Types of cyber security
As Internet usage continues to rise throughout the
world, the threat of cyber crime also grows. While some of these
crimes are relatively harmless and commonplace, others are very
serious and carry with them felony charges. Here are a few of the
more common forms of cyber crime.
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.
Identity Theft Identity theft can
happen online when another person takes a person's Social Security
number and/ or other personal information and uses it to pretend to
be somebody else. Some ways that these individuals try to steal
personal information are sending out "phishing" emails (emails that
look like they are from a person's bank, place of business or
legitimate organization), and ask for credit card information,
Social Security numbers, and other identifying information. Most
banks and credit card companies will never ask for such information
via email. Beware of these popular tactics.
Credit Card Fraud According to a
Gartner survey of 100 retailers, credit card fraud is the No. 1
problem in e-commerce. Ninety-three percent of purchases that are
made online use credit cards as a form of payment. Credit card fraud
happens when others use someone else's credit card to make purchases
online. Credit card numbers can be stolen with false online forms or
emails. Some red flags of a purchase made with a stolen credit card
include the shipping address being different from the billing
address, requesting leaving orders at the door, and ordering
expensive items or many items of the same product.
Cyber-Stalking Cyber-stalking is
when another individual harasses their victim by any means online
such as constant emails and messaging. After several attempts at
online pursuit, they will often attempt offline stalking as well.
Most stalkers know who their victims are in real life. Often these
involve ex-spouses, disgruntled co-workers or bosses, or perhaps
someone who they may have gone on a few dates with. If you feel you
have been a victim of cyber-stalking, contact your local police to
file a complaint.
Software Piracy With the growing
popularity of computer-sharing programs such as Bear-Share, torrents
and LimeWire, piracy is becoming a growing problem. People can
download or "share" programs instead of purchasing them or getting a
license for them. Any time a friend copies software, downloads
software from a sharing website or program, or a business doesn't
report the numbers of computers using software, it is a form of
software piracy. Being convicted of software piracy often involves
jail time and large fines.
Pornography The Internet has
introduced a growing number of pornography sites that sadly include
children. Pornography is a growing crime among Internet users.
According to Internet Filter Review, there are 4.2 million
pornographic websites. Thirty-four percent of computer users have
received unwanted pornographic material on the Internet. Eighty-nine
percent of youth in Internet chat rooms have received sexual
solicitations. The punishment for child pornography is different in
each state. Some states only require that offenders be jailed for
one year, while others can impose a 15-year term.
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