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Cybercrimes – How To Combat The Dark Side Of The Internet

Cybercrimes – How To Combat The Dark Side Of The Internet

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Digital technology and this era of the internet have given us the comfort and convenience to do everything easily. The internet saves us tedious hours of research in libraries by providing oral, visual, and written communication virtually without any cost.

Online banking, social media, endless search opportunities, emails, etc. eliminates the use of faxes, letters, and paperwork and provides us with a great amount of knowledge via well-designed websites and networks.

The power of the internet is undeniable and nowadays a lot of sectors of society are dependent on it. But along with the advantages, the internet also comes with a dark side. With the advancement of technology, the number of cybercrimes is also rising around the world.

Criminal activities have been with us since the foundation of society, but the evolution of the internet has given rise to a digital-based crime which is known as cybercrime.

Individuals and organizations are now easily becoming the targets of various attacks via the internet.

What are Cybercrimes?

cybercrimes

Cybercrimes are crimes committed digitally by sitting behind a screen. There are three types of cybercrimes happening in the world.

The first category of cybercrime is a crime against an individual. This is the type of cybercrime that is conducted against individuals or individual property. Cyberstalking, email harassment, virus transmission, hacking, identity theft, cyber defamation, etc. are some examples of such crimes.

Crime against organizations is the second category of cybercrime. This includes the distribution of pirated software, possession of unauthorized information, cyber terrorism, etc. against companies, government associations, or corporations.

The third category of cybercrime is a crime against society at large. This includes crimes such as the sale of illegal articles, online gambling, child pornography, etc. which usually happens on a large scale.

Apart from these three categories, there are also some other cybercrimes that do not fall into any of these three categories. Some of them are credit card theft, web jacking, intellectual property theft, the sale of illegal items, etc.

Examples of growing cybercrimes

There are various types of cyber-attacks used by criminals to fulfill their motives against individuals, organizations, and society.

1. Malware Attacks

dark-roomThere are a lot of cyber criminals who target the computer system. They infect the computers with malware or viruses to damage the device or stop it from working. A cybercriminal may also use such techniques that might prevent the users from accessing a website or network.

A system after being affected by malware can be used by these criminals for various purposes which would help them to achieve their ultimate goal. This type of cybercrime is usually conducted to steal confidential information, damage stored data, or carry out different other criminal activities.

WannaCry is one of the biggest global malware attacks that were committed in May 2017. When this malware attack happened, around 230000 computers were affected by this malware in around 150 countries in the world.  It is known to cause around 4-billion-dollar financial loss globally.

2. Phishing

dark-side-of-the-internetThis is the type of cybercrime where spam emails, online texts, and other forms of communications are sent with the motive to track the recipient into doing such an activity that would undermine their security. Phishing campaign messages often include links or attachments to malicious websites. This may also ask the recipient to provide their confidential details.

Apart from phishing campaigns, there is also another type of phishing called spear phishing. In this type of phishing, the criminal’s main motive is to trick the individuals into revealing the security and confidential information of the organization or company that they are working in. An important feature of spear phishing is that the messages are designed in such a way that it appears like a message is being sent from a trusted source.

3. Distributed DOS Attacks (DDOS)

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This type of attack is conducted to bring down a system of networks to prevent businesses from offering services to their clients. In most cases, connected Internet of Things (IoT) is used to commit Distributed DOS Attacks. In a DDOS attack, the whole system is messed up using a standard communication protocol that it uses to spam the network with connection requests.

Distributed DOS Attacks may also be used as a side-by-side cybercrime for distraction while another major cybercrime takes place.

How to protect yourself from being a victim of cybercrimes?

By taking some preventive measures or precautions, you can protect yourself from being a victim of cybercrimes.

Always keep your device’s software and operating system updated – This ensures that you have the latest cybersecurity systems and updated software services to protect your computer or laptop from getting into any trouble.

Use updated anti-virus software – Always make sure to update your antivirus software from time to time. It acts as a smart move to protect your device system and data from any kind of cyber-attacks. Having good anti-virus software helps you to prevent threats before it is too late.

Do not click on spam links or attachments that you receive– Cyber criminals often send links and attachments that appear to be from trusted sources. Avoid clicking on any such unknown links or attachments to stay safe while accessing the internet.

Connect with a good investigation agency to solve your issue – If you ever find yourself in such a situation where you feel like you are being a victim of cybercrime then immediately get in touch with a private detective London to discuss your issue. They will immediately get it solved within a fraction of the time.

Author Profile

Manuela
Blogger and Marketer by Passion | Senior Online Media & PR Strategist at ClickDo Ltd. | Contributor to many Education, Business & Lifestyle Blogs in the United Kingdom & Germany | Summer Course Student at the London School of Journalism and Course Instructor at the SeekaHost University.