Cyber-Crime
Cyber-Crime is known as computer crime in most of its definitions. It is considered a cyber-crime when the weapon involved in the crime are computers, a network of computers and the internet. It helps aid in several illegal activities from violating one’s privacy to trafficking in child pornography and even committing fraud.
There are many known types of cyber-crime and different methods cyber-criminals use to attack and exploit people. Most cyber-crime activity leads us to think it is probably something the victim did and that’s why they are being targeted through such activities or that they are just being bullied.
The fact here is no matter what one has to say the main attack is truly on information and data. It does not matter who you are, whether you are individual living alone, living with your family, a businessman or with the government, the true attack is on your data and information as a whole.
Some Types Of Cyber-Crime
- One of the well-known ones is Identity theft.
- There are counterfeiting and money laundering that takes place via computers.
- Piracy of certain available documents, tools, products and information are considered illegal too.
- Trafficking and child pornography takes place one a large scale.
- Hacking, in general, is the most general term that people use when they know of a cyber-attack. Hacking is not widely used when it comes to trafficking but there it is used widely to get most of these illegal activities fulfilled.
What We Need to Know
As individuals, who are not familiar with either how to use a computer, being from a much older generation, not having to know much about digital life or even about technology, in general, may at times seem difficult. Especially with most of the world progressing towards a digital lifestyle.
Even though you do not know much on how to use a tool or material that has to do with being digital and over the internet, the best thing to do is learn more about how to use whatever the product may be, ask people for help no matter how insecure you may feel.
Psychology Behind Cyber-Crime
Hurtful and scarring childhood experiences, few stressors at work and home, contributes to a person committing a cyber-crime. These stressors act as an opportunity to steal confidential information and rationalize the idea of potential theft.
Here’s another aspect of cyber-crime that individuals say and do things in cyberspace that they wouldn’t ordinarily say and do in the real life, i.e. when they are face-to-face. Like for example, they may loosen up, feel less restrained and present themselves more openly. This phenomenon is so pervasive that a term has been surfaced for it- online disinhibition effect.
According to Garland (2001), when it comes to fear of crime, our fears and resentments, but also our common-sense narratives and understandings, become settled cultural facts that are sustained and reproduced by cultural scripts.
Awareness About Cyber-Crime
It is good to be aware of the type of cyber-attacks but knowing at a basic level on how these attacks take place is useful.
Being aware of types of cyber-crime can be useful in situations like this when you know that there are cases of money disappearing from accounts and stories as such it’s good to learn how to prevent these.
Most Common Type Of Cyber-Crime
Social Engineering is one of the most used methods hackers use to steal information. The word may seem huge and have the word engineering in it but it means that one can fool an individual by meeting them at a concert; befriending them learning more about them and getting a lot of information in small bits. This then leads to adding up those bits of information and making sense out of the personal information as a whole. In most cases, people fall victims to befriending someone at a bar or on social media.
It is good to know of things like this so there’s social engineering, phishing attacks, being too friendly and trusting anyone on the internet, blindly trusting people with your money and bank-related details, trusting people abroad with your sensitive information, most of all learning how people tend to be victims of money being debited from their accounts while clicking on links that say “ Double your money by clicking here” and so on.
Also, it is best not to confront an attacker personally but go through means as the law enforcement or if it is at your company then bring it up to the manager or the required person.
Conclusion
In all this a good thing to beware of is being manipulated. Yes, computers and the internet are used for a lot of things in today’s time and it is good to use them. We just need to be careful with our information the same way we are careful with our belongings. It is the same as being okay with people knowing things about you but not with them exploiting you.
The best ways to deal with being a victim of cyber-crime is simple. You need to have general awareness on topics regarding cyber-security. One could learn more on these topics using google news too.
Do take steps to learn these and do not be afraid to do so.
