Definition : Cybercrime is a crime that involves a computer and a network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a crime, or it may be the target.

Types of Cybercrime

• Hacking : It is an illegal practice by which a hacker breaches the computer’s security system of someone for personal interest.
• Unwarranted mass-surveillance : Mass surveillance means surveillance of a substantial fraction of a group of people by the authority especially for the security purpose, but if someone does it for personal interest, it is considered as cybercrime.
• Child pornography: It is one of the most heinous crimes that is brazenly practiced across the world. Children are sexually abused and videos are being made and uploaded on the Internet.
• Child grooming: It is the practice of establishing an emotional connection with a child especially for the purpose of child-trafficking and child prostitution.
• Copyright infringement: If someone infringes someone’s protected copyright without permission and publishes that with his own name, is known as copyright infringement.
• Money laundering : Illegal possession of money by an individual or an organization is known as money laundering. It typically involves transfers of money through foreign banks and/or legitimate business. In other words, it is the practice of transforming illegitimately earned money into the legitimate financial system.
• Cyber-extortion: When a hacker hacks someone’s email server, or computer system and demands money to reinstate the system, it is known as cyber-extortion.
• Cyber-terrorism : Normally, when someone hacks government’s security system or intimidates government or such a big organization to advance his political or social objectives by invading the security system through computer networks, it is known as cyber-terrorism.

Why is Cybercrime considered a grave offense:

• There are many privacy concerns surrounding cybercrime when sensitive information is intercepted and leaked to the public, legally or otherwise. Some of that information may include data about military deployments, internal government communications, and even private data about high-value individuals.
• Cybercrime is not confined to individuals alone. 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.
• In 2018, a study by Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in partnership with McAfee, a leading cybersecurity firm concludes that close to $600 billion, nearly one percent of global GDP, is lost to cybercrime each year.

Cyber Security:

• Cyber security is a potential activity by which information and other communication systems are protected from and/or defended against the unauthorized use or modification or exploitation or even theft.
• Likewise, cyber security is a well-designed technique to protect computers, networks, different programs, personal data, etc., from unauthorized access.
• All sorts of data whether it is government, corporate, or personal need high security; however, some of the data, which belongs to the government defense system, banks, defense research and development organization, etc. are highly confidential and even small amount of negligence to these data may cause great damage to the whole nation. Therefore, such data need security at a very high level.

How to Secure Data :

Let us now discuss how to secure data. In order to make your security system strong, you need to pay attention to the following −

• Security Architecture
• Network Diagram
• Security Assessment Procedure
• Security Policies
• Risk Management Policy
• Backup and Restore Procedures
• Disaster Recovery Plan
• Risk Assessment Procedures

Steps taken by government :

• National cyber coordination centre (NCCC) to scan internet traffic coming into the country and provide real time situational awareness and alert various security agencies.
• A new Cyber and Information Security (CIS) Division has been created to tackle internet crimes such as cyber threats, child pornography and online stalking. Under this, Indian cyber- crime coordination centre (I4C) and Cyber Warrior Police force has also been established.
• Formation Defence Cyber Agency in the realm of military cyber security under the Ministry of Defence.
• Formation of three cyber-forensic laboratories in Bangalore,Pune and Kolkata in association with software industry group NASSCOM.
• National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) to battle cyber security threats in strategic areas such as air control, nuclear and space. It will function under the National Technical Research Organisation, a technical intelligence gathering agency controlled directly by the National Security Adviser in PMO.
• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-in) to enhance the security of India’s Communications and Information Infrastructure through proactive action and effective collaboration. CERT-fin has also been launched exclusively for the financial sector. CERT-in is also operating Cyber Swachhta Kendra, a Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre.
• On similar lines for protection of critical sectors of Indian economy FIN-CERT for India’s financial sector was launched.
• Government inaugurated the new body National Information Centre Computer Emergency Response Team (NIC-CERT) to prevent and predict cyber-attacks on government utilities.
• Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative to strengthen the Cyber Security ecosystem in India. It is the first public private partnership of its kind and will leverage the expertise of the IT industry in cybersecurity.
• Creation of National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre and mandating security practices related to the design, acquisition, development, use and operation of information resources.
• Security – Cyber Swachhta Kendraà It is the Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre under the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The aim of Cyber Swachhta Kendra is to promote awareness among Indian citizens to secure their data in computers, mobile phones, and other electronic devices.
• Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiativeà MeitY in collaboration with National e-Governance Division (NeGD) came up with this initiative in 2018 to build a cyber-resilient IT set up.
• National Cyber Security Strategy 2020à Indian Government is coming up with the National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 entailing the provisions to secure cyberspace in India. The cabinet’s nod is pending and it will soon be out for the public.
• National Informatics Center (NIC) – The National Informatics Centre is an attached office under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in the Indian government. The NIC provides infrastructure to help support the delivery of government IT services and the delivery of some of the initiatives of Digital India.