Cyber Crime Analysis. to analyse the Internet communication as well as dangers associated with it in the current society

Cyber Crime Analysis

Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139442” Introduction PAGEREF _Toc377139442 h 1

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139443” Evolution of Communication PAGEREF _Toc377139443 h 1

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139444” Telecommunication Growth PAGEREF _Toc377139444 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139445” Communication Challenges PAGEREF _Toc377139445 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139446” Hackers and Cyber Attackers PAGEREF _Toc377139446 h 3

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139447” Security loopholes PAGEREF _Toc377139447 h 4

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139448” Cyberbullying PAGEREF _Toc377139448 h 4

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139449” Software Copyright Infringement PAGEREF _Toc377139449 h 5

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139450” Malicious Attacks PAGEREF _Toc377139450 h 6

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139451” Cybercrime complexity PAGEREF _Toc377139451 h 6

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139452” Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc377139452 h 7

HYPERLINK l “_Toc377139453” Bibliography PAGEREF _Toc377139453 h 8

IntroductionMany individuals currently regard the Internet as the greatest breakthrough in telecommunication field. The Internet is viewed as an important invention that has shaped communication as well as interconnected the whole world. It has changed the way things are handled and improved efficiency at the same time saving the ever-increasing costs. The benefits reaped from the Internet usage are innumerable given that it has revolutionized service delivery, production process, and opened up many opportunities globally. However, the Internet usage has its negatives too that greatly affect the lives of many individuals and organisations. The cost of dealing with negative impacts of technology is increasing as the level of technology rises. Moreover, cyberethics has been compromised extensively because of the increased cyber attackers resulting in increased cybercrimes globally. Statistics shows that issues related to software piracy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), database privacy, intellectual property copyrights, virtual communities, robotics, and cyber stalking are some of the trending topics in the technology world. This paper seeks to analyse the Internet communication as well as dangers associated with it in the current society.

Evolution of CommunicationCommunication is a key element of the current life trends that involve many individuals, governments, and organisations worldwide either on handling official matters or on dealing with informal issues. The online platform has been identified as the most effective, efficient, and fast to conduct communications. This has resulted in inventing communication tools such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google and others. These platforms assemble the online community to a particular meeting point like Facebook to ease the communication process. Likewise, applications that help in fast communication that is affordable have emerged such as Skype, Google video calls, and Whatsapp. The combination of these inventions has boosted the need to communicate and connect to the outside world at the comfort of our daily living.

Telecommunication GrowthTelecommunication industry has significantly grown to height never thought of and raised the standards of living. Furthermore, communication and interaction sowed to new height with the advent of emails, online phone calls in additional to the World Wide Web used for hosting online shopping sites, blogs, websites, discussion forums, music and video sites. On the other hand, this extended communication and interaction of the large online community introduced loopholes for hackers, attackers, and increased cybercrimes significantly. The criminals can mine other individual’s data and use it for personal gains such as fraud, selling it for marketing purposes, cyber stalking, cyberbullying, and hacking purposes. Therefore, there is dire need for the Internet users to be careful in online platforms when dealing with sensitive information. It calls for stricter measures to be devised by developers and increased caution while communication on the Internet.

Communication Challenges

Privacy

Privacy is of utmost need when handling life issues in all areas of operations. In technology world, data privacy is the key factor when dealing with security and user safety issues. Most individuals are concerned with privacy issues and enforce standard measures and policies that guarantee communication is done in safe and secure environment. Hackers and cyber attackers deny users the freedom of communication and engage in cunning strategies to obtain the data conveyed illegally or mine information without users consent. Some organisations with huge online transactions are approached by these evil-minded individuals for the sale of their users’ data without the knowledge of the users. Some compromise individual privacy and earn huge amount of money on data transactions leaving the users to bear the burden of attacks.

Hackers and Cyber AttackersThe hackers and cyber attackers have designed data mining tools that monitor users’ browsing trend as well as provide enticing links that lead to users inputting their data without realizing they are attack strategies. This has led many individuals to problems and some lost huge amount of money in the process. Likewise, hackers have data packets that they use to track online users movements to gain access to their data. They also have tools that are used to access individual, organisation, and governmental databases to retrieve sensitive data. Therefore, security professionals need to be involved in dealing with these crimes because their effects range from individuals losses to governmental institutions collapsing. Neglecting the enforcement of the current security measures and policies poses great challenges to the dealing with cyber warfare.

Security loopholes

Most online transaction websites and financial institutions have tightened their security measures as well as invested in acquiring the best available solutions in the market to ensure safe and secure communication with their clients. Developers have researched on many loopholes that the attackers use to engage in privacy infringement. They have worked to eliminate the loopholes as well as share some of the best approaches through online forums to acquire streamlined communication platforms that guarantee security and uphold privacy standards. The owners of online platforms like Google, Facebook, Yahoo, and MySpace have engaged themselves in campaigns against cybercrimes by raising awareness to their users on how to embrace secure policies and practice safe browsing. This reduces the cyber-attacks and nurtures communication for improved satisfaction.

Cyberbullying

Miller claims that it is worth noting that retrieval of available individual information online helps attackers to engage in cyberbullying, a trend that is on the rise currently. Cyberbullying is the deliberate usage of information to intimidate, manipulate, discriminate, control, humiliate or falsely discredit the owner in a disguised manner by another individual. It is mostly done to a known individual by either a known or an unknown person. When done to adults it is referred as cyber stalking for the purposes of threatening victim’s reputation, earnings, employment, in additional to their safety. The effects associated with cyberbullying cyber stalking are more adverse than many people may assume because it tortures physically, psychologically, and at times economically. It is among the cybercrimes that need to be addressed and eliminated. However, most victims suffer lonely and hardly disclose it to anybody because of fear and lack of information.

Software Copyright InfringementOn another note, the increased need to communicate has led to increased computer usage all over the world. This has led to increased demand for software in the technology market. Contrastingly, this has attracted illegal software vendors in the market who offer them at cheaper prices compared with the legal dealers. This has increased the software piracy as well as infringement of copyrights to many developers. Furthermore, it has resulted in sale of counterfeit products that are below recommended standards, introducing an avenue for attackers. This cybercrime has resulted in developers running at losses because they have little market control. Due to insufficiency of information to users, they have been conned and exploited by the conmen and exposed their systems to attacks and threats. The substandard soft wares in the market pose great challenges to the fight against cybercrimes in additional to collapsing the software development industry. Moreover, some system owners do not install antivirus, Internet security, and other security measures to safeguard their devices and this is a major contributor to increased cybercrimes. Security apparatus helps filter spams, unwanted access, unauthorized loggings, and emergence of new spyware or virus to the system. For effective and productive handling of cybercrimes, computer users have to embrace some of the fundamental security policies and practices.

Malicious AttacksFurthermore, technology growth has remarkably helped malicious developers to inventing viruses, malware, spyware, and denial of service attacks. Viruses are manipulative codes that when introduced into computer systems interfere with files consistence by corrupting, deleting, and manipulating file formats. They lead to loss of important data to individuals and organisations. Moreover, viruses are destructive and bypass privacy settings and policies to access restricted information. Some attackers introduce viruses to systems of online users that help them gain control of the information stored in the systems. Some viruses record user’s keystrokes when entering passwords and critical data and send it to the attackers. Likewise, some complex and robust spyware take screen shots and send them to the attackers so that the attackers can monitor the user’s activities that help them to intensify attack strategies. Some spyware with spear phishing attacks can steal sensitive information documents and decrypt the available data for the benefits of the attackers.

Cybercrime complexityThe complexity of the cybercrimes results in many cases happening without being reported to authorities. Statistics shows that approximately 85% of cybercrimes are not reported and it poses a great challenge to the fight against cybercrimes as well as intensifying future attacks. Moreover, given that most attackers disguise themselves anonymously when undertaking attacks; it is hard to identify the real attacker. In the past, this has helped many attackers escape unpunished and aided serious attacks especially to government databases. There also lacks sufficient technical knowledge and skills in handling cybercrimes in the security and legal departments making cyber warfare complicated undertaking However, currently technology is helping identify locations as well as system addresses that have been involved in committing the cybercrimes. This helps in arresting and identifying the attackers and contributes significantly to reducing the crimes trends.

ConclusionIt can be concluded that communication is vital in the current world and dealing with its threats is the only solution to secure safe environment. Business transactions have embraced the digital strategies to evolve their communication processes. Likewise, individuals are switching to online platforms for enhanced communication that is efficient and cost effective. On the other hand, some strategies need to be enforced to curb cybercrimes and reduce attack rates. Strict measures and standards need to be devised for online social platform owners and email service providers to ensure that data security is guaranteed. Likewise, those caught having compromised user privacy right are to be prosecuted and their operations halted because of engaging in unethical business practices.

Reduction of the number of those accessing and handling the data in the institutions holding sensitive data like hospitals, social amenity services, and financial institutions is another viable solution. This raises responsibility for individual data in addition to reducing loopholes exposing the data to attackers. Furthermore, attackers and hackers arrested committing cybercrimes are to be prosecuted and jailed to discourage upcoming hackers and attackers. Software developers need to have strategies that ensure that software are registered online for authentication process to avoid counterfeits. Moreover, individuals need to be informed about the importance of installing computer security measures like antivirus because it helps curb cybercrimes to a remarkable extent. Finally, the legal and security departments need to have special sub department that is well trained and informed about dealing with cybercrimes. If all these steps are practised, the fight against cybercrimes will be intensified leading to reduced cases of attacks and losses.

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