal communication, accessing information on any topic, for financial transactions, etc. the use of the internet  can affect the privacy rights and personal data of a person.

Privacy is one of the major concerns in one`s life. The right to privacy may be defined as the claim of individuals, groups, or institutions to determine when, how, and to what extent the information about them could be communicated to others. Privacy issues come into picture when personal information is collected, used, and shared without the consent of the  authorised person/business concerned. So, certain preventive measures should be taken to avoid infringement of privacy.

Measures to Protect Privacy

Ø Be careful while sharing your personal profile on the social networking sites.

Ø Never share your login details with anyone.

Ø Delete the sensitive data when not in use.

Ø Never click on a link sent to you via text or e-mail from a stranger.

Ø Protect your online privacy by disabling the cookies in the web browser being used. A cookie is a small text file stored on your computer`s browser directory that collects the information of your online activity and reports  back to the host.

Ø Install security software like anitvirus, anti-spyware, or firewall software to protect you system against intrusion and infections.

Ø Lock up your system when not in use.