Cybercrime - An Overview

Cybercrimes are at an all time high, costing companies and individuals billions of
dollars annually. What’s even more frightening is that this figure only represents the
last 5 years with no end in sight. The evolution of technology and increasing
accessibility of smart tech means there are multiple access points within users’
homes for hackers to exploit. While law enforcement attempts to tackle the growing
issue, criminal numbers continue to grow, taking advantage of the anonymity of the
internet.
What is Cybercrime?
Cybercrime is defined as a crime where a computer is the object of the crime or is
used as a tool to commit an offense. A cybercriminal may use a device to access a
user’s personal information, confidential business information, government
information, or disable a device. It is also a cybercrime to sell or elicit the above
information online.
Cybercrimes can generally be divided into two categories:
Crimes that target networks or Crimes using devices to participate in criminal

devices activities
Viruses Phishing Emails
Malware Cyberstalking
DoS Attacks Identity Theft
Categories of Cybercrime
There are three major categories that cybercrime falls into: individual, property and
government. The types of methods used and difficulty levels vary depending on the
category.
 Property: This is similar to a real-life instance of a criminal illegally possessing

an individual’s bank or credit card details. The hacker steals a person’s bank
details to gain access to funds, make purchases online or run phishing scams
to get people to give away their information. They could also use a malicious
software to gain access to a web page with confidential information.
 Individual: This category of cybercrime involves one individual distributing
malicious or illegal information online. This can include cyberstalking,
distributing pornography and trafficking.
 Government: This is the least common cybercrime, but is the most serious
offense. A crime against the government is also known as cyber terrorism.
Government cybercrime includes hacking government websites, military
websites or distributing propaganda. These criminals are usually terrorists or
enemy governments of other nations.
Types of Cybercrime
DDoS Attacks
These are used to make an online service unavailable and take the network down by
overwhelming the site with traffic from a variety of sources. Large networks of
infected devices known as Botnets are created by depositing malware on users’
computers. The hacker then hacks into the system once the network is down.
Botnets
Botnets are networks from compromised computers that are controlled externally by
remote hackers. The remote hackers then send spam or attack other computers
through these botnets. Botnets can also be used to act as malware and perform
malicious tasks.
Identity Theft
This cybercrime occurs when a criminal gains access to a user’s personal information
to steal funds, access confidential information, or participate in tax or health
insurance fraud. They can also open a phone/internet account in your name, use
your name to plan a criminal activity and claim government benefits in your name.
They may do this by finding out user’s passwords through hacking, retrieving
personal information from social media, or sending phishing emails.
Cyberstalking
This kind of cybercrime involves online harassment where the user is subjected to a
plethora of online messages and emails. Typically cyberstalkers use social media,
websites and search engines to intimidate a user and instill fear. Usually, the
cyberstalker knows their victim and makes the person feel afraid or concerned for
their safety.
Social Engineering
Social engineering involves criminals making direct contact with you usually by phone
or email. They want to gain your confidence and usually pose as a customer service
agent so you’ll give the necessary information needed. This is typically a password,
the company you work for, or bank information. Cybercriminals will find out what they
can about you on the internet and then attempt to add you as a friend on social
accounts. Once they gain access to an account, they can sell your information or
secure accounts in your name.
PUPs
PUPS or Potentially Unwanted Programs are less threatening than other

cybercrimes, but are a type of malware. They uninstall necessary software in your
system including search engines and pre-downloaded apps. They can include
spyware or adware, so it’s a good idea to install an antivirus software to avoid the
malicious download.
Phishing
This type of attack involves hackers sending malicious email attachments or URLs to
users to gain access to their accounts or computer. Cybercriminals are becoming
more established and many of these emails are not flagged as spam. Users are
tricked into emails claiming they need to change their password or update their billing
information, giving criminals access.
Prohibited/Illegal Content
This cybercrime involves criminals sharing and distributing inappropriate content that
can be considered highly distressing and offensive. Offensive content can include,
but is not limited to, sexual activity between adults, videos with intense violent and
videos of criminal activity. Illegal content includes materials advocating terrorism-
related acts and child exploitation material. This type of content exists both on the
everyday internet and on the dark web, an anonymous network.
Online Scams
These are usually in the form of ads or spam emails that include promises of rewards
or offers of unrealistic amounts of money. Online scams include enticing offers that
are “too good to be true” and when clicked on can cause malware to interfere and
compromise information.
Exploit Kits
Exploit kits need a vulnerability (bug in the code of a software) in order to gain control
of a user’s computer. They are readymade tools criminals can buy online and use
against anyone with a computer. The exploit kits are upgraded regularly similar to
normal software and are available on dark web hacking forums.
Impact of Cybercrime on Society

Cybercrime has created a major threat to those who use the internet, with millions of
users’ information stolen within the past few years. It has also made a major dent in
many nations’ economies. IBM president and CEO Ginni Rometty described
cybercrime as “the greatest threat to every profession, every industry, every company
in the world.” Read below for shocking statistics on cybercrime’s impact on our
society to date.
 The global cost of cybercrime will reach $6 trillion by 2021.

 According to the Ponemon Institute’s 2016 Cost of Data Breach Study, Global
Analysis organizations that suffered at least one breach in 2016 lost an
average of $4 million.
 48% of data security breaches are caused by acts of malicious intent.
 Cybersecurity Ventures expects ransomware costs will rise to $11.5 billion in
2019.
 Cybercrime will more than triple the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs by
2021.
How to Fight Cybercrime

It seems like in the modern age of technology, hackers are taking over our systems
and no one is safe. The average dwell-time, or time it takes a company to detect a
cyber breach, is more than 200 days. Most internet users are not dwelling on the fact
that they may get hacked and many rarely change their credentials or update
passwords. This leaves many people susceptible to cybercrime and it’s important to
become informed. Educate yourself and others on the preventive measures you can
take in order to protect yourself as an individual or as a business.
 Become vigilant when browsing websites.
 Flag and report suspicious emails.
 Never click on unfamiliar links or ads.
 Use a VPN whenever possible.
 Ensure websites are safe before entering credentials.
 Keep antivirus/application systems up to date.
 Use strong passwords with 14+ characters.

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Cybercrimes are at an all time high, costing companies and individuals billions of

Cybercrimes can generally be divided into two categories:

Crimes that target networks or Crimes using devices to participate in criminal

Viruses Phishing Emails

DoS Attacks Identity Theft

 Property: This is similar to a real-life instance of a criminal illegally possessing

PUPS or Potentially Unwanted Programs are less threatening than other

Impact of Cybercrime on Society

 The global cost of cybercrime will reach $6 trillion by 2021.

How to Fight Cybercrime

 Become vigilant when browsing websites.

 Flag and report suspicious emails.

 Never click on unfamiliar links or ads.

 Use a VPN whenever possible.

 Ensure websites are safe before entering credentials.

 Keep antivirus/application systems up to date.

 Use strong passwords with 14+ characters.

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