CYBERCRIME AND CYBER SECURITY IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Abstract

In the digital era, Internet is the fastest way of communication that is shaping how we live and connect others globally. It became a platform for social interaction and information access throughout the globe. The implementation of Internet has transformed various aspect of society such as education, healthcare, business, entertainment and legal research benefiting to larger extent. The introduction of the most advanced tools and techniques significantly improved the process of procuring, obtaining, processing and analyzing data. The access to information resources became easy, making it an integral part for all institutions and processes. The technological innovation has transformed how people interact with others, conduct business and access information. However, the technological transformation has given rise to a new form of crime called cyber crime. The cyber crimes are illegal and criminal activities carried out using the internet, computers, networks, or digital devices. These crimes are targeting individuals, businesses, governments, and international organizations. The cybercrime has increased exponentially over the past few decades from financial fraud and identity theft to ransom ware attacks and hacking. The various forms of cybercrime are emerging such as cyber stalking, cyber bullying, online harassment (online abuse), electronic stalking, and online stalking are rising day by day. To avoid and reduce the cyber crime, there is a need of legal framework and support for information resources. It can be achieved by data protection laws and cyber security. It can help to combat various cyber attack and threats, safeguarding the individual, organizations and law enforcement agencies from harm. Cyber security’s main function is to protect the devices we all use in day to day life (smart phones, laptops, tablets and computers), and the services we access, both online and at work, from theft or damage. This article discusses the need of cyber security against the cyber crime going further describing the various forms of cyber crime in the digital era.

Key words: Cyber security, cyber crime, cyber attack, technology

Introduction

In all sphere of human life, Cyber space and cyber sphere is the most used platform these days. Its involved in business, entertainment, banking, education, logistics, research. The evolution of internet has transformed an inefficient world into sufficient and more convenient. But Internet has also introduces the issues of computer crime (cyber crime) i.e., a new form of advanced crime that is impacting the information and communication systems. Information technology can have both positive and negative impact on the life of individuals. The positive side of information and communication technology system is as a communication medium, data sharing mechanism, facilitating transactions and commercial operations. While the negative side, includes all types of criminal activities on the internet that can be risk to its security, particularly in transfer and sharing of data on the network. The data flowing over a network can be stolen, altered and vulnerable. Most of the cyber criminals are using the stolen and abused data for personal advantage, illegal acts such as pornographic media, fraud, gambling, theft of money and information media of cruelty. (Nguyen The Sang1, 2022)

Cybercrime in the Digital Era

Cybercrime is the term used repeatedly by most of them. But cybercrime is not defined clearly and precisely. It is called electronic crime, computer crime, computer-related crime, hi-tech crime, and technology-enabled crime. Cybercrime is defined as the use of a computer system in the commission of a crime or as a tool in the commission of an offence. (Nguyen The Sang1, 2022). A cybercriminal are using tools to gain access to a customer’s private information, personal service information, and government-related data for their personal and business purpose. Although cyber crime and traditional crimes are not similar, there are variations between cyber and physical crime. Cyber crime is illegal unethical and irresponsible behavior within an information processing or transmission system. The limit of cyber crime cannot be defined clearly as it may stretch beyond city, states and nations. In the digital Era, Cyber crimes are more technical in nature like bots, Trojans or phishing scams. These also include sexual harassment, black mailing, planning terrorist activities online and are facilitated by different chat software. (Gordon, 2006).

Most of the cyber crimes are either cyber dependent crime or cyber enabled crime. Cyber dependent crimes are hacking, denial of service attacks or insertion of malicious and mischievous software, where as cyber dependent are mostly social networking fraud, identity theft, and the theft of electronic information for commercial gain to drug trafficking, harassment, stalking. As these things are illegal but it can be easily done by the computer. Cyber are impacting individuals, property and Government/organization. Individual information is hacked and being spread over the internet such as distributing pornographic material, selling people, and stalking people online. It also includes getting people’s bank or credit card information, using their money, making online purchases, or using phishing schemes to get people to give out personal information, breaking in to government databases and hacking official websites. The emerging cyber crime are frauds involving Disaster, Botnets, Ransom ware ,Spamming, Hacking(Unauthorized access), Malware,  Distributed Denial Of Service (DDOS), Social engineering and phishing, Online Identity theft, Cyber-stalking, Cyber bulling, Copyright violation, File distribution via peer-to-peer networks, Email scams, Online gambling, Child exploitation and maltreatment, Frauds committed with credit cards, Data breaches and cyber attacks, Publication of Derogatory Materials, Laundering and Taxation trough E-money, Cyber Harassment, Cyber Terrorism, Industrial espionage. (Katos, (2008)).

Impacts of Cybercrimes

As per the cyber security ventures report, global cybercrime costs to grow by 15 percent per year over the next five years, reaching $10.5 trillion USD annually by 2025 (C-Suite). It is ten times greater than the annual damage caused by natural disasters, and will be more profitable than the global trade of all major illegal narcotics combined together around the globe. This is going to be the largest transfer of economic wealth in human history ever before. It include the damage and destruction of data, stolen money, lost productivity, theft of intellectual property, theft of personal and financial data, embezzlement, fraud, post-attack disruption to the normal course of business, forensic investigation, restoration and deletion of hacked data and systems, and reputational harm (C-Suite).

Cybercrime is increasing because we rely more on internet for daily and business activities; it becomes easy for cyber criminals to theft the data. Another reason is due to adoption of new technologies by cybercriminals such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), synthetically generated images like deep fakes. Most of the countries around the globe have implemented cyber laws, but the cybercriminals are escaping arrest and jail time.  The bottom line is that cybercrime is safe and profitable, occurs in an environment that is constantly expanding, and thrives in vulnerable systems (Sviatun, 2021). Cybercrimes has much impact on government sector, healthcare, financial sector. The cost spend on the cybercrime can be determined , as it may be opportunity costs, time and money spent on cyber security, decision-making, the effect of downtime, loss of productivity, and damage to brand and image.

International Regulation combating Cybercrime

Some of the significant regulations are The Council of Europe’s 2001 Convention on Cybercrime, United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (2003), Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime Concerning the Criminalization of Acts of a Racist or Xenophobic Nature Committed through Computer Systems, Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

Cyber security

Cyber Security encompasses the measures and practices designed to protect computer systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, malicious attacks, and other digital threats. It involves the implementation of technologies, processes, and policies to safeguard information assets and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data. (Rayhan, 2024). It is a multidisciplinary field covering various areas such as computer science, information technology, cryptography, risk management, and law. It surrounds a broad range of activities, including risk assessment, vulnerability management, incident response, and security awareness training.The conceptual framework of cyber security depends on the three pillars – Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

Importance of Cyber security in combating cyber crime

The evolving technology, digitization of information and the reliance on networked systems for communication, commerce, and critical infrastructure have made us more vulnerable to cyber threats than ever before. The cyber attacks can be severe, ranging from financial losses and reputational damage to disruptions of essential services and even threats to national security. Most of the the organizations have became reliant on digital data and systems to conduct their operations. The increasing proliferation of connected devices and the rapid pace of technological innovation have expanded the attack surface, creating new challenges for cyber security professionals. It can be addressed through comprehensive and proactive approach that integrates technical solutions, policy frameworks, and collaborative partnerships across various sectors and stakeholders.

To combat the cyber crime, there should be global agreement and corporation between the countries, a proper plan for prevention and responding to information technology security, cyber security and updating the cybercrime laws on regular bases. From the above, the most important way to prevent cybercrime is cyber security. It can help in assessing cyber risk such as Asset-Based Risk Assessment, Threat-Based Risk Assessment, Vulnerability-Based Risk Assessment, Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing, Threat Intelligence and Risk Management Frameworks. It can also help in strengthening Cyber Defenses through Encryption and Data Protection Measures, Network Security, Endpoint Security (including desktops, laptops, mobile devices, and servers with Antivirus and Anti-Malware Protection).

Conclusion

In the rapid progressing digital world, the internet is helping all spheres of our live and day to day activities. Most of the technological innovations are helping the cyber criminal to theft the data and use for personal purpose; indirectly it’s affecting the individual and organization. To combat cyber crime, cyber security measures and law should be implemented to protect the data and personal information of individual and organization. Hence, Cyber crime can be reduce through cyber security in the digital era.

Bibliography

C-Suite, C. I. (n.d.). Cybercrime To Cost The World $10.5 Trillion Annually By 2025. Retrieved from cyber crime mazagine: https://cybersecurityventures.com/cybercrime-damage-costs-10-trillion-by-2025/

Gordon, S. &. (2006). On the definition and classification of cybercrime. Journal in computer virology , 13-20.

Katos, V. &. ((2008)). A cyber-crime investigation framework. . Computer Standards & Interfaces, 30(4) , 223-228.

Nguyen The Sang1, B. B. (2022). Cybercrime in the Digital Age: Challenges and Implication for Prevention. International Journal of Social Science And Human Research , 5082-5086.

Rayhan, A. (2024). Cybersecurity in the Digital Age: Assessing Threats and Strengthening Defenses. Cybersecurity Awareness. Cybcersecurity in the digital age.

Sviatun, O. G. (2021). combating cybercrime: economic and legal aspects. WSEAS Transactions on Business and Economics, 18, , 751-762.