I India To strengthen the provisions against cyber crime in the country, the Government has introduced the Information

Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2006 in the Parliament, which inter alia provides for new forms of cyber crimes like publishing of material containing sexually explicit act in electronic form, video voyeurism, breach of confidentiality and leakage of data by service providers, e-commerce frauds through impersonation commonly known as phishing, identity theft and offensive messages through communication service. A Resource Centre for Cyber Forensics (RCCF) has been set up at CDAC, Thiruvananthapuram with the objective to develop Cyber Forensics Tool Kit, carry out R&D in Cyber Forensics to meet the requirements of the Law Enforcement Agencies and provide technical services including training to Law Enforcement Agencies. The Centre has developed several tools for Cyber Forensics, which includes Disk Forensics, Network Forensics and Device Forensics. Cyber Forensics toolkit named Cyber Check Suite has been developed indigenously by the Centre and released to Law Enforcement Agencies. Large number of copies of the tool kit have been distributed to various Law Enforcement Agencies in the country including Cyber Crime Investigation Cells set up in States, Forensic Labs., Security Agencies, CBI, Army Cyber Security Establishment and National Police Academy. The Centre has conducted more than 20 basic and advanced level training programmes on Cyber Forensics to Law Enforcement Agencies. The Centre has been actively involved in providing support to Law Enforcement Agencies in the analysis of Cyber Crime cases. Over 200 cases have been submitted. This information was given by the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia in a written reply to an un-starred question in the Lok Sabha .
usa
The FBI encourages computer users to "be crime smart" and arm themselves with the knowledge and tools to prevent and detect cyber crime. Cyber criminals attack computer users in a multitude of ways. Many people know not to open unsolicited emails or click on attachments from people they don't know. However, criminals are becoming increasingly more sophisticated. For example, some criminals send out emails that appear to be from real banks. These emails request personal account information from customers of these banks. However, the links contained in the emails lead to sites that are only mirror images of the institutions' real websites.

Spam

The most common type of cyber crime is spam. While email spam laws are fairly new, there have been laws on the books regarding "unsolicited electronic communications" for many years.

Fraud

Credit fraud is another common form of cyber crime. Certain computer viruses can log keystrokes on your keyboard and send them to hackers, who can then take your Social Security number, credit card number and home address. This information will be used by the hacker for his own means.

Cyber Bullying

Harassment, or cyber bullying, is a growing problem among teenagers. Many countries in Europe and several states in the United States have laws to punish those who consistently harass somebody over the Internet.

Drug Trafficking

Believe it or not, drug trafficking is happening over the Internet. Many traffickers use encrypted email or password-protected message boards to arrange drug deals.

Cyberterrorism

There are many forms of cyberterrorism. Sometimes it's a rather smart hacker breaking into a government website, other times it's just a group of like-minded Internet users who crash a website by flooding it with traffic. No matter how harmless it may seem, it is still illegal.

Piracy

Far and away the most talked about form of cyber crime is thievery. Yes, downloading music from peer-to-peer websites is illegal and therefore a form of cyber crime

Cyberbullying

Young adults don't always understand the impact of things that they say on the Internet. Teasing, name calling and harassing can lead to dangerous situations if they are not handled properly. Parents should be proactive with children that are allowed Internet access. This can be done by parental controls, monitoring software, and talking to them about how to safely use the Internet. According to the National Crime Prevention Council, Over 70 percent of teens said that being able to block cyberbullies was the most effective method of prevention.

Identity Theft

Hackers and other online predators will use any means necessary to get confidential information like social security numbers, bank account information, and credit card information. Check out any businesses or website before providing them with any information. Cyber criminals send out fake emails to try and steal personal information Don't click on links in emails, go to the website by typing the address instead. These simple precautions can help keep identity thieves from getting the information they need to commit a crime.

Piracy

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, piracy of media and other commercial goods causes huge losses to the U.S. economy each year. Downloading software, movies, games and music without paying for them is illegal. Sites that allow these illegal downloads need to be reported to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Sexual Predators

The Internet allows an anonymity that can be dangerous, especially to children. Sexual predators use the Internet to lure victims into dangerous situations. Their main targets are children because they are more vulnerable than adults. Adults and children should never give out any personal information that could be used for identification purposes. These predators can take a small bit of information and find addresses or phone numbers with it. If you suspect someone of being a sexual predator, you should report them immediately. Children should be educated about Internet safety and Internet activity should be monitored as an added precaution.

Types

Cyber crime--also known as computer crime, e-crime and electronic crime-- is defined as a criminal act where a computer or computer network serves as the location, means, target or as the source of the activity. Types range from outside parties who hack into a computer network to phishing programs which give users a false sense of security, prompting them to divulge sensitive information.

Effects Loss Of Revenue

One of the main effects of cyber crime on a company is a loss of revenue. This loss can be caused by an outside party who obtains sensitive financial information, using it to withdraw funds from an organization. It can also occur when a business's e-commerce site becomes compromised--while inoperable, valuable income is lost when consumers are unable to use the site.

Wasted Time

Another major effect or consequence of cyber crime is the time that is wasted when IT personnel must devote great portions of their day handling such incidences. Rather than working on productive measures for an organization, many IT staff members spend a large percentage of their time handling security breaches and other problems associated with cyber crime.

Damaged Reputations

In cases where customer records are compromised by a security breach associated with cyber crime, a company's reputation can take a major hit. Customers whose credit cards or other financial data become intercepted by hackers or other infiltrators lose confidence in an organization and often begin taking their business elsewhere.

Reduced Productivity

Due to the measures that many companies must implement to counteract cyber crime, there is often a negative effect on employees' productivity. This is because, due to security measures, employees must enter more passwords and perform other timeconsuming acts in order to do their jobs. Every second wasted performing these tasks is a second not spent working in a productive manner.

causes 1. History
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When personal computer technology was relatively new, and networks were first becoming ubiquitous in the 1990s, those who engaged in illegal hacking activities did so for the purpose of improving their knowledge of systems, testing their abilities and competing against others for recognition as the best hacker. Thus, intrusions into networks, ranging from military installations to commercial institutions, were little more than nuisances and likely did not pose a long-term risk to security. Furthermore, while viruses, spyware and Trojan horses became more disruptive, these intrusions were seen as an annoyance akin to vandalism. Aside from disabling a computer or making it run slower, intrusions such as these did not reach the level of concern normally associated with criminal behavior. Yet as history shows us, whenever a group of people develop skills that give them an advantage over society at large, some will eventually exploit and victimize society.

Evolution
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According to the FBI and the Association for Computing Machinery, the last few years have seen an explosion in computer security breaches that are used to steal, extort and deceive. This new breed of cybercriminal is no longer motivated solely by ego and technological ability. Instead, cybercriminals have discovered that the skills they learned as teens--hacking into high school networks or creating disruptive viruses to boast to their friends--are now also useful in making a comfortable living.
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Old-School Crime
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Unlike crimes committed in the physical world, cybercrime requires little to no investment to be carried out. A criminal mugging someone on the street requires a gun and some basic know-how, and such a crime carries with it the risk of jail time or injury if the victim puts up a fight. More complex criminal activity, such as robbing a bank or operating a protection racket, requires organizing several people, and to a certain extent, equipping and training them. In the real world, the laws of economics apply to criminals, and criminals must make determinations about how much they can invest and risk.

New Arena
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Online, a potential criminal usually only needs to worry about his or her ability to compromise secure systems or trick someone into revealing his or her financial

information. Cybercriminals can operate remotely from countries where they risk little interference from law enforcement. Through the very systems that make e-commerce possible, cybercriminals are able to easily commit crimes. Additionally, unlike in the physical world, cybercriminals do not need to deal with competing groups or individuals for territory.

Outlaw Advantage
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Thus, there is ease of entry into the market, and, because the market is so big, little in the way of direct competition. In fact, there is often collaboration and loose networks of cybercriminals, who, instead of fighting for control like real-world gangs do, work together to improve their capabilities and skills and to seek out new opportunities. This "open source" organization is one of the reasons crybercrime is so hard to fight using traditional methods and organizations. Hierarchical and static law enforcement agencies, for example, usually rely on defined laws, regulations and internal procedures to operate effectively against criminals. The tools that are effective for law enforcement agencies on the street are ineffective in the virtual realm. Technology and tactics of cybercriminals can change faster than law enforcement can adapt to them.

Instructions
1. o

1
Turn on your spam blocker. Most Internet providers provide a spam blocking feature to prevent unwanted messages, such as fraudulent emails and phising emails, from getting to your inbox.

2
Make sure you have adequate anti-virus software for your computer, such as McAfee, Norton Anti-Virus, Stopzilla or other similar programs. You also need to make sure you regularly update your anti-virus software and that you do a once-a-week scan to locate and eliminate any malware, spyware, viruses and other problems. If you don't want to purchase security software, then there are programs, such as AVG, that offer free version

3
Use your computer's firewall protection feature, which is a digitally created barrier that prevents hackers from getting into your computer system. Always keep it turned on.

4
Encrypt important data you don't want compromised. Utilize encryption software, which "garbles" your data to make it unintelligible to anyone who tries to hack into your computer system.

5
Be wary of providing personal information via a website you know nothing about, especially those that ask for your name, mailing address, bank account number or social security number.

6
Make sure that you do online shopping on a secure website, like those with a url that starts with "https" and/or have a TRUSTe or VeriSign seal. If you don't see these anywhere on the site, you run the risk of submitting credit card information and other personal information to a site that may be a fraud.

7
Avoid getting taken in by common scams, such as foreign lotteries, phony sweepstakes and similar methods used by cyber criminals to get your personal information and money. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

8
Monitor the online activities of your children. They should only have access to a computer located in a central area of your home and you should regularly check all browser and email activity. A wise thing to do is to use parental control software that limits the types of sites the user can gain access to.

Tips & Warnings

Never allow strange or unfamiliar individuals to use your computer. If you think you or a family member have been the victim of cyber crime, contact he FBI and/or Better Business Bureau to report it.

Map 2 - Top 10 Countries by Count: Perpetrators (Numbered by Rank) 1. United States 65.4% 2. United Kingdom 9.9% 3. Nigeria 8.0% 4. Canada 2.6% 5. Malaysia 0.7% 6. Ghana 0.7% 7. South Africa 0.7% 8. Spain 0.7% 9. Cameroon 0.6% 10. Australia 0.5%

Age of Complainant 50 59 22.3%

40 49 30 39 20 29 under 20

22.7% 20.7% 19.4% 3.0%

60 and over 11.9%

How do cyber crimes operate????

Most cyber crimes are committed by individuals or small groups. However, large organized crime groups also take advantage of the Internet. These "professional" criminals find new ways to commit old crimes, treating cyber crime like a business and forming global criminal communities. Criminal communities share strategies and tools and can combine forces to launch coordinated attacks. They even have an underground marketplace where cyber criminals can buy and sell stolen information and identities. It's very difficult to crack down on cyber criminals because the Internet makes it easier for people to do things anonymously and from any location on the globe. Many computers used in cyber attacks have actually been hacked and are being controlled by someone far away. Crime laws are different in every country too, which can make things really complicated when a criminal launches an attack in another country.

Attack Techniques

Here are a few types of attacks cyber criminals use to commit crimes. You may recognize a few of them:

Botnet - a network of software robots, or bots, that automatically spread malware

Fast Flux - moving data quickly among the computers in a botnet to make it difficult to trace the source of malware or phishing websites Zombie Computer - a computer that has beenhacked into and is used to launch malicious attacks or to become part of a botnet Social Engineering - using lies and manipulation to trick people into revealing their personal information. Phishing is a form of social engineering Denial-of-Service attacks - flooding a network or server with traffic in order to make it unavailable to its users Skimmers - Devices that steal credit card information when the card is swiped through them. This can happen in stores or restaurants when the card is out of the owner's view, and frequently the credit card information is then sold online through a criminal community.

Some identity thieves target organizations that store people's personal information, like schools or credit card companies. But most cyber criminals will target home computers rather than trying to break into a big institution's network because it's much easier. By taking measures to secure your own computer and protect your personal information, you are not only preventing cyber criminals from stealing your identity, but also protecting others by preventing your computer from becoming part of a botnet.

Social Engineering

Social engineering is a tactic used by cyber criminalsthat uses lies and manipulation to trick people into revealing their personal information. Social engineering attacks frequently involve very convincing fake stories to lure victims into their trap. Common social engineering attacks include:

Sending victims an email that claims there's a problem with their account and has a link to a fakewebsite. Entering their account information into the site sends it straight to the cyber criminal (phishing) Trying to convince victims to open emailattachments that contain malware by claiming it is something they might enjoy (like a game) or need (like anti-malware software) Pretending to be a network or account administrator and asking for the victim'spassword to perform maintenance Claiming that the victim has won a prize but must give their credit card information in order to receive it Asking for a victim's password for an Internet service and then using the same password to access other accounts and services since many people re-use the same password Promising the victim they will receive millions of dollars, if they will help out the sender by giving them money or their bank account information

Like other hacking techniques, social engineering is illegal in the United States and other countries. To protect yourself from social engineering, don't trust any emails or messages you receive that request any sort of personal information. Most companies will never ask you for personal information through email. Let a trusted adult know when you receive an email or message that might be a social engineering attack, and don't believe everything you read.

Reformed Criminals: Grey Hat Hackers

For a hacker who wants to come clean and turn away from crime, one option is to work for the people they used to torment, by becoming a security consultant. These hackers-turnedgood-guys are called Grey Hat Hackers. In the past, they were Black Hat Hackers, who used their computer expertise to break into systems and steal information illegally, but now they are acting as White Hat Hackers, who specialize in testing the security of their clients' information systems. For a fee, they will attempt to hack into a company'snetwork and then present the company with a report detailing the existingsecurity holes and how those holes can be fixed. The advantage of this is that they can use their skills for a good cause and help stop other cyber criminals. Keeping up with security and cyber criminals is a full-time job, and many companies can't afford to have someone completely dedicated to it. Grey Hat Hackers have real-world hacking experience and know more methods of infiltrating networks than most computer security professionals. However, since they used to be criminals there's always going to be a question of trust.

Cyber Crime Units

Governments and law enforcement agencies have created teams of people dedicated just to tracking down cyber criminals. In the United States, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has a specialCyber Investigations department, and they helped create the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 provides the public with an easy-to-use reporting system that alerts the authorities of suspected criminal violations. Many police departments are training Internet or Computer Crime units that people can contact for information and assistance. These units support the law enforcement in investigating cyber crimes and tracking down cyber criminals. You can check with your local police department to see what kind of resources they have available.

Crime Unit Assistants

Since cyber crime is relatively new, there aren't a lot of experts available to train cyber defenders. Many colleges now offer degrees in fields like cyber crime and cyber forensics just to create these experts. Software developers are also working with law enforcement by helping analyze cyber crimes and prevent attacks. They also train cyber crime unitsand develop and provide tools that help them collect and process evidence. One example is theCOFEE (Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor), a USB device developed by Microsoft that allows forensics teams to quickly and easily extract data from a suspect's computer without having to confiscate it first.

Recruiting Cyber Defenders

Security conferences are a popular location for companies and government officials to try and recruit cyber defenders. At these conferences, security experts teach network administrators and information-technology managers how to protect their systems fromhackers. College students can even have their tuition covered by the government, if they promise to work there after they graduate. But some security conferences are a little more secret and underground, such as the conferences that the hackers attend. Here, budding cyber criminals and seasoned hackers meet to trade secrets and learn new tricks from each other. Believe it or not, companies and government officials also attend these conferences, to gain more insight into the current state of cyber crime. They also try to recruit employees at these conferences, encouraging them to turn from Black Hat Hackers to Grey Hat Hackers.

Reporting Cyber Criminals

Just like any other crime, cyber criminals are going to keep getting away with committing cyber crimes if nobody ever reports them. By reporting cyber crimes you are not only helping combat cyber crime, but you are also sending a message to all cyber criminals that their behavior will not be tolerated in cyberspace. In the United States, cyber crimes like hacking andidentity theft can be reported to your local FBI office or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center Web site. For detailed information about how to report specific types of cyber crimes, visit the United States Department of Justice's cyber crime page. If you need to report cyber bullying, to whom you and your trusted adult report it to usually depends on what the method of bullying is. Betty's Cyber Bullyingpage has information on reporting the different kinds of cyber bullying.

Punishment

Different countries have different laws that covercyber crimes. So you don't underestimate the seriousness of committing cyber crimes, here's some examples of the punishments for cyber crime in the United States:

Hacking - Hacking is covered under a Federal law addressing fraud in connection with computers. Punishments range from paying a large fine to going to jail for up to 20 years, depending on the seriousness of the crime and how much damage the hacker has done. Spamming - Spamming is covered under the CAN-SPAM Act and the minimum punishment is a fine of up to $11,000. Additional fines are added if the spammer violated policies or used automated bots to collect email addresses.Spammers can be sent to jail if they used false information or a computer they weren't allowed to use. Identity Theft - The laws covering identity theft were enhanced in 2004, requiring tougher punishments to match the seriousness of the crime. Identity thieves can go to jail for up to five years. There are also increased punishments for identity theft used to commit terrorist acts and for people who abuse their position for identity theft.

Due to the increase in cyber crimes in recent years, many governments have enhanced their cyber crime laws. However, they still need the help of cyber defenders in tracking down cyber criminals. It's important that you report cyber crimes, like spam, so that the criminals behind them can be prosecuted and fined under the law.