Cybercrime is emerging as a very serious threat in today's world. Internet brings happiness in our lives but at the same time, it also has negative sides. Cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to attack potential Internet victims. The new generation is growing up with computers and the most important thing is that all monetary transactions are done over the Internet. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the Original EssaySo it has become very important for us to be aware of the various cybercrimes committed with the help of computers. Cybercrime is defined as “illegal activity carried out using the computer system and the Internet” which is punishable by law. With the increasing penetration of the Internet, cybercrime has also increased in recent years. Between 2011 and 2015, the number of cybercrimes recorded in the country increased fivefold. Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh alone faced a third of these crimes. Cybercrime in India is recorded under three broad heads: the IT Act, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other State Level Legislations (SLL). With the growing mobile and internet penetration in the country, cybercrime has also increased proportionately. Between 2011 and 2015, more than 32,000 cybercrimes were reported across the country. More than 24,000 cases have been registered under the IT Act and the rest under various sections of the IPC and other state-level legislations. Any criminal activity that uses a computer as a tool, target or means to commit crimes falls under the umbrella of cybercrime. The first cybercrime was recorded in 1820 in France. Cybercrime has been a problem since the late 1970s. The first spam email occurred in 1978 and the first virus was installed on the Apple computer in 1982. In 2006, approximately 2,000 complaints related to cybercrime were received and the main reasons for these complaints were financial fraud, viruses and hackers. There has also been a steady increase in the number of children exposed to unwanted pornography, harassment and bullying on the Internet. Cybercrime, also called computer crime, refers to the use of a computer as an instrument for illegal purposes, such as committing fraud, child pornography, identity theft, violation of privacy. Cybercrime, particularly via the Internet, has grown in importance as the computer has become a central part of commerce, entertainment, and government. Cybercrime mainly consists of unauthorized access to computer systems, alteration of data, destruction of data, theft of intellectual property. Most cybercrimes involve attacks against information about individuals, businesses or governments. Although the attacks do not target a physical body, they take place on the virtual body of a person or company, which is the set of information attributes that define people and institutions on the Internet. Cybercrime also includes non-monetary offenses such as creating and distributing viruses to other computers or posting confidential business information on the Internet. Types of Cybercrime When a crime is committed over the Internet, it is called cybercrime. There are many types of cybercrime and the most common are: Hacking: This is a type of cybercrime in which a person's computer is hacked so that their informationpersonal or sensitive are accessible. In India, piracy is considered a crime and is punishable. This is different from ethical hacking, which many organizations use to verify their Internet security protection. In hacking, the criminal uses various software to gain access to a person's computer and the person may not realize that their computer is being accessed remotely. Theft This crime occurs when a person violates copyrights and downloads music, videos, movies and games. There are even peer-to-peer sharing sites that encourage software piracy and many of these websites are now being targeted by the government. Cyberstalking This is a type of online harassment in which the victim is subjected to a barrage of online messages and emails. Typically, these stalkers know their victims, and instead of resorting to offline harassment, they use the Internet to stalk. Identity TheftThis has become a major problem for people using the Internet for cash transactions and banking services. In this cybercrime, the criminal accesses a person's bank account data, credit cards, social security, debit card and other sensitive information to get money or buy things online at name of the victim. This can lead to significant financial losses for the victim and even spoil their credit history. MalwareThis is Internet-based software or programs used to disrupt a network. The software is used to gain access to a computer system in order to steal sensitive information or data or damage software present in the system. Child Solicitation and AbuseThis is also a type of cybercrime in which criminals solicit minors through chat rooms for child pornography. The government has spent a lot of time monitoring chat rooms frequented by children in hopes of reducing and preventing child abuse and solicitation. Spam and phishingSpam and phishing are two very common forms of cybercrime. There's not much you can do to control them. Spam essentially consists of unwanted emails and messages. Phishing is a method by which cybercriminals offer a bait so that you grab it and divulge the information they want. The lure can take the form of a commercial proposition, the announcement of a lottery that you never signed up for, and anything that promises you money for nothing or a small favor. Social engineering is a method by which cybercriminals establish direct contact with you using emails or telephones, mainly the latter. They try to gain your trust and once they succeed, they get the information they need. This information could be about you, your money, the company you work for, or anything that might be of interest to cybercriminals. Characteristics of cybercrime Physical presence is required No territorial boundaries Broader outcome Low risk – high rewards Anonymity and openness Lack of victim awareness Victims refrain from reporting No violence is involved Lack of hard evidence Lack of skills high techniques. Duties of the cyber expert Identify the particularity of cyber evidence Understanding cyber evidence Discovery of cyber evidence Preservation of cyber evidence Search, seizure and collection of cyber evidence Protection of cyber evidence Electronic surveillance General awareness Do not delete communications harmful (e-mails, logs ofdiscussion, messages).These can help provide vital information about the person's identity.l Remember that all other Internet users are strangers. You don't know who you're talking to. Be extremely careful in how you share personal information about yourself online. Be aware of all emails and SMS from any stranger regarding lottery prizes, UK jobs and huge riches. Make sure your WIFI network is secure, use a strong password. Never share your passwords with anyone. Change the password frequently using a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Don't forget to log out of your email or any other account. Never reveal your personal information to a stranger during an online chat. Never transact online on unsecured sites. Never follow links to your banking websites from another website or email, enter it yourself in the address bar. Never open spam emails as they contain viruses or spyware. Enable spam filters in your mailboxes. Never post sensitive information on social media and wedding sites. Do not answer calls asking for credit card information. Suggestions for Better Security Use strong passwords. Choose passwords that are difficult or impossible to guess. give different passwords to all other accounts. Make a regular backup of critical data. Backup should be performed at least once a day. At least once a month, the backup media should be checked. l Use antivirus software and update it regularly. l Use a firewall. Firewalls are generally software products. They are essential for those who keep their computers online via broadband and cable modem connections. Do not leave your computer online when not in use. Turn them off or physically disconnect them from the Internet. Cybercrime Prevention Children should not give their identifying information such as name, home address, school name, phone number in the chat room. They should also be advised not to give their photos to anyone and not to respond to obscene, threatening or suggestive messages. l Parents should use content filtering software on their computers so that their child is protected from pornography, gambling drugs and alcohol. The software can also be installed to establish time records, i.e. block usage after a given time. Parents should also visit the sites their children visit. l Keep backup volumes so as not to suffer data loss in the event of virus contamination. l Always use the latest and most up-to-date antivirus software to protect against virus attacks. l Never send your credit card number to an unsecured site. l Don't panic if you find something dangerous. If you feel immediate physical danger, contact your local police. Additionally, avoid getting into big online arguments when chatting with other users online. l Be careful when meeting the person introduced online. If you choose to meet, do so in a public place with a friend. Try to keep a record of all your communications for evidence. Organizations should implement an access control system using firewalls, which only allow authorized communications..