Cyber Crime: How it Impacts Young Adults

Introduction:

We have become more focused on the internet for many of our everyday activities in this rising digital age. There are both benefits and drawbacks of using the internet. We see new cybercrimes being recorded every single day. Even while government entities are trained to deal with cybercrimes. The modern way of living has been transformed by advanced technologies. The internet gives us many advantages. Whether it’s engaging with friends, searching for information, making banking transactions, using online services, finding a career, finding a life partner, or even running entire companies. Almost all facets of our lives are touched by the Internet. It also, however, leaves us vulnerable to a wide range of threats, known as cyber-attacks a cybercrime involving computers and networks is a crime. This entails a wide variety of things, from uploading music files illegally to stealing money from online bank accounts. It is not only financially driven by cybercriminals. Cybercrimes often contain offences that are non-monetary. Frauds such as work-related fraud, marital fraud, theft and misuse of sensitive personal information (Aadhaar information, credit/debit card data, bank account credentials, etc.) may be included; defamation of an individual on social media; dissemination of computer viruses, etc. Physical or sexual assault may also result from cybercrimes.

What is a Cybercrime?

Cybercrime is a crime that either attacks or uses a computer, a network of computers or a networked system. Cybercrime is most, but not all, perpetrated by cybercriminals or hackers who want to make cash. Individuals or organisations carry out cybercrime. Some cybercriminals are structured, use sophisticated tactics and are highly skilled in technology. Others are hackers for novices. In rare cases, for purposes other than benefit, cybercrime at Personal Coffer various forms of cybercrimes,

There are some unique examples.

1. Theft of Identity
2. Frauds in Digital Banking
3. Personal Computer Virus Attackers
4. Tricks of Psychology
5. Threats linked to Social Media
6. Attacks via mobile applications

The bulk of cybercrime falls into two key categories:

1. Illegal activity targeting
2. Illegal activity that uses software to commit other offences tempts to hurt computers. This may be people or politicians.

Cybercrime also includes viruses and other forms of malware attacking computers. In order to harm devices or stop them working, cybercriminals can infect computers with viruses and malware. They can even delete or steal information using malware. A Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack is a cybercrime that prohibits users from accessing a computer or network or prevents a company from providing its clients with a software service. The use of computers or networks to spread malware, illegal information or illegal photos which involve cybercrime that uses computers to commit other crimes. Cybercriminals often commit all types of cybercrime at once. First, they can target computers that have viruses. Use them to spread malware to other devices or over a network, then. What is called a Distributed-Denial-of – Service (DDoS) attack can also be carried out by cybercriminals. This is equivalent to a DoS attack, but cybercriminals use numerous compromised computers to carry it out.

The accused can also be prosecuted under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution if there is a breach of cybercrime in relation to the private property of an individual or his personal belongings.

The most important aspect where the young generation affect to cybercrimes is social media.

Social Media Frauds

Social networking has become a major component of our lives. It is the latest way for people to connect, share and educate about the events in our lives. In the form of self- and family images, updates on our locations/whereabouts, our views/thoughts on popular topics, etc., we share our everyday lives on social media. Via their social media profile, one can understand an individual’s whole history and can also predict future events based on trends in the past. This poses a danger to a person as unauthorised access to the profile of social media can cause data loss, slander or even worse consequences, such as physical/sexual abuse, fraud, etc. Therefore, it is very important to protect and use social media accounts properly. Some examples of social media frauds are-

Sympathy Fraud

On social media, the perpetrator becomes acquainted with the victim. Via repeated encounters, the attacker gains trust. Later, the attacker extracts the victim’s money / harm the victim.

Fraud Romance

On social media, the perpetrator becomes acquainted with the victim. The perpetrator retains the attention of the victim over a period of time. Later on, the intruder physically, financially and/or emotionally assaults the victim.

Stalking Cyber

Cyber stalking is a crime in which the perpetrator uses electronic communication to threaten a victim. E-mail, instant messaging (IM), comments shared on a blog or a discussion group, for example. A cyberstalker depends on the fact that his or her real identity in the digital world is not established. The victim is threatened by a cyber-stalker with threatening / abusive messages and tracks their actions in the real world.

Cyber Bullying

Cyber bullying is bullying which is carried out on digital devices. Via SMS, social media, forums or gaming apps where people can access, interact or share information, cyber bullying can happen. Sending, publishing or exchanging negative, malicious, false material about someone else involves cyber bullying. The purpose is to cause shame or embarrassment. It may also cross the line into unethical criminal activity at times.

Impacts Through Mobile Apps

The related security threats have also increased with the growth in the usage of smartphones and the consequent rise in the use of mobile apps. Over the last couple of years, the number of mobile transactions has risen four times, and now, cyber criminals are targeting mobile users to extract data and money. Mobile apps are commonly used to perform day-to-day activities such as bill payments, bank account management, service delivery, etc., not just for entertainment, but also for ease and convenience. As a result, these apps are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Users need to be aware of such attacks, such as digital payment applications and gaming applications, on widely used mobile devices. Let’s look at a day-to-day example of how to use mobile apps for cyber fraud.

Cyber-attacks Using Infected Mobile Applications

People are becoming regular users of such smartphone apps. As a consequence, they disregard security alerts. This is used by fraudsters to target the victim by infiltrating via popular smartphone apps like this. The apps are corrupted by malicious software called Trojan. For malicious activities, this Trojan can get access to your texts, OTP, camera, contacts, e-mails, images, etc. It can also view lewd ads, sign up for paying subscriptions or steal confidential personal information from the smartphone, etc. Cyber-attacks using Infected Mobile Applications

Some Cases Where Young Adults are Affected

Vijay likes to surf the Internet and has a number of friends on his social media page. One day he receives a friend’s invitation from a beautiful young woman named Anjali. He welcomes a friend’s request as he likes the image of her profile. Vijay and Anjali are beginning to chat and talk on a call all day. Soon, Vijay is beginning to enjoy spending time with Anjali. He begins to trust her. That’s full. One day, Anjali asked for Rs 25000 from Vijay, saying that her brother had been admitted to the hospital and that she wanted to pay the amount urgently. Unconscious of the truth, Vijay is giving the money to Anjali. Vijay is filing a missing report at the police station. The Inspector states that this is a very common crime and that he has become a victim of a scam of sympathy. The Inspector is investigating the matter and catching Anjali. Vijay knows that Anjali is a cheater. He regrets trusting a random stranger to social media and giving her such a large sum of money.

Suggestions for Young Adults

• Be diligent when accepting friend requests on social media from strangers. In order to befriend potential victims with the intention of harming them, cybercriminals frequently create false social media profiles.
• Do not share personal information or enter into economic relationships with an unknown person you have met on a social media site.
• Keep family/friends updated if you wish to meet a friend on social media. Planning such meetings in public places at all times.
• Limit access to your profile. Social networking networks provide you with privacy settings.
• To monitor who can access your messages, images, request friends, etc. Ensure that your personal data, photographs and videos can only be accessed by the trusted ones of yours.
• Be cautious when uploading your social media images that reveal you’re as cyber stalkers, locations or places you visit frequently can keep tabs on your Life every day.
• Let your friends know that cyberbullying is a punishable offence in order to make them aware of the offence. They neither engage in cyberbullying nor let anybody tease them.
• Discuss healthy internet practises often with your friends and family.
• Track your friend’s Internet / social media behaviours. Enable parental checks on Desktop / mobile computers. And if children or students know about a friend who is a cyber-victim, Bullying. The survivor should be helped. Report to parents or teachers the matter instantly.
• Do not delete offensive messages because the police will aid with the investigation.
• Often install smartphone apps from official or trusted application stores.
• Thoroughly scrutinise all permission requests, especially those involving permission privileged access, when downloading / using mobile applications. For example, a photo application does not require microphone access.
• Periodically update software and web applications to ensure there are no Defence holes.
• Look out for malicious software or malicious updates to existing apps. Clear and uninstall all the data relevant to the malicious application immediately,
• Never share a PIN or password with someone to unlock your smartphone.
• Register and subscribe to your bank’s personal phone number and e-mail for announcements. These alerts will alert you quickly to any transaction and your net-banking account attempts to log in unsuccessfully.
• Always check the received transaction warning on your registered mobile number and Reconcile your purchase number with the number. For your bank account, always establish a maximum transaction cap.
• Secure your apps with a clear password and 2-step verification. (Such as OTP), also within the maximum account cap for transactions.
• Uninstall at once every compromised / malicious programme
• Do not reveal personal data unless protected and until you are absolutely sure that the line or email is secure, never give out personal data over the phone or by email. Make sure that you talk to the person you think you are.

Where will a Cyber-Fraud be Reported?

1. Immediately, contact the nearest police station.
2. Visit the National Cyber Crime Reporting Platform to register concerns about cybercrime online. It is possible to enter this portal in this portal, there are two Chapters. Reporting of crimes relating to women and children (where complaints can also be filed anonymously) is one section. Other forms of cybercrimes should be mentioned in another section. Through dealing with helpline numbers, you can also file a report offline.

Conclusion

Using the internet is not an issue in my point of view, but we have to take some safety precautions and complaining about cybercrimes will deter hackers from hacking the system immediately. We need to be aware of all the apps, and not blindly trust all online users. We should not allow any fake apps or hacking by our buddies and our families. We should avoid cybercrime like this.

References:

www.cyberlaw.com

www.cyberbooklet.com

www.kaspresky.com

www.lawteacher.com

CH.SATHVIKA

GITAM SCHOOL OF LAW