Information Technology & Cyber Laws Notes / Kerala PSC Helper / Cyber Space / Cyber crimes

CYBER LAW OF INDIA

Cyber Law is the law governing cyber space. Cyber space is a very wide term and includes computers, networks, software, data storage devices (such as hard disks, USB disks etc..) the Internet, websites, emails and even electronic devices such as cell phones, ATM machines etc...

Cyber law encompasses laws relating to :

• Cyber crimes
• Electronic and Digital Signatures
• Intellectual Property
• Data Protection and Privacy

Cyber Crimes

Cyber crimes are unlawful acts where the computer is used either as a tool or a target or both. The enormous growth in electronic commerce (e-commerce) and online share trading has led to a phenomenal spurt in incidents of cyber crime.

Cyber crimes can involve criminal activities that are traditional in nature, such as theft, fraud, forgery, defamation and mischief, all of which are subject to the Indian Penal code.

The Computer as a Target : using a computer to attack other computers. 

Ex: Hacking, Virus/Worm attacks, DOS attack etc....

The computer as a weapon : using a computer to commit real world crimes. 

Ex: Cyber Terrorism, IPR violations, Credit card frauds, EFT frauds, Pornography etc....

UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS & HACKING

Access means gaining entry into, instructing or communicating with the logical, arithmetical, or memory function resources of a computer, computer system or computer network.

Unauthorized access would therefore mean any kind of access without the permission of either the rightful owner or the person in charge of a computer, computer system or computer network.

Hackers write or use ready-made computer programs to attack the target computer. They possess the desire to destruct and they get the kick out of such destruction. Some hackers hack for personal monetary gains, such as to stealing the credit card information, transferring money from various bank accounts to their own account followed by withdrawal of money. 

TROJAN ATTACK

The program that act like something useful but do the things that are quiet damping. The programs of this kind are called as Trojans. The name Trojan Horse is popular.

VIRUS AND WORM ATTACK

A program that has capability to infect other programs and make copies of itself and spread into other programs is called virus.

Programs that multiply like viruses but spread from computer to computer are called as worms.

E-MAIL & IRC RELATED CRIMES

Email spoofing : refers to email that appears to have been originated from one source when it was actually sent from another source.

Email "spamming" : refers to sending email to thousands and thousands of users - similar to a chain letter.

Sending malicious codes through email : E-mails are used to send viruses, Trojans etc.. through emails as an attachment or by sending a link of website which on visiting downloads malicious code. 

E-mail "bombing" :  is characterized by abusers repeatedly sending an identical email message to a particular address.

Sending threatening emails

Defamatory emails

Email frauds

IRC related

DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACKS

Flooding a computer resource with more requests than it can handle. This causes the resource to crash thereby denying access of service to authorized users.