INTRODUCTION: As the name implies, cybercrime is a sort of crime perpetrated in the virtual world. This is a new sort of crime that has spread to practically every area of people’s lives on the Internet. Our Indian law does not define the phrase “cybercrime” as such; nonetheless, an act is known as the Information Technology Act 2000 or the IT Act 2000 was enacted to combat these types of crimes.
Because cybercrime is such a broad concept, it is impossible to characterize it in just one or two sentences. However, if we look at the nature of this crime, we can say that it is the type of crime in which computers and computer networks are used or abused, and the crime is committed either ‘through’ them or ‘to’ them, or both. According to an Ipsos report, the frequency of complaints submitted by Indians is 32 percent greater than in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other technologically advanced countries, where it is only 11-15 percent. The 32 percent figure only applies to cases that have been reported, not to cases that have not been reported.
Our reliance on the internet, even for the most basic activities like shopping, making payments, ordering food, and so on, is one of the main causes of the rapid increase in cases of cybercrime, and when there is such uncontrollable dependency, some people would undoubtedly take advantage of it.
SOME REASONS FOR CYBER CRIMES ARE REPORTED BELOW:
1.) Easy money without revealing one’s identity due to the usage of hacked computers and forged or stolen IP addresses.
2.) Complex technologies and code increase the likelihood of human error, which thieves exploit.
3.) They have figured out how to readily deceive biometrics, and they even use force to do so.
4.) Evidence, which is typically in the form of data, can be quickly deleted without leaving a trace.
5.) For all of these reasons, the majority of such situations remain inaccessible.
TYPES OF CYBER CRIME: Cybercrime encompasses a wide range of actions. The three major categories of cybercrime are as follows-
a.) Harassment and other cyber crimes against people take place in cyberspace or via the use of cyberspace. Harassment can take many forms, including sexual, racial, religious, and other types.
b.) Property crimes such as computer wreckage (destroying other people’s property), the transmission of destructive programs, unlawful trespassing, and unauthorized possession of computer data.
c.) Government-related cybercrime, such as cyberterrorism.
A.) Cybercrimes against a person– These include the following types:-
- Cyber-stalking
- Dissemination of Obscene Material
- Defamation
- Hacking
- Cracking
- E-mail Spoofing
- SMS Spoofing
- Carding
- Cheating and Fraud
- Child Pornography
B.) Crimes against Property– These include the following types:-
- Intellectual Property Crimes
- Cyber Squatting
- Cyber Vandalism
- Hacking Computer System
- Transmitting Virus
- Cyber Trespass
- Internet Time Thefts
C.) Cybercrimes against Government– Such crimes are of the following types:-
- Cyber Terrorism
- Cyber Warfare
- Distribution of Pirated Software
- Possession of Unauthorized Information
ANALYSIS OF CYBER CRIMES IN INDIA: With over 560 million internet users, India is the world’s second-largest online market, after only China. By 2023, it is expected that the country would have over 650 million internet users. According to the latest national crime records bureau NCRB data, India saw a total of 27, 248 cybercrime instances in 2018.
PUNISHMENTS FOR CYBER CRIMES UNDER INDIAN LAWS: Section 67A of the IT Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a fine.
The capturing of any such image must be consensual, but its dissemination must be non-consensual, according to Section 354C of the IPC. However, it is worth noting that this provision excludes morphing or photo-shopped photos, which can have a similar impact.
Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code makes it illegal to circulate any indecent object.
Section 66E of the Information Technology Act makes it illegal to transmit photos of a person’s private area, even if the recording of such an image is non-consensual.
STEPS TO PREVENT CYBER CRIMES:
- On the internet, never give out personal information. This is the equivalent of revealing one’s true identity to a stranger in a public location.
- Never send any photograph online, especially to strangers or chat friends, as there have been cases of photographs being misused.
- To prevent credit card information from being misused, never enter it on an unsecured website.
CONCLUSION: We live in a digital age, where cyberspace is not limited to one’s own bounds, but rather encompasses the entire globe. As a result, cybercrime is on the rise in every country, including India. The most difficult aspect of cybercrime is its dynamic character, which stems from the continual advancement of digital technology. As a result, new cybercrime techniques and approaches are developed. As a result, cybercrime should be given the same priority as other forms of crime in our society, such as theft, rape, and murder.
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