Read this essay to learn about cyber crime in India and its prevention. After reading this essay you will learn about:- 1. Subject-Matter of Cyber Crime in India 2. Definition of Cyber Crime 3. Types of Cyber Crime 4. Cyber Crime in Schools 5. Pornography 6. Offensive Acts Committed outside India 7. Identity Theft 8. Few Cases of Cyber Crime in India 9. Cyber Crime Relating to Women in India and Other Details.
List of Essays on Cyber Crime in India and its Prevention
Essay Contents:
- Essay on the Subject-Matter of Cyber Crime in India
- Essay on the Definition of Cyber Crime
- Essay on the Types of Cyber Crime
- Essay on Cyber Crime in Schools
- Essay on Pornography
- Essay on Offensive Acts Committed outside India
- Essay on Identity Theft
- Essay on the Few Cases of Cyber Crime in India
- Essay on the Cyber Crime Relating to Women in India
- Essay on Cyber Crimes among Teens (ages 13 to 18) than between (ages 8 to 12) in India
- Essay on the Methods of Investigation of Cyber Crime
- Essay on the Suggestions for dealing with Cyber Crimes in India
1. Essay on the Subject-Matter of Cyber Crime in India:
Cyber space is a gigantic community of millions, where people reach for schools, learn about movies, shops, listen to music, watch video games, make business transactions like buying and selling of stocks and shares—e-commerce.
Many also develop sites of their own. People buy tickets through internet, draw money from their banks through A.T.M’s, buy through credit cards, send information’s to friends and relations through e-mails and do hosts of other business.
Thus use of computers and internets are rapidly increasing at every corner of the world. This is evident from the mushrooming of Cyber Cafes in the various cities, towns, even semi towns. So this is called an “Age of computers”.
Because of the use of computers to-day people can be reached faster, jobs and works can be done quickly in a shorter time and with less hands. Manual labour is reduced to the minimum with the use of computers. Due to the global connectivity numerous changes and developments are seen in all spheres of human life. The internet has opened up a world of information for anyone with a computer and a connection.
Businessmen and consumers are increasingly using computers to create, transmit and store information’s in the electronic form instead of traditional paper documents and files. Information’s stored in electronic form has many advantages. It is cheaper, takes very less space and hence easier to store, retrieved and speedily communicated through electronic mail (e-mail).
International business and trade through e-commerce is growing very fast during the last 12-15 years and many advanced countries like U.S.A., U.K., Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia have switched over from traditional paper based business to electronic business.
Now a day’s more and more correspondences are made through e-mail than through post. It is also quick and less expensive. Information’s on tonnes of papers can be kept in a few computer discs. Is it not amazing? The computerization system, started about 26 years ago.
The density of personal computers in India is 1.8 per one thousand persons. India’s position in the world is 10th with 165 lakh internet users. India has been famous in the world because of its progress in the Information technology industry and because of large number of Indian I.T. professionals working abroad.
In-spite of the several usefulness of computer and internet, there are some disadvantages and negative implications such as on line addiction, cyber disorders, stressful life style and Cyber Crimes. These adverse effects of Cyber World on the users of internets are evident from several studies and observations.
To-day cyber security has become very important and the necessity of disciplinary regulation of Cyber Cafe and other internet service providers has become imperative. As more and more companies connect their networks to internet, awareness of computer crimes (Cyber Crimes) becomes critical.
2. Essay on the Definition of Cyber Crime:
What is a Cyber (Computer) Crime?
A Cyber Crime is any illegal behaviour directed by means of electrical operations that tries to harm the security of computer systems and the data processed by them. In a wider sense, however, a computer related crime may be any illegal behaviour committed by means of or in relation to a computer system or network.
In general, “Computer crime involves a number of issues ranging from the theft of information from a computer system or network, to the use of a computer as a tool during the commission of a crime.”
Virus attacks target the security of network health and should be coordinated with other security efforts. Even after taking several measures to avoid computer crime and protect the computers, still computer crimes do occur at some point or other.
Therefore highest priority should be given to prevention. Cyber Crime in simple terms refers to possible misuse arising out of transactions and other dealings concluded over the electronic medium and criminal liability for the contravention of the provisions of the proposed legislation.
3. Essay on the Types of Cyber Crime:
The tenth United Nation’s Congress on the prevention of crime and treatment of offenders, categorized five offenses as Cyber Crimes.
(1) Unauthorized access
(2) Damage to computer Data or programmes
(3) Sabotage to hinder the functioning of a computer system or net work
(4) Computer espionage
(5) Unauthorized interception of data to form and within a system or network.
The Cyber Crime and Intellectual property theft programme has tried to conduct research on six popular categories of cyber crime that have direct impact on consumers and citizens.
They are:
i. Financial:
Crimes are those which disturb or disrupt business ability to conduct electronic commerce. Information’s regarding business matters processed and stored on computer networks when leaked or stolen lead to financial crimes. Commercial transactions on line are heavily risked by viruses, cyber attacks or disturbed denial of service.
The ability of a company to participate in e-commerce depends greatly on its ability to minimize e-risk. Risks in the world of electronic transactions on line include viruses, cyber attacks, such as those which were able to bring Yahoo, e Bay and other Web sites to a halt in Feb, 2000 and e-forgery.
Similarly e-fraud and theft of proprietary information like demand for ransom are common Cyber Crimes under the financial category. The biggest case of e-fraud, an organized crime was recently caught attempting an online banking fraud that could have cost the Sicilian regional government over US $ 465 million.
In January 2000, a group of U.K. hackers broke in to the computer networks of at-least 12 multinational corporations and stole confidential files demanding up to £ 10 million in ransom. A preventive approach in addressing these financial Cyber Crimes is more desirable in view of the difficulty for law enforcement in tracing the offenders of these crime.
ii. Piracy:
The computer industry currently plays a leading role in creating products that have improved the standard of our life in a major way by improving our lives and work environment. Different printed and reading materials are available easily from the computer. But software theft or piracy is having a negative effect on the global market.
The ability to create new products is also suffering. Copying in the work place, counter feinting and various types of illegal distribution costs about $ 12 billion each year. Besides, the unauthorized electronic distribution and sale of copy righted works like valuable books and journals over the internet makes the crime more dangerous by bringing a huge loss to the authors, and publishers and owners.
To protect the creative works in computers from thefts legal and cultural frame works must be identified 1.0 prevent cyber piracy and to encourage creativity and research. More experts and consultants should be engaged to cheek and prevent this type of crime as it involves the interest of a larger number students, teachers, common man and intelligential.
iii. Hacking:
Hacking refers to defacing web sites. Who ever intentionally causes or likely to cause wrongful loss or damage to the public or any person, who destroys or deletes or changes any information residing in a computer resource or diminishes its value or utility or affects it injuriously by any means commits hacking.
As per the Indian I.T. Act (2000), anybody who commits hacking shall be punished with imprisonment up to 3 years or with fine which may extend up to 2 lakhs or with both.
Hacking may be done for mischievous reason, personal revenge or notoriety, for a challenge or for political enmity; it may also be a bad joke. But this new form of Cyber Crime is no joking matter. Along with the economic threats and loss due to hacking, there is also real physical danger caused by hacking into computer networks.
The General Accounting office in U.S.A. estimates that 64 percent of hacker attacks on the Department of Defense were successful in 1995 and surprisingly the majority of attacks remained undetected. A 16 year old.
Juvenile from Florida, (U.S.A.) was able to intercept electronic communications on military computer networks and break in to the NASA computer systems successfully forcing them to shut down for 21 days in July 1999 until the security breach was ended. This is purely a juvenile’s mischief. The juvenile was subsequently sentenced to six months in a juvenile detention home.
iv. Cyber Terrorism:
Terrorism is a heinous crime and cyber terrorism is more dangerous for the nation. Cyber terrorism is distinguished from other acts of commercial crimes like hacking on the basis of its severity and danger. According to Dorothy Danning “Violence against persons or property, at least cause enough harm to generate fear are to be considered as cyber terrorism attacks.”
Attacks that disrupt non essential services or that are mainly a costly nuisanse are not classified as cyber terrorist attacks as per the above definition. Recent world events have led to efforts to minimize cyber terrorist attacks. The recent appointment of Richard Clarke as special advisor to President Bush for Cyber space security is an effort in this regard.
4. Essay on Cyber Crime in Schools:
Internet has proved to be a very interesting and unique source for the education and recreation of children. Children world-wide are mostly fascinated by computers and internets. The internet has opened for kids a world of information’s.
But just as one should not send his children near a busy road without someone or some safety rules similarly, one should not send the children, to handle the computer or internet without clearly explaining them the rules of internet and how to handle them.
Too many dangers from pedophiles to conartists can reach children and also adults through internets. Explain the kids that although a person may be alone in a room using the computer, people skilled in using the computer can find out who you are doing and where you are.
They can even tap the information in your computers. Try to explore the computer and internet along with the child, visit areas of the World Wide Web that have special sites for the children.
Teach children about exploitation, pornography, hate literature, excessive violence and other issues of the world around so that they know how to respond, when they see these materials. Purchase blocking software and designs for your own safety system. Monitor your children when they are “on line” and monitor the time they spend on line.
Children must know how to safely and responsibly use computer. Steps must be taken to protect children “on line”.
Parents and teachers should be aware of cyber threats towards children’s physical safety like harmful and inappropriate content, pornographic materials, invasions of privacy leading to collection of personally identifiable information about individual children, commercialism and aggressive marketing targeted towards children, etc.
The basic aim of giving children an access to internet is to encourage empowering children through knowledge of law, their rights and duties and how best they can prevent misuse of the internet.
To prevent Cyber Crimes relating to school kids, tell your children:
(a) To always inform you at once when they find something threatening in the internet
(b) Never to give outsiders their name, parents name, address and phone number, school name. Pass Word, or any other personal information,
(c) Never to agree to meet face to face with someone they have met on line,
(d) Never to respond to messages that have bad word or scary words
(e) Never send their picture to anyone without permission.
The teachers or parents have also some responsibility here:
(1) They should be sure that the access to the internet at the children’s school is monitored by adults.
(2) They should know the friends of the child who have computer.
(3) If their child receives threatening E mails or pornographic materials, save the offensive material and contact the user’s internet service provider and your local law enforcement agency. Misuse and irresponsible use of internet by children whether intentionally or unintentionally can lead to dangerous consequences.
So it is essential that teachers and parents must educate children about the consequences associated with the misuse of the internet.
5. Essay on Pornography:
Pornography in internet is a Cyber Crime. Possessing or distributing child pornography is against federal law. Distributing pornography of any form to a minor is illegal in U.S.A. The internet is merely a novel medium to this old crime. But how to control this crime has led to a lot of controversy and discussion.
Survey shows that nearly one fifth of American children who use the internet have reported unwanted sexual advances from strangers. Senator Joseph Lieberonan has proposed to create a new “Sex” or “XXX” domain which would alert computers with fire wall protection in them to the site and block access to do so by a parent or guardian.
Besides the above Cyber Crimes commonly found in all countries including the most advanced country U.S.A. In Indian climate the Cyber Crimes more often found are discussed below. These crimes are punishable under Indian law.
a. Tampering with computer source documents:
Anybody, who knowingly or intentionally conceals, destroys or changes or intentionally or knowingly causes another to conceal, destroy or change any computer source used for a computer, computer programme, computer system or computer network, when the computer source code is required to be kept or maintained by law for the time being in force, shall be punishable with imprisonment up to 3 years and with fine which may extend up to 2 lakhs or both.
b. Publishing obscene information’s in electronic form:
Whoever publishes or transmits or causes to be published any material in the electronic form (e-mail) which is obscene as per the Indian norms should be punished with imprisonment and fine. On first conviction the imprisonment may be up to 5 years with fine up to one lakh rupees. In the event of second or subsequent conviction the imprisonment may extend up to 10 years.
c. Mispresentation of materials, facts:
Any mispresentation to suppress any material fact from the certifying authority for obtaining any license or Digital signature certificate shall be punished with imprisonment.
d. Breach of confidentiality and privacy:
Assess to any electronic record, book, register, correspondence, information, document or other material without the consent of the person concerned, disclosing these to any other person shall be punished with imprisonment.
e. Penalty for publishing digital signature certificate false in certain particulars:
As per law no person shall publish a digital signature certificate or otherwise make it available to any person who has secured access to any electronic record without the consent of any other person shall be punished with imprisonment.
f. Publication for fraudulent purpose:
Any one who ever knowingly or intentionally creates, publishes or makes available a digital signature certificate for any fraudulent or unlawful purpose shall be punished with imprisonment and fine.
6. Essay on Offensive Acts Committed outside India:
Any offence committed outside India by any person irrespective of his nationality involving a computer or computer network located in India will be punished. If any computer, computer system, floppies, compact disks (C.Ds) tape or anything related to computer is contravened, shall be liable to confiscation.
In view of the rising Cyber Crimes in India, legal recognition has been provided to electronic commerce and electronic governance through the information technology Act-2000. The Act gives legal treatment to users of electronic communication with other conventional forms and envisages legalizing the electronic signatures on the net which would give sanctity to credit card transactions and boost e-commerce business.
The act is enacted to set up licensing, monitoring, and certifying authorities for enactment of Cyber laws. The authorities will monitor among other things Computer Crimes committed via Information Highways on Cyber Space.
The majority of e-commerce transactions in India are currently limited to business and business activities. When the buyers and sellers know each other, and have faith in each other, the e-commerce transactions go on well without any intrusion or disruption by an outsider. However an itruser can enter your computer and do harm to your business if you are not careful.
Power to Investigate Cyber Crime Offences inside India:
As per the criminal procedure Act 1973, a police officer, not below the rank of a Dy Suptd. of police (DSP) shall investigate any offence under this Act.
He has also the power to enter any public place or search and arrest without warrant any person who is suspected committing or having committed or being about to commit any offence under this act (Cyber Crime) companies in the similar way as individuals found guilty shall be punished accordingly.
Such powers cannot be delegated and will come under a judicial scrutiny. All Cyber Crimes in India do not come under the Information Technology Act, 2000. The following Cyber Crimes come under Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The relevant laws for various types of Cyber Crimes are given below:
1. Sending threatening messages by E-mail Sec. 503 IPC
2. Sending defamatory messages by e-mail Sec. 499 IPC
3. Forgery of electronic Records Sec. 463 IPC
4. Bogus Web Sites, Cyber Frauds Sec. 420 IPC
5. E-mail, spoofing Sec. 463 IPC
6. Web-jacking Sec. 383 IPC
7. On line sale of narcotics NDPS Act
8. On line sale of weapons Arms Act
9. Backing Sec. 66 IT Act
10. Pornography Sec. 67 IT Act
11. E.mail bombing Sec. 66 IT Act
12. Denial of Service Attacks Sec. 43 IT Act
13. Virus Attacks Sec. 43, 66 IT Act
14. Salami Attacks Sec. 66 IT Act
13. Logic bombs Sec. 43, 66 IT Act
The enactment of Information Technology Act 2000 has led to amendments in the Reserve Bank of India Act 1934, the Indian Penal Code 1861, the Indian Evidence Act 1872, the Indian Telegraph Act 1855; The Bankers Books Evidence Act 1891 and the General Clauses Act 1897.
Through the amendments of these Acts it will now be possible for courts to recognize digital signatures and electronic records and hence permit electronic commerce (e- commerce).
Other types of Cyber Crimes are related to Credit Card and A.T.M. Card. Using the number of your Credit Card ‘on line shopping’ may be made by frauds and thief’s. Many white Collar crimes are also committed through internets.
Credit Card Numbers should be kept secretly and should not be made public. The “password of the ATM Card” should also be kept strictly confidential to avoid illegal drawal of money by Cyber thieves.
7. Essay on Identity Theft:
“Identity theft is a criminal offence. It occurs when a person knowingly transfers or uses without lawful authority a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit or to aid or abet any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of federal law or that constitutes a felony under any applicable state or social law.” (Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act, 18 USC 1028 (a)(7).
The problem of identity theft is serious in U.S.A. The wide spread-ness of the problem can be understood from the following data. The FTC received 516740 complaints from consumers in 2003 while it was 404,000 in 2002, out of these complaints 42% i.e. 214905 were identity theft reports.
Appropriated identity information is used for Credit Card Fraud (33%), phone and utilities fraud (21%), bank fraud (17%), employment related Fraud (11%), government documents and benefits fraud (8%), loan fraud (6%), and other types of fraud (19%). Nearly 20% of all identity victims experience more than one type of identity theft.
Causes of Identity Theft:
Identity theft often occurs because someone has been casual and careless with personal information: By leaving personal information like name.
Credit Card Number, Pass Word of A.T.M., A.T.M Card, Social Security Number phone number, E.mail address or here and there or at home unsecured or by sharing personal data the Internet encourages potential identity thieves. Even by throwing out sensitive information such as bank accounts, tax forms or Credit Card information the identity thefts are invited.
Prevention of Identity Theft:
This can be avoided through regular check of bank accounts and inspection of bills, by being careful about one’s personal documents and personal information’s. All the documents mentioned above must be kept in a secured and safe place secretly and confidentially.
All the bills, receipts and discarded documents should not be thrown here and there or in the waste paper basket as this will help the identity thieves. If they are not required they should be destroyed and should not be disposed of at any lost.
The identity thieves look for personal data such as social security number, birth date, bank and Credit Card identifiers, stock or financial account information’s, maiden names, employment information, drivers license number or old identification Cards and Credit Cards. All these should not be made public to check identity theft.
By using paper shredders identity theft and fraud protection can be possible. The important prevention of identity theft is through the use of Paper Shredders. By destroying financial and other personal documents identity theft can also be checked. Carefulness regarding confidentiality of personal information stands at the top of prevention of identity theft.
In India though no objective data is available on identity theft it is observed that gradually it is increasing day by day. So every customer or consumer should be highly careful of his personal data and Credit Card, A.T.M. Card and Social security numbers and they should be maintained confidentially and carefully.
Give your Credit Card account number out to make a purchase or reservation, or for any other purpose only when you have made the call. Never give this information over a cellular phone. Never give your Credit Card to someone else to use on behalf of you. Watch your card when giving it to the cashier or store clerks to protect against extra imprints being made. Destroy any carbon papers from receipts.
Destroy them or tear them up, best would be to burn them. Don’t throw them in the waste paper basket in the purchase counter. Keep the actual charge slips in a safe place. Keep all the receipts and compare them with the monthly statement received from banks. Report to the authority at once, if there is any difference.
Keep a master list of all account numbers, card numbers in another secured place or with your spouse or adult children. In case cards are lost or stolen, the issuing company should be immediately informed.
In many cases by stealing mails from mail boxes, by stealing from the wallet or almirah, looking over your shoulder at A.T.M booths, and phone booths to get your PIN Number, searching the waste paper basket, and by ordering a copy of your Credit Card fraudulently. Identity theft are committed.
To avoid this don’t give your Social Security Number to any one (if there is one). Tear in to small pieces or burn all Credit Card offers, ATM receipts, bank statements and other printed materials having your account number. Use a paper shredder if possible.
Do not send personal information’s over internet, through e-mail or over cellular phones. A “pass word” that is not found in the dictionary would be better to check frauds. Pass words may be changed regularly and memorized. Don’t write your ‘Pass Word’ on your note book or stick it on your locker.
While using ATM Cards and Credit Cards the following precautions are to be taken.
Protecting your Personal Information Number (PIN):
A PIN is a Confidential Code issued to you that helps you in getting an asset to your account. Memorize your PIN. Never give it to anyone, not even family members or bank employees. It is better if very few people have asses to your PIN.
Never write your PIN on your ATM Card or on a piece of paper and never fix it on your wallet. If both your wallet and card are lost or stolen, all money from your account can be stolen. While using the ATM machine be careful of others waiting behind you. Stand in-front of the key board to prevent anyone from seeing your PIN.
Cyber crime is becoming one of the Net’s growth business. Denial of service is one type of such attacks. Currently Cyber Criminals are stealing intellectual property, committing financial frauds. Frauds unleash viruses and acts of Cyber terrorism from which political groups or unfriendly governments get crucial information’s.
Snatching pass words have become a common case of theft. The FBI (U.S.A.) estimates computer losses up to $ 10 billion a year. In U.S.A. it is said that the biggest Cyber theft is from within. 60% of the breakings there are from employees.
The biggest disadvantage of a computer is that computer networks offer ready points of access for disgruntled employees, spies, thieves, sociopaths and bored teens.
Once they are in a corporate network, they can destroy data, lift intellectual property, sabotage operations and can even upset a particular deal or career. Any business in the computer can be a target, some say. Cyber sex is also a Sex Crime through electronic mail.
Eve teasing is also made through e-mail. Crimes in computer became so rampant in U.S.A. that on 15.7.1996 a “Presidents Commission on Critical Infrastructure Protection” was formed by the then President of U.S.A Bill Clinton and the Commission was ordered to study critical infrastructures that constitute the life support systems of the nation, determine their vulnerabilities and propose a strategy for protecting them in future.
The commission made detailed studies with respect to physical and cyber threats, accidents, error omissions, criminal activities spying, terrorism and other aspects of security of the computer and internet system and made detailed recommendations for infrastructure protection.
In our country, we also need such a commission who can prepare clear-cut policy and strategy to secure our information system and prevent Cyber Crime. Disciplinary Regulation of Cyber Cafe and other service providers are also essential.
8. Essay on the Few Cases of Cyber Crime in India:
i. “A Russian Internet Service provider has closed his two web sites that were engaged in selling pirated versions of the, “fluent” English self study books in the Fluency series by Prof Kev. Nair charging high price and high premium. This incident is considered significant against the back drop of a growing feeling among the developing countries that items of intellectual property having unique value are being systematically smuggled out…for mindless commercial exploitation.” —The Hindu
Commenting on the above, The New Indian Express writes, “These two copy right infringing Web Sites…had been built solely for carrying on commercial piracy in the globally sought after books in the “Fluency” series. The price quoted by the Web Sites for each of Nair’s books included a high premium and was four times the published price.”
ii. A Pakistani intelligence agents found plans for new attacks against the United States and Britain on a computer seized during the arrest of a senior all Qaeda suspect wanted for the 1998 twin U.S. embassy bombing in East Africa. The plans were found in e- mails on the computer of a Tanzanian arrested on 25.7.2004 after a 12 hour gun battle in the eastern city of Gujarat.
Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said authorities have also arrested another top suspect believed to be a computer and communications expert and a militant who was cooperating and with the investigators. An intelligence official say the attack appeared to be centred on New York.
iii. The Pune Crime branch have arrested six people and busted a fake Credit Card racket amounting to Rs. 20 crores and spread across several states of the country. The police suspects a nexus between the gang and several traders from Mumbai and Pune. The police has also seized several blank Credit Cards, from the arrested person.
The use of an imported schemer machine by the gang to steal the data from the card stripe machines has baffled the police as this machine is not easily available in the country.
iv. XIMB Cough in Cyber Crime Net. Cyber criminals appear to target educational institutions of Orissa. The students and staffs of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar received many obscene e-mails from anonymous senders. An F.I.R was lodged by the institution in this connection. The police have referred the matter to cyber crime cell functioning at the office of the D.I.G. (computer), Bhubaneswar.
The authorities of the Institute feel that it is a purposeful mischief by unknown miscreants since all the students, teaching and administrative staff was the target. If this turns out to be the handiwork of professional hackers, then it is a matter to be worried because the Institute has a number of software solutions to its credit.
Perhaps it is the first such crime reported from an educational institution in Orissa. Before hand a city based internet domain Registration Company had complained hacking of its servers.
v. Recently two persons were arrested after they hacked in to the account of a customer of a private bank and illegally transferred Rs. 1.43 lakh through internet banking. They had some how managed confidential information on the account and committed the theft.
9. Essay on the Cyber Crime Relating to Women in India:
It is reported by Times of India (17.12.04) that 40% of Delhi cyber crime targets women. According to the investigation of Delhi Police almost half the cases reported have women at the receiving end of malice in cyber land. For instance, in October 2004 the crime branch was approached by the West Delhi based beautician who alleged that her photograph was flashed on a pornoportal along-with her Mobile number.
“Her face had been morphed on a naked woman’s body. Somebody had done it to trouble her. Consequently she received obscene messages and calls from several persons wanting to meet her including some from outside Delhi.” said a police officer. However till date the police could not trace the person responsible for this crime.
In-spite of the I.T. Act 2000 the cyber crime cell of Delhi Police has registered just 40 cases and 40 percent of the cases remain unsolved. During 2004 in Delhi 08 cases were registered but the police could workout, only 02. Analysis shows that almost 40% of the targets are innocent victims whose faces are morphed on pornographic Websites or posted on message boards to tarnish their image.
It is reported that the first cyber crime case was registered three years ago in which a class XI1 student was arrested for allegedly putting up obscene messages of his class teacher and a female class mate on a self created website.
The lacunae in the I.T. Act is blamed for the large number of untraced cyber crimes. It is said that the Act does not give the police enough teeth to initiate action against portals who function from abroad.
Further, in cases where the websites originate on a foreign server, it becomes difficult to persuade them to discharge with information. More and more cyber crimes relating to women are traced through-out India particularly in big cities.
10. Essay on the Cyber Crime among Teens (ages 13 to 18) than between (ages 8 to 12) in India:
Teens are more likely to illegally down load copy righted commercial software and other digital media like music, movies and games, through illegal on line file sharing net works. The above is the findings of a new Harris Interactive Poll conducted for the Business Software Alliance.
33 percent of the teens said they have illegally down loaded software while 33 percent of the teens admitted this practice. This result thus shows that ethical attitudes towards copy right law are significantly weaker among teen agers, pointing to a need for more education to the teen aged youths.
There is a need to educate the teen agers and provide them with guidance that will positively influence their growth as good Cyber Citizens and their respect for digital Copy Wright Works.
According to Diane Smiroldo—
“It is clear from the results of this study that by the time our young people are teens they are more likely to down load software and other types of digital copy righted media. Parents and teachers need to work together to emphasize to our young people the importance of using computers and the internet safely as well as respecting intellectual property.” In order to guide the parents and teachers in teaching children about respect for digital work on line. The Business Software Alliance (U.S.A) provides parents, teachers and students a variety of materials and tools on Cyber ethics including its curriculum, “Play it safe with Cyber Space.”
Many teen agers commit copy right crimes due to ignorance of law. In a study “students were surprised to learn that copy right laws apply in Cyber Space.” Sometimes without knowing its legal implications many teens consider it as a game.
Even laymen in India dealing with personal computers are not aware of the Cyber ethics and rules and laws governing cyber activities. Many non professionals and non experts in computer Science even do not know what is cyber crime and cyber activities in the computer lead to crime. Therefore awareness in this regard can be created through various curriculum, literature and electronic media.
A booklet in this regard should also be provided at the time of buying a computer. Anti piracy and cyber ethics education is key to ethical behaviour. It is seen that kids take big risks to steal software and they perceive it as a victimless crime.
Therefore, parents should supervise their kids activities on line since much of this behaviour takes place at home. By becoming good Cyber Citizens children can do right things as they grow older. Parents and teachers should take an active role in teaching computer ethics and safe computer use and respect for creative work.
When a personal computer is connected to a conventional phone modem, it receives a new internet address each time the user dials on to the net. This stands as a barrier to hackers of computer crimes. Conversely, cable and DSL modems help the hackers as these modems are always connected to the Net and hence usually have a fixed address which can be read from e-mail messages and news group postings.
Home security systems called personal fire walls are extensively available for cable and DSL subscribers. But unless they reach 100 percent penetration they will not prevent intrusions.
Most of the Cyber Crimes go undetected and so they are spreading. More than 60% of the 520 companies and institutions of U.S.A. undergoing survey have reported unauthorized use of computer systems over one year, up from 50% in 1997.
Secondly only 15 percent of the Cyber attacks are reported to the law enforcement agencies because this may go against them, their reputation may go downward. When Russian organised crime used hackers to break in to Citi Bank to steal 10 million of which only $ 4, 00,000 was recovered, the competitors used the news in marketing campaigns against the bank.
11. Essay on the Methods of Investigation of Cyber Crime:
The problem of computer crime has reached such dimension that it needs systematic investigation so that computer crimes can be prevented. Before starting an investigation it is necessary to make a careful examination of all potentially affected systems.
As a first step of investigation it has to be determined if the offender still has Control of the relevant computer. If it is so, it may be decided whether to terminate the user so that it would be easy to identify the intruder or the attacker of the computer. On the other hand, if the investigator decides to lock the user out and disconnect the system from the network, the damage to the computer can be limited.
When the connection is terminated logic bombs, an advanced hacker technique can automatically erase tracks which mean all data in the computer will be erased. So the choice of terminating or not terminating the connection is a difficult one.
A popular method of detecting an attack is to compare mathematical results from a similarly configured machine. If there is a difference it indicates that someone has attacked the computer with malicious intention. As a principle, an investigator should not let the attacker know that he is being disconnected or tracked due to unauthorized access to the computer.
Disconnection will generally alert the attacker and he will try to erase signs of his presence. In case the computer owner or the company wishes to know more about the intruder, he way ask the security expert to carefully watch what the intruder is doing. This type of investigation requires a large amount of skill to prevent alerting the attacker while still providing the company with security.
Like an investigation of any crime, a computer crime investigator must assess the amount of damage, identify systems which may have been compromised and analyze what crimes may have been committed. As a consequence, various leads appear. But care must be taken not to reach a premature conclusion.
For a full proof investigation, different investigative techniques will be used. Factors like how the criminal gained access to the computer, whether the intrusion is malicious or accidental is to be investigated.
Experienced legal counsel should be consulted for advice and further action to prevent Cyber Crime. If it is proved prima facie that the crime has been committed or a changeable crime has been committed the concerned authorities should be contacted to take action as deemed fit. Special attention should be paid for preservation and custody of evidence.
In each case of Cyber Crime, the company needs to assess and control costs based on time spent on investigation, expenses of the lawyer, loss of productivity etc. The recommendations of the investigating authority may be discussed with any outside consulting firm and then a final decision is taken on action to be taken.
The qualified forensic science computer investigation firm may be selected that will quickly and efficiently investigate the crime and professionally assemble the series of reports. In case of investigations dealing with computer crimes, time is most important. All necessary steps should be outlined and reviewed before any breach of security occurs.
In spite of the security measures taken, a determined individual can and will do the mischief by intruding in to another person’s computer. But if the companies are well prepared and alert, the damage may be less.
In-spite of the security measures computer crimes are still spreading. The job of detecting such crimes has become very difficult and more difficult is the law enforcement. Companies electrically attacked don’t usually talk to the press.
Even when data are recovered companies sometimes feel reluctant to claim their property. Secret service Agent Bob Weaver recently confiscated a disk containing intellectual property belonging to a large Japanese Software Company. Weaver called the’ company but got no response.
For any Cyber Crime, thieves don’t even need a computer. In many cases lots of information required for digital break INS is available in the physical world i.e., from the garbage, dumpster diving and other sources. Such information’s can help the attackers to crack the computers or convince some one at the company to give them more access.
Attacks from hackers working in computer security firms, attacks from overseas, particularly eastern European Countries, are rising. The problem was so disturbing for America that it cut its connection to Russia in 1996. It is very difficult to nab the overseas computer thieves.
In 1998 intruders broke in to the ISP and knocked them off the Net for 4 days. Steve Hardin, Director of systems engineering for the ISP discovered the hackers and found messages in Russian. He reported to the F.B.I but the hackers could not be traced. On line frauds are also on the rise.
Experts say that the first step for companies is to secure their systems by searching for hacker programmes that might be used in such attacks. They also suggest formal security policies that can be distributed to employees letting them to know how often to change Pass Words or what to do in case of an attack.
Constantly updating software with the latest versions and security patterns is also essential. Down the road techniques than can filter and trace malicious software sent over the web may make it difficult to knock businesses off the Net.
According to Novell Inc. CEO Eric Schmidt:
“Security is a race between the lock makers and the lock pickers”.
Regulators say that Cyber Crime thrives or spreads because people accord the internet far more credibility than it deserves.” You can get a lot of good information from the internet-95% of what you do is bonafide” says Rutledge deputy Chief Counsel of the Pennsylvania Securities Commission.
“Unfortunately that creates openings for fraud.” If black Oats and other types of Cyber Crimes are to be avoided, then Net Security is essential.
12. Essay on the Suggestions for dealing with Cyber Crimes in India:
Dr. Anand Kumar, Tewari IPS, Assistant Director (Training) Bureau of Police Research and Development, New Delhi has suggested the following for dealing with Cyber Crimes in India.
According to him an electronic crime investigation division is necessary to investigate:
1. Cyber Crimes like network intrusion, hacking, financial fraud etc. This investigation division would also recover data from electronic media to be used as evidences in criminal cases. A separate Computer Crime Research centre should be set up in India. Kerala, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu have proposed to set up Cyber Police Station.
2. Every state police should have a separate computer Forensic Laboratory or Computer Crime Unit fully equipped with hardware and software required for investigation and manned by computer experts, persecutors and police officers. Separate centre for Cyber forensics is required in states. Development of technical forensic and Cyber forensic is required in India.
3. The maximum penalty for hackers is only Rs. 3 lakhs as per the Indian Information Technology Act 2000. This is very low according to Dr. Kumar compared to the damages they cause. He suggests that ideally the penalty should be over and above the damages caused.
4. The IT Act 2000 also does not have specific mention of frauds related to the misuse of Credit Card numbers.
5. There is lack of skilled personnel’s and experts on computer Forensics to investigate in to Cyber Crimes.
Hence training is necessary in the area of software piracy, wiretapping, Cyber or e theft, Cyber terrorism technology, Cyber smuggling, Cyber stalking/Cyber threat, Cyber Fraud, Wire fraud, Cyber porn, pornography and public indecency, obscene materials, targeting computer and electronic records, investigation of cases of identity theft and fraud in which criminals having a personal computer use the personal information of other people to open credit cards accounts, make bank loans, etc.
Skilled investigators are also required in other areas of Cyber crime like Spamming, Spooling, inter world wide web crimes, insurance fraud, letter of credit fraud, distribution of pornography auction fraud, e mail bombing, consumers scams, sale of stolen data, sale of pirated materials, sale of pornography materials, sale of stolen credit card number etc.
For investigation of digital crimes, (Credit Card Fraud, Stock market, scam, hacker attack on government computers and networks and insurance fraud) training on data mining is required says Dr. Kumar.
Though Cyber crime in India has not reached that height like U.S.A. and other developed countries, gradually it is on the rise. India having the 10th position in the world in the use of computers should be careful and use safety measures to prevent Cyber Crime.
For this purpose training of personnel’s to investigate Cyber Crimes correctly and give suggestions on its prevention and control is essential. India should have its own team of investigators and experts to deal firmly with Cyber Crime, as Cyber Crime is not less dangerous for a developing country like India than any other crime.
Nevertheless, India has made a good start to combat cyber crimes by being one of the few countries of the world to have adopted the Information Technology (IT) Act 2000. The IT Act defines among other thing, what constitutes tampering with the computer, source hacking of computer document systems and publishing of obscene information. Issues like cyber stalking or child abuse have not been covered in this act.
Due to the continuous fierce attack of computer related viruses implemented World Wide; security of computers has become a major concern for consumers as well as students. According to research firm MCAfee about 100,000 viruses were identified in the first half of 2004.
AMD, the $ 2.7 billion company has identified Cyber security as a major growth area and is currently developing processors that could fight very well malicious viruses, Computer worms and Trojan horses. The new range of Athlon and Opteron 64-bit processors from AMD helps protect computers specifically from buffer overflow attacks. More than half of the Computer Viruses are executed by buffer overflow attacks.
The AMD 64-processors combined with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SPz) are designed to help render viruses in operable and prevent them from replicating and spreading to other systems. The products are expected to hit the market sometime next year, added its General Manager.
Spyware, software designed to track one’s movements surreptitiously and occasionally to report your behaviour back to advertisers has alarmed and enraged the personal computer users around the world.
“These deceptive applications compromise users’ control over their own computers and Internet Connections and over the collection and sharing of their personal information.” said Jerry Berman, President of U.S. based Centre for Democracy and Technology, in a recent testimony to a subcommittee of the U.S. Senate that is looking in to the problems.
Bills are pending in the U.S. to address the Spyware epidemic. Anyone who is on the internet has Spyware. It is almost guaranteed. Spyware sneaks on to your computer while you are on line and plants itself on your hard drive without your knowledge.
Once installed it can collect information about where you go on line, which web sites you look at and what you buy. That information can then be passed back to advertisers. But spyware is almost by definition sneaky, your contact spyware unknowingly, by down loading free software on line or by unwittingly agreeing to have it installed on your P.C.
The spyware can record or transmit your passwords and Credit Card Numbers, it can reset your browser, and it can interfere with the compatibility of your systems components. Probably, the most popular piece of antispyware is Ad-aware made by the Swedish Company Lavasoft. Ad-aware scans your entire system in search of all types of spy ware.
Conclusion:
Like the physical world, the world of cyber crime consists of people, various financial, professional, business and educational transactions, e-commerce, money and finally crime. Analysis of cyber crime reflects crime in the physical world.
But it is more dangerous and sometimes more difficult to trace compared to crime in the physical world. Identity theft, fraud, pornography, impersonation, extortion, prostitution, call girl racket, child abuse, espionage and even old fashioned plain stealing, all these and many more crimes happen in the cyber world.
Of course, cyber crime introduces some new and electronically determined elements to crime. In-spite of all technological progresses and steps taken to prevent cyber crime it would continue to exist as long as the human society exists.
New and technologically introduced elements to the cyber world would make cyber crime one of the most dangerous problems of the modern society. Those who do not use a computer and internet they may not be affected by cyber crime directly, but of course indirectly. However it affects almost everybody who uses the internet.
Various organisations and governments spend billions of dollar to counter the threat of viruses and malicious code. The attack on cyber world also comes from remote areas. Therefore the law for cyber crime should be made more strict and it should cover all types of cyber crime. Cyber threats and cyber criminals, operating from other countries should also be covered under the I.T. Act.
Unless India can convincingly demonstrate her ability to withstand attacks from cyber threats, we would suffer greatly in terms of dollar and in terms prestige and recognition.
Computer users and internet connectivity is growing very fast in India. So it will be a very hard task to curb and control cyber crime. India has to make its I.T. Act (2000) more comprehensive to cover all fields of cyber crime and ensure stringent enforcement to the highest level. Besides, the common public and computer users should be made aware and conscious of various types of cyber crimes.
Not only better laws, but strict enforcement of these laws, education and self control should be basic to control cyber crime. Finally, people should be made aware about I.T. Act, so that they will not dare to commit computer crimes.