Cyber crimes

06 Jan Cyber crimes

This article covers ‘Daily Current Affairs’ and the topic details of ‘Cyber crimes in India ’ This topic is relevant in the “Internal Security” section of the UPSC CSE exam.

UPSC Mains GS-3 SYLLABUS : Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.

Why in the News?

According to Rajesh Kumar, chief executive officer of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), around 50% of cyber-crime complaints received on the national cyber crime helpline every day have their origin in China and pockets of Cambodia and Myanmar.

What is cybercrime?

• Cybercrime is defined as criminal activity carried out through the use of computer networks or digital technology.
• It refers to a wide range of illicit operations that take advantage of flaws in computer systems and networks.
• Cybercriminals often aim to steal sensitive information, financial data, or disrupt digital systems for financial gain or malicious intent. The motive behind cybercrime can vary, including financial gain, political motives, revenge, or simply causing chaos.
• Malware, social engineering, and exploiting software flaws are some common cybercrime methods.
• It can target individuals, businesses, governments, or critical infrastructure, posing a threat to national security.

Some types of cybercrimes are-

• Hacking : Hacking is defined as unauthorised access to computer systems or networks in order to get information or disrupt operations.
• Phishing: False attempts to get sensitive information, such as passwords or credit card numbers, by impersonating a trustworthy institution.
• Ransomware: Malicious software that encrypts a user’s files and demands payment to unlock them.
  Identity theft : It is the theft of personal information in order to impersonate someone for financial gain or other fraudulent purposes.
• Online fraud : It refers to deceptive practices carried out over the internet in order to defraud individuals or corporations for financial gain.
• Malware : It is the malicious software that is meant to harm or exploit computer systems, such as viruses, spyware, and trojans.
• Denial-of-Service (DoS) Attacks: Overloading a system or network to render it unavailable to users, causing services to be disrupted.
• Cyber Espionage : The illegal access and theft of sensitive information in order to gain intelligence or a competitive advantage.
• Social Engineering : Manipulation of individuals to reveal secret information or undertake security-compromising acts.
• Cryptojacking : Unauthorised use of another person’s computer to mine bitcoins without their knowledge or agreement.

Negative impact of cybercrime-

• Financial Loss: Individuals, corporations, and governments can all suffer major financial losses as a result of cybercrime.
• Data Breaches: The exposure of sensitive information can result in identity theft, fraud, and the invasion of an individual’s privacy.
• Operational Disruption : Cyberattacks, like ransomware or denial-of-service attacks, can disrupt routine operations, resulting in downtime and financial losses.
• National Security Threat : Cybercrime creates a national security risk when key infrastructure, government systems, or military networks are targeted.
• Intellectual Property Loss: Businesses may lose important intellectual property as a result of cyber espionage, reducing their competitiveness.
• Reputational Damage : Organisations can suffer reputational loss as a result of data breaches or other cyber incidents, affecting trust and credibility.
• Global Economic Impact : Cybercrime can have a broader impact on the global economy, affecting interconnected systems and international trade.

Initiatives taken by government to assuage the frequency of cybercrimes

• CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team): The national nodal agency for responding to cybersecurity issues is CERT-In. It provides proactive and reactive cybersecurity support and is critical to the country’s cyber infrastructure’s security and resilience.
• Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre (Cyber Swachhta Kendra): This campaign aims to raise awareness about botnet and malware infections and also to provide detection and cleaning solutions.
• Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C): I4C was developed by the government to provide a framework and ecosystem for Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) to deal with cybercrime in a comprehensive and coordinated manner.
• National Cyber Security Policy: (a)The goal of this policy is to provide a safe and resilient cyberspace for individuals, enterprises, and the government.(b)It includes several goals and tactics for protecting cyberspace information and infrastructure, developing capacities to avoid and respond to cyber attacks, and minimising harm through collaborative efforts of institutional structures, people, procedures, and technology.
• National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal: (1)The government has developed the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal in order to allow citizens to report incidents involving all sorts of cybercrime.
  (b)A toll-free hotline 1930 has been established to help people in filing online cyber complaints.
  (C) The Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System module has also been launched to allow for the prompt reporting of financial frauds and to prevent criminals from siphoning off monies.

Prelims practice question

Question 1) Which section of the IT Act authorises law enforcement agencies to issue orders for the interception or monitoring of any information transmitted via computer systems?

(a) Section 43
(b) Section 66A
(c) Section 69
(d)Section 79A

Answer – C) Section 69

Mains practice questions

Question 1) How effective, in your opinion, is India’s Information Technology (IT) Act in dealing with evolving cyber risks and ensuring the security of digital transactions and data?

Question 2) In your opinion, how well does India’s IT Act strike a balance between preserving individual privacy and empowering law enforcement agencies to effectively combat cybercrime?

Himanshu Mishra

I am a content developer and have done my Post Graduation in Political Science. I have given 2 UPSC mains, 1 IB ACIO interview and have cleared UGC NET JRF too.