Cyber-crime& Security:

                                                         Cyber-crime& Security:

                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                           Dinesh joshi

            Cyber crime is criminal activity done using computers and the Internet. This includes anything from downloading illegal music files to stealing millions of dollars from online bank accounts. Cyber- crime also includes non-monetary offenses, such as creating and distributing  viruses on other computers.It is one of the fastest growing areas of crime. More and more criminals are exploiting the speed. These include attacks against computer data and systems, identity theft, the distribution of child sexual abuse images, Bonnets  and various email scams such as phishing.

The most talked-about forms of computer crime usually deal with viruses and hacking into information systems to steal information or cause service interruptions or problems. Strangely enough, many forms of computer crime leave the criminal with only notoriety. That is not to say that computer crime does not frequently benefit the criminal (many steal money, services, software, information, etc.). However, many criminal attacks are nuisance ones where service is interrupted, viruses are transmitted, and Web site content is replaced with erroneous or embarrassing material. In many of these cases, the perpetrators are simply looking for a challenge. And unfortunately, no system is 100% secure. Even if it is well-protected from the outside world, insiders within the organization can quickly and easily wreak havoc if they so desire. All of the following fall into the category of computer crime or cyber crime:

      

    i.            Stealing someone's password by watching them type it in.

     ii.            Looking at someone's private files.

   iii.            Stealing computer media and hardware (disks, hard drives, etc.).

   iv.            Intercepting data.

    v.            Stealing information, money, or services.

   vi.            Impersonating someone else on a computer system.

 vii.            Creating or disseminating a computer virus.

viii.            Denying service by saturating a network.

   ix.            Hacking a Web site and replacing it with other material.

In the days of the old west, criminals would hide their faces, draw their guns and rob the local bank or stage-coach. These villains such as Bonnie and Clyde and Billy the Kid became famous for conducting robberies such as these. Over time the ways that money related crimes have evolved from strong-armed robberies to scams involving schemes for money. One of the few similarities is that the criminals have the money and the victims do not.While the basis for money related crimes have been pretty constant, the way that crimes are becoming more technologically creative. We have gone from in-person robberies to nameless and faceless crimes involving computers. By using computers and modern technology, people can scam people, steam identities, attempt email cons and a variety of other methods. However, these are not the only problems associated with computers.

Computer related crimes cover a wide array of issues for computer users. Crimes such as spamming, passing on computer viruses, harassment, cyber-stalking and others have become common in our modern world. While some of these issues do not carry potential monetary loss, they are just as harmful in the possibility of losing files, information and access to your computer.

Now a days it is important to all that , be careful when we are with in Internet.It is certainly not easy, but there are methods to cut down on computer crime. Entire departments within organizations specialize in this area, but it is still very important to know the basics for your own personal security.

• The first rule of thumb is to stay well-informed. Go to the hardware and software manufacturers' Web sites and read their security updates. They may very well have an update for a system you are using that fixes a security hole.
• Update your virus protection software often - at least once a week.
• Make sure you are using the encryption available to you. Many email clients have built-in encryption, but it has to be turned on to take advantage of it.
• Don't open suspicious email attachments. Always look at the three-letter file extension (for example, .doc is a Microsoft Word document and probably not a virus, however .exe or .vbs are programs or scripts that could potentially be viruses that will run when you open them).
• Change your passwords frequently and never give them out to anyone! Use passwords that are at least 6 characters and do not contain words in the dictionary. Also, don't choose something that would be obvious to someone who knows you (e.g. your dog's name). Use a combination of numbers, special characters, lower case letters, and upper case letters. For example, the password "J6b&Awm8" is much better than the password "spot".
• Don't give out any personal information that you wouldn't want the rest of the world to know.
• Ask your Internet service provider what measures are being taken to secure your personal Web space.
• Don't leave your computer unattended after logging in. (And, always log out when you are finished!)
• Back up your files very regularly (preferably to an off-site location).

The Internet’s not a place without crime, but it’s also not a place where you’re helpless. As this article points out, there’s lots you can do to protect yourself and your family on the Internet.