Cybercrime – Definition, Types, and Reporting

clearias.com/cybercrime/

Alex Andrews George December 3, 2021

What is cybercrime? What are the types of cyber crimes? How to file a cybercrime
complaint? How to use cybercrime.gov.in? Read to know more.

Computers, mobile phones, and the internet have changed modern life. They provide us
with many benefits.

However, information technology also makes us vulnerable to a wide range of threats.

These threats may result in financial loss or damage to our reputation.

A minor lapse in managing our digital lives can open the door to cybercriminals. So it is
extremely important to know how to prevent us from cybercrimes.

What is cybercrime?
A Cybercrime is a crime involving computers and networks.

The computer may have been used in the execution of a crime or it may be the target.

Definition of Cyber Crime

Cybercrime may be defined as “Any unlawful act where computer or communication
device or computer network is used to commit or facilitate the commission of a crime”.

Two Main Types of Cybercrimes

Most cybercrime falls under two main categories:

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 Criminal activity that targets computers.
Criminal activity that uses computers.

Cybercrime that targets computers often involves malware like viruses.

Cybercrime that uses computers to commit other crimes may involve using computers to
spread malware, illegal information or illegal images.

List of Cybercrimes: Examples

Cybercrimes include monetary crimes as well as non-monetary offences. The crimes

result in damage to persons, computers, or governments.

1. Child Pornography OR Child sexually abusive material (CSAM)

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Child sexually abusive material (CSAM) refers to a material containing sexual images in
any form, of a child who is abused or sexually exploited. Section 67 (B) of the IT Act
states that “it is punishable for publishing or transmitting of material depicting children in
the sexually explicit act, etc. in electronic form.

2. Cyber Bullying

A form of harassment or bullying inflicted through the use of electronic or communication

devices such as computers, mobile phones, laptops, etc.

3. Cyber Stalking
Cyberstalking is the use of electronic communication by a person to follow a person, or
attempts to contact a person to foster personal interaction repeatedly despite a clear
indication of disinterest by such person; or monitors the internet, email or any other form
of electronic communication commits the offence of stalking.

4. Cyber Grooming
Cyber Grooming is when a person builds an online relationship with a young person and
tricks or pressures him/ her into doing a sexual act.

5. Online Job Fraud

Online Job Fraud is an attempt to defraud people who are in need of employment by
giving them false hope/ promise of better employment with higher wages.

6. Online Sextortion
Online Sextortion occurs when someone threatens to distribute private and sensitive
material using an electronic medium if he/ she doesn’t provide images of a sexual nature,
sexual favours, or money.

7. Phishing
Phishing is a type of fraud that involves stealing personal information such as Customer
ID, IPIN, Credit/Debit Card number, Card expiry date, CVV number, etc. through emails
that appear to be from a legitimate source.

8. Vishing
Vishing is an attempt where fraudsters try to seek personal information like Customer ID,
Net Banking password, ATM PIN, OTP, Card expiry date, CVV etc. through a phone call.

9. Smishing
Smishing is a type of fraud that uses mobile phone text messages to lure victims into
calling back on a fraudulent phone number, visiting fraudulent websites or downloading
malicious content via phone or web.

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10. Sexting
Sexting is an act of sending sexually explicit digital images, videos, text messages, or
emails, usually by cell phone.

11. SIM Swap Scam

SIM Swap Scam occurs when fraudsters manage to get a new SIM card issued against a
registered mobile number fraudulently through the mobile service provider. With the help
of this new SIM card, they get One Time Password (OTP) and alerts, required for making
financial transactions through the victim’s bank account. Getting a new SIM card against
a registered mobile number fraudulently is known as SIM Swap.

12. Credit Card Fraud or Debit Card Fraud

Credit card (or debit card) fraud involves the unauthorized use of another’s credit or debit
card information for the purpose of purchases or withdrawing funds from it.

13. Impersonation and identity theft

Impersonation and identity theft is an act of fraudulently or dishonestly making use of the
electronic signature, password or any other unique identification feature of any other
person.

14. Spamming
Spamming occurs when someone receives an unsolicited commercial message sent via
email, SMS, MMS and any other similar electronic messaging media. They may try to
persuade the recipient to buy a product or service, or visit a website where he can make
purchases, or they may attempt to trick him/ her into divulging bank account or credit card
details.

15. Ransomware
Ransomware is a type of computer malware that encrypts the files, storage media on
communication devices like desktops, Laptops, Mobile phones etc., holding
data/information as a hostage. The victim is asked to pay the demanded ransom to get
his device decrypts

16. Viruses, Worms, and Trojans

A computer virus is a program written to enter your computer and damage/alter your
files/data and replicate itself.

Worms are malicious programs that make copies of themselves again and again on the
local drive, network shares, etc.

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A Trojan horse is not a virus. It is a destructive program that looks like a genuine
application. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves but they can be just
as destructive. Trojans open a backdoor entry to your computer which gives malicious
users/programs access to your system, allowing confidential and personal information to
be theft.

17. Data Breach

A data breach is an incident in which information is accessed without authorization.

18. Denial of Services (DoS) attack

A denial of Services (DoS) attack is an attack intended for denying access to computer
resources without the permission of the owner or any other person who is in charge of a
computer, computer system or computer network.

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to make an online service

unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic from multiple sources.

19. Website Defacement

Website Defacement is an attack intended to change the visual appearance of a website
and/ or make it dysfunctional. The attacker may post indecent, hostile and obscene
images, messages, videos, etc.

20. Cyber-Squatting

Cyber-Squatting is an act of registering, trafficking in or using a domain name with an

intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else.

21. Pharming
Pharming is a cyber-attack aiming to redirect a website’s traffic to another, bogus website.

22. Cryptojacking

Cryptojacking is the unauthorized use of computing resources to mine cryptocurrencies.

23. Online Drug Trafficking

Online Drug Trafficking is a crime of selling, transporting, or illegally importing unlawful
controlled substances, such as heroin, cocaine, marijuana, or other illegal drugs using
electronic means.

24. Espionage
Espionage is the act or practice of obtaining data and information without the permission
and knowledge of the owner.

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How to file a Cybercrime complaint online in India?
A cybercrime complaint can be filed using the National Crime Reporting Portal of India.

Website link is – https://cybercrime.gov.in/

National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal of India

This portal is an initiative of the Government of India to facilitate victims/ complainants to
report cybercrime complaints online.

This portal caters for all types of cybercrime complaints including complaints pertaining to

online Child Pornography (CP),

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM),
sexually explicit content such as Rape/Gang Rape (CP/RGR) content and
other cybercrimes such as mobile crimes, online and social media crimes, online
financial frauds, ransomware, hacking, cryptocurrency crimes and online cyber
trafficking.

The portal also provides an option of reporting an anonymous complaint about reporting
online Child Pornography (CP) or sexually explicit content such as Rape/Gang Rape
(RGR) content.

Cybercrime Helpline Number

The Cyber Crime Helpline Number is 155260.

Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN or ICERT)

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN or ICERT) is an office
within the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of the Government of India.

CERT-In is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security incidents as
and when they occur. CERT-In is operational since January 2004.

CERT-In has been designated to serve as the national agency to perform the following
functions in the area of cyber security:

Collection, analysis and dissemination of information on cyber incidents.

Forecast and alerts of cyber security incidents.
Emergency measures for handling cyber security incidents.
Coordination of cyber incident response activities.
Issue guidelines, advisories, vulnerability notes and whitepapers relating to
information security practices, procedures, prevention, response and reporting of
cyber incidents.
Such other functions relating to cyber security may be prescribed.

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CERT-IN has overlapping responsibilities with other agencies such as National Critical
Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC).

Cyber Laws in India

Information Technology Act 2000 (IT Act 2000) is the main law connected with cyber
security in India.

Indian Penal Code, 1860 is also used to book criminals connected with cybercrimes.

India also has a cyber security policy.

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