Cybercrime is rapidly increasing, causing significant financial losses and exploiting users' personal information through various illegal activities on the internet. The document categorizes cybercrime into three main types: individual, property, and government, detailing methods such as identity theft, cyberstalking, and ransomware attacks. It emphasizes the urgent need for improved cybersecurity measures and public awareness to combat the pervasive threat of cybercrime.

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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1introduction
Cybercrime is vastly growing in the world of tech today. Criminals of the World
Wide Web exploit internet users’ personal information for their own gain. They dive
deep into the dark web to buy and sell illegal products and services. They even gain
access to classified government information. Cybercrimes are at an all time high, costing
companies and individuals billions of dollars annually. What’s even more frightening is
that this figure only represents the last 5 years with no end in sight. The evolution of
technology and increasing accessibility of smart tech means there are multiple access
points within users’ homes for hackers to exploit. While law enforcement attempts to
tackle the growing issue, criminal numbers continue to grow, taking advantage of the
anonymity of the internet. Cybercrimes are at an all time high, costing companies and
individuals billions of dollars annually. What’s even more frightening is that this figure
only represents the last 5 years with no end in sight. The evolution of technology and
increasing accessibility of smart tech means there are multiple access points within
users’ homes for hackers to exploit. While law enforcement attempts to tackle the
growing issue, criminal numbers continue to grow, taking advantage of the anonymity
of the internet.
1.3 Definitions of cyber crime
Cybercrime is defined as a crime where a computer is the object of the crime or
is used as a tool to commit an offense. A cybercriminal may use a device to access a
user’s personal information, confidential business information, government information,
or disable a device. It is also a cybercrime to sell or elicit the above information
online.Debarati Halder and K. Jaishankar further define cybercrime from the perspective

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of gender and defined cybercrime against women as "Crimes targeted against women
with a motive to intentionally harm the victim psychologically and physically, using
modern telecommunication networks such as internet and mobile phones".
Internationally, both governmental and non-state actors engage in cybercrimes,
including espionage, financial theft, and other cross-border crimes. Cybercrimes
crossing international borders and involving the actions of at least one nation-state is
sometimes referred to as cyberwarfare.Cybercrimes can be defined as: "Offences that
are committed against individuals or groups of individuals with a criminal motive to
intentionally harm the reputation of the victim or cause physical or mental harm, or loss,
to the victim directly or indirectly, using modern telecommunication networks such as
Internet (networks including chat rooms, emails, notice boards and groups) and mobile
phones (Bluetooth/SMS/MMS)".
1.4 CategoriesofCybercrime
There are three major categories that cybercrime falls into: individual, property and
government. The types of methods used and difficulty levels vary depending on the
category.
 Property: This is similar to a real-life instance of a criminal illegally possessing
an individual’s bank or credit card details. The hacker steals a person’s bank
details to gain access to funds, make purchases online or run phishing scams to
get people to give away their information. They could also use a malicious
software to gain access to a web page with confidential information.
 Individual: This category of cybercrime involves one individual distributing
malicious or illegal information online. This can include cyberstalking,
distributing pornography and trafficking.
 Government: This is the least common cybercrime, but is the most serious
offense. A crime against the government is also known as cyber terrorism.

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Government cybercrime includes hacking government websites, military
websites or distributing propaganda. These criminals are usually terrorists or
enemy governments of other nations.
1.5 Impact of Cybercrime on Society
Cybercrime has created a major threat to those who use the internet, with millions of
users’ information stolen within the past few years. It has also made a major dent in
many nations’ economies. IBM president and CEO Ginni Rometty described cybercrime
as “the greatest threat to every profession, every industry, every company in the world.”
Read below for shocking statistics on cybercrime’s impact on our society to date.
 The global cost of cybercrime will reach $6 trillion by 2021.
 According to the Ponemon Institute’s 2016 Cost of Data Breach Study, Global
Analysis organizations that suffered at least one breach in 2016 lost an average
of $4 million.
 48% of data security breaches are caused by acts of malicious intent.
 Cybersecurity Ventures expects ransomware costs will rise to $11.5 billion in
2019.
 Cybercrime will more than triple the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs by
2021.
How to Fight Cybercrime
It seems like in the modern age of technology, hackers are taking over our systems
and no one is safe. The average dwell-time, or time it takes a company to detect a cyber
breach, is more than 200 days. Most internet users are not dwelling on the fact that they
may get hacked and many rarely change their credentials or update passwords. This
leaves many people susceptible to cybercrime and it’s important to become informed.

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Educate yourself and others on the preventive measures you can take in order to protect
yourself as an individual or as a business.
 Become vigilant when browsing websites.
 Flag and report suspicious emails.
 Never click on unfamiliar links or ads.
 Use a VPN whenever possible.
 Ensure websites are safe before entering credentials.
 Keep antivirus/application systems up to date.
 Use strong passwords with 14+ characters.

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CHAPTER TWO
TYPES OF CYBER CRIME
2.1 introduction
Cybercrime is vastly growing in the world of tech today. Criminals of the World
Wide Web exploit internet users’ personal information for their own gain. They dive
deep into the dark web to buy and sell illegal products and services. They even gain
access to classified government information.Cybercrimes are at an all time high, costing
companies and individuals billions of dollars annually. What’s even more frightening is
that this figure only represents the last 5 years with no end in sight. The evolution of
technology and increasing accessibility of smart tech means there are multiple access
points within users’ homes for hackers to exploit. While law enforcement attempts to
tackle the growing issue, criminal numbers continue to grow, taking advantage of the
anonymity of the internet.
2.2 types of cyber crime
Nowadays, all digital devices (including computers, tablets, and smartphones)
are connected to the internet. In theory, cyber criminals could bring a large part of the
Netherlands to a halt. The government rightly takes cybercrime very seriously, and we
are working hard to fight it.in order to protect yourself you need to know about the
different ways in which your computer can be compromised and your privacy infringed.
In this section, we discuss a few common tools and techniques employed by the cyber
criminals. This isn’t an exhaustive list by any means, but will give you a comprehensive
idea of the loopholes in networks and security systems, which can be exploited by
attackers, and also their possible motives for doing so.

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2.2.1 DDoS Attack
These are used to make an online service unavailable and take the network down by
overwhelming the site with traffic from a variety of sources. Large networks of infected
devices known as Botnets are created by depositing malware on users’ computers. The
hacker then hacks into the system once the network is down.
2. 2.2 Online child abuse
This is, without a doubt, the most heinous type of cybercrime. There are many
activities that constitute online child abuse including the downloading, selling, and
distribution of child pornography through websites and forums and the solicitation of
children for sex via chatrooms. Along with cyberstalking, online child abuse (and child
abuse in general) is a federal crime under the U.S. Code.
2.2.3 Identity Theft
This cybercrime occurs when a criminal gains access to a user’s personal
information to steal funds, access confidential information, or participate in tax or health
insurance fraud. They can also open a phone/internet account in your name, use your
name to plan a criminal activity and claim government benefits in your name. They may
do this by finding out user’s passwords through hacking, retrieving personal information
from social media, or sending phishing emails.
2.2.3 Cyberstalking
kind of cybercrime involves online harassment where the user is subjected to a
plethora of online messages and emails. Typically cyberstalkers use social media,
websites and search engines to intimidate a user and instill fear. Usually, the
cyberstalker knows their victim and makes the person feel afraid or concerned for their
safety.

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2.2.4 Social Engineering
Social engineering involves criminals making direct contact with you usually by
phone or email. They want to gain your confidence and usually pose as a customer
service agent so you’ll give the necessary information needed. This is typically a
password, the company you work for, or bank information. Cybercriminals will find out
what they can about you on the internet and then attempt to add you as a friend on social
accounts. Once they gain access to an account, they can sell your information or secure
accounts in your name.
2.2.5 PUPs
PUPS or Potentially Unwanted Programs are less threatening than other
cybercrimes, but are a type of malware. They uninstall necessary software in your
system including search engines and pre-downloaded apps. They can include spyware or
adware, so it’s a good idea to install an antivirus software to avoid the malicious
download.
2.2.6 Phishing
This type of attack involves hackers sending malicious email attachments or
URLs to users to gain access to their accounts or computer. Cybercriminals are
becoming more established and many of these emails are not flagged as spam. Users are
tricked into emails claiming they need to change their password or update their billing
information, giving criminals access.
2.2.7 Prohibited/Illegal Content
This cybercrime involves criminals sharing and distributing inappropriate
content that can be considered highly distressing and offensive. Offensive content can
include, but is not limited to, sexual activity between adults, videos with intense violent
and videos of criminal activity. Illegal content includes materials advocating terrorism-

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related acts and child exploitation material. This type of content exists both on the
everyday internet and on the dark web, an anonymous network.
2.2.8 Online Scams
These are usually in the form of ads or spam emails that include promises of
rewards or offers of unrealistic amounts of money. Online scams include enticing offers
that are “too good to be true” and when clicked on can cause malware to interfere and
compromise information.
2.2.9 Exploit Kits
Exploit kits need a vulnerability (bug in the code of a software) in order to gain
control of a user’s computer. They are readymade tools criminals can buy online and use
against anyone with a computer. The exploit kits are upgraded regularly similar to
normal software and are available on dark web hacking forums.
2.2.10 Hacking
By definition, hacking is the unauthorized accessing of a single device (such as a
laptop or a smartphone) or a computer network, and those who engage in the activity are
called hackers.Keep in mind, though, that in the strictest sense of the word, hacking is
not illegal in and of itself, and is therefore not a crime. It is simply a skill, and it is what
people can do with this skill that may be illegal.
2.2.11 Ransomware attack
A ransomware attack is when a cybercriminal injects a specific kind of malware
(called ransomware) into your device. Ransomware gets its name because it is designed
to block access to your data until a certain amount is paid, thereby holding it for ransom.
In most cases, ransoms are demanded to be paid in bitcoins or other
cryptocurrencies.Ransomware attacks also cause significant financial damage. In 2017,
it was reported that the global cost of ransomware exceeded $5 billion dollars.

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CHAPTER THREE
CONCLUSION
Though not all people are victims to cyber crimes, they are still at risk. Crimes
by computer vary, and they don’t always occur behind the computer, but they executed
by computer. The hacker’s identity is ranged between 12 years young to 67years old.
The hacker could live three continents away from its victim, and they wouldn’t even
know they were being hacked. Crimes done behind the computer are the 21st century’s
problem. With the technology increasing, criminals don’t have to rob banks, nor do they
have to be outside in order to commit any crime. They have everything they need on
their lap. Their weapons aren’t guns anymore; they attack with mouse cursors and
passwords.It can be seen that the threat of computer crime is not as big as the authority
claim. This means that the method s that they introducing to combat it represents an
unwarranted attack on human rights and is not proportionate to the threat posed by
cyber-criminals. Part of the problem is that there are no reliable statistics on the problem;
this means that it is hard to justify the increased powers that the Regulation of
Investigatory Powers Act has given to the authorities. These powers will also be
ineffective in dealing with the problem of computer. The international treaties being
drawn up to deal with it are so vague that they are bound to be ineffective in dealing
with the problem. It will also mean the civil liberties will be unjustly affected by the
terms of the treaties since they could, conceivably, imply that everybody who owns a
computer fitted with a modem could be suspected of being a hacker. The attempts to
outlaw the possession of hacking software could harm people who trying to make the
internet more secure as they will not be able to test there systems; therefore the
legislation could do more harm than good.

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