Cybercrime refers to criminal activity that either targets or uses a computer, a computer network, or a networked device. Cybercriminals or hackers who want to make money are the most common perpetrators of cybercrime, but occasionally, cybercrime aims to damage computers or networks for reasons other than profit. Cybercrime can be carried out by individuals or organizations, and some cybercriminals are highly technically skilled, while others are novice hackers.
There are several types of cybercrime, including:
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Crimes that target networks or devices: Cybercriminals that target computers may infect them with malware to damage devices or stop them from working. They may also use malware to delete or steal data. Or cybercriminals may stop users from using a website or network or prevent a business from providing a software service to its customers, which is called a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack.
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Crimes using devices to participate in criminal activities: This type of cybercrime includes the usage of computers to do all the classifications of computer crimes. Examples include the distribution of pornography, human trafficking, and online stalking.
Cybercrimes can generally be divided into four categories:
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Individual Cyber Crimes: This type targets individuals and includes phishing, spoofing, spam, cyberstalking, and more.
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Organisation Cyber Crimes: The main target here is organizations. Usually, this type of crime is done by teams of criminals, including malware attacks and denial of service attacks.
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Property Cybercrimes: This type targets property like credit cards or even intellectual property rights.
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Society Cybercrimes: This is the most dangerous form of cybercrime as it includes cyber-terrorism.
Some common examples of cybercrimes include:
- Phishing and Scam
- Identity Theft
- Ransomware Attack
- Hacking/Misusing Computer Networks
- Internet Fraud
- Viruses
- Malware
- Cyberstalking
- DoS Attacks
- Email Scams
It is important to take measures to protect oneself from cybercrime, such as using strong passwords, keeping software up to date, and being cautious when opening emails or clicking on links from unknown sources.
