Cybercrime is one of the most dangerous threats
Have you been hearing a lot about Cybercrime and the threat that it poses to society? Are you concerned about how it might affect your own life? Understanding what cybercrime is, and how you can protect yourself from it will definitely put your mind at ease.
And this is what we are for! In this article, we will tell you all you need to know about cybercrime, its various types, and how you can protect yourself from the crime epidemic.
What is Cyber Crime?
Any criminal activity that targets a PC or uses a PC, is termed as cybercrime. Individuals, as well as organizations, can carry out criminal activity, and mostly, they have financial motives. Whether it is personal or political, the aim of PC crime is usually profit.
With our ever-increasing dependence on technology, we are more susceptible to nefarious activities. However, there are police anti-cybercrime divisions as well as annual anti-cybercrime conferences held by international police agencies to discuss various measures and protection strategies.
Types of Cyber Crime
There are various types of cyber fraud and crime. According to various researches on cyber crime and cybercrime essay, they fall into two categories
- Nefarious activity that targets PC
- Nefarious activity that is committed using computers
Such activity often involves viruses and other malware. A dangerous criminal may infect computers with malware and viruses to damage the devices and to delete/steal files. The silently sweeping viruses infect all your files and corrupt your files. Moreover, these cybercriminals use a PC and electronic devices to spread such viruses and malware. A few examples of cybercrimes are:
- Email Fraud
- Identity Fraud
- Financial Fraud
- Theft of Organizational Data
- Cyber Extorsion
- Ransomware Attacks
- Cryptojacking
- Cyberespionnage
Examples of Cyber Crime
Malware Assaults
In a malware attack, a computer is infected with some sort of malware and then cybercriminals can use the said PC for various purposes. They can steal confidential files, corrupt files, etc.
WannaCry ransomware attack was the biggest malware attack that was committed in May 2017. In this attack, the cybercriminals targeted a vulnerability in the computers using Microsoft Windows.
Over 230,000 computers across 150 countries were infected. Users lost access to their files and a Bitcoin ransom was demanded to regain access to the hacked information. According to an authentic report and study, it is estimated that this attack caused over $4 billion in financial losses.
Phishing
A phishing campaign is when emails, or spam messages, are sent en masse with the sole purpose of tricking the receivers into doing something that will undermine their personal or professional safety.
Usually, such messages contain corrupted attachments or URLs to malicious websites. The World Cup phishing scam of 2018 is very famous in which emails were sent to football fans across the globe.
These emails tried to hook in the fans with fake trips to Moscow, free of cost, as the World Cup was being hosted there. Once the users opened the links attached within the email, their personal files were stolen.
Spear-phishing is another type of phishing that is targeted and it tricks individuals into jeopardizing and undermining their safety. They are typically crafted to look genuine and there aren’t any visual cues that will alert the user that they are fake. These illegal business emails can result in huge financial losses.
Distributed DoS Assaults
In DDoS assaults, cybercriminals bring down a whole network of devices. A DDoS attack usually overwhelms a network by spamming it with connection requests. It can be used as a threat to extort money as well as a distraction tactic for other criminal activities. In 2017, the UK National Lottery website was brought down using a DDoS attack.
Protecting Yourself Against Cyber Crime
Now that you know what cyber crime is and what are the various types of cyberattacks, it is time to learn how you can protect yourself against such assaults.
Keep Your System Updated
After every couple of months, software companies roll out the latest security patches to ensure that your network stays protected. It is a good choice to keep all your software updated to ensure you stay safe and secure.
Use Anti-Virus Software
A smart way to keep yourself safe from cyberattacks is by using good-quality anti-virus software. An anti-virus will help you scan and delete any viruses before they cause an issue for your network.
Keep your password strong
It may seem cliché, but it is a very important tip. If your password is weak, a simple password guesser programming code will be able to breakthrough. However, if it is complex, no code will be able to get past the first layer of security. This will help in keeping your credit card information, bank details, personal information, etc. safe.
Never Open Spam Emails
If you open an attachment on a spam mail, it is very likely that you will be infected with malware. Stay away from such emails and delete them as soon as you receive them. Moreover, don’t click on any unknown link on any website as well.
People shouldn’t enter their personal details on any website unless they trust the website. People need to stay aware regarding such activities. Moreover, if you see any nefarious or suspicious activity on the internet, report it to the authorities immediately. If you come across cybercriminals turn them in!
Final Word
We live in a digital world. It gets hard to stay away from the web of criminals on the internet. However, with the help of a few information security measures and the help of law enforcement agencies, you can easily stay safe from the growing threat of cyber crime.
