Cyber Crime &HACKING: "Is The Internet The New WILD WILD WEST?"
Cyber Crime &HACKING: "Is The Internet The New WILD WILD WEST?"
Cyber Crime &HACKING: "Is The Internet The New WILD WILD WEST?"
INTRODUCTION:
The term cyber crime is a misnomer
Cyber crime is the latest and perhaps the most complicated problem in the cyber world.
Any criminal activity that uses a computer either as an
instrumentality, target or a means for perpetuating further crimes comes within the ambit of cyber crime
There is a dark side to the Internet. It would be nave to deny it and alarmist to exaggerate it.
CATEGORIES OF CYBERCRIME:
HACKING VIRUSES PIRATING FRAUD MONEY LAUNDERING CYBER TERRORISM CREDIT CARD FRAUD PHISHING SPOOFING THREATENING SALAMI ATTACK
Hacking :
Hacking can take several forms: Accessing - entering a network which is intended to be private Defacing changing the content of another persons Web site
Bombing overwhelming a site with countless messages to slow down or even crash the server
TYPES OF HACKERS
SALAMI ATTACK
In such crime criminal makes insignificant changes in such a manner that such changes would go unnoticed. Criminal makes such program that deducts small amount like Rs. 2.50 per month from the account of all the customer of the Bank and deposit the same in his account. In this case no account holder will approach the bank for such small amount but criminal gains huge amount
Spoofing
Getting one computer on a network to pretend to have the identity off another computer,, usually one with special access privileges ,, so as to obtain access to the other computers on the network..
PHISHING
It is technique of pulling out confidential information from the bank/financial institutional account holders by deceptive Means.
Phishing email
From: *****Bank [mailto:support@****Bank.com] Sent: 08 June 2004 03:25 To: India Subject: Official information from ***** Bank Dear valued ***** Bank Customer! For security purposes your account has been randomly chosen for verification. To verify your account information we are asking you to provide us with all the data we are requesting. Otherwise we will not be able to verify your identity and access to your account will be denied. Please click on the link below to get to the bank secure page and verify your account details. Thank you. https://infinity.*****bank.co.in/Verify.jsp ****** Bank Limited
Viruses
Viruses, in the broadest sense, come in three forms:
Virus: This is a code that attaches itself to a program in a computer
and then reproduces itself. It can erase files or lock up a system.
Worm: This is similar to a virus but does not attach itself to files or
programs in a computer.
while pretending to do something else. It is similar to a virus but does not try to reproduce itself.
Pirating
Digital technology makes it very easy to copy perfectly creative products such as music or films and the Internet provides a free and almost anonymous means of transmitting or exchanging this pirated material around the world.
Cyber Terrorism
In the summer of 1999, hackers thought to be working for Russian intelligence were found to have broken into the systems of the Pentagon. Richard Clarke, head of counter terrorism efforts for the US National Security Council, insists that several nations have developed cyber-warfare capabilities. Among the trends noted recently by computer security officials have been an illegal trade in ageing Cray super-computers which are ideal for cracking complex encrypted passwords used to guard major installations and companies
Preventions:
firewalls - keep them up to date Keep your operating system up to date with critical security updates and patches Don't open emails or attachments from unknown sources Use hard-to-guess passwords. Dont use words found in a dictionary. Remember that password cracking tools exist Back-up your computer data on disks or CDs often Don't share access to your computers with strangers Disconnect from the Internet when not in use Reevaluate your security on a regular basis Make sure your friends and family members know this info too!
Conclusion:
Capacity of human mind is unfathomable It is not possible to eliminate cyber crime from cyber space. It is quite possible to check them. History is the witness that no legislation has succeeded in totally eliminating crime from the globe.. The only step is to make people aware. Further I feel that there is a need to bring changes in information act to make it more effective to combat cyber crime.