Cyber Crime – Definition, Nature & Characteristics

A teenager in Delhi hacks NASA website. A woman in Mumbai loses ₹5 lakh to online fraud. A company's database with 1 crore users is leaked. All cyber crimes - but what exactly are they?

Definition

Cyber Crime = Any criminal activity that involves a computer, network, or digital device - either as a tool or as a target.

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Comparison with Traditional Crime

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Nature of Cyber Crime

1. Borderless & Global

• Attacker in Nigeria, victim in India, server in USA
• Example: WannaCry ransomware (2017) affected 150 countries in 24 hours!

2. Anonymous

• Criminals hide behind VPNs, Tor, fake identities
• Challenge: Hard to trace real identity

3. Fast-Paced

• Crime happens in seconds
• Spreads virally (one malicious email → 10,000 infections)

4. Low Cost, High Reward

• Traditional bank robbery: Risk life, get ₹10 lakh
• Digital bank fraud: Sitting at home, steal ₹10 crore from 1,000 accounts

5. Automated

• Bots can hack thousands of websites simultaneously
• Example: Botnets with 100,000+ infected devices

Characteristics of Cyber Crime

A. Technology-Dependent

Requires computers, internet, software knowledge

B. Evidence is Digital

• Fragile: Can be deleted easily
• Volatile: RAM data disappears when powered off
• Requires Forensics: Specialized tools needed

C. Mass Scale Impact

Domino's India Data Breach (2021):

• 18 crore orders leaked
• Names, phone numbers, addresses exposed
• Millions affected in single breach

D. Often Unreported

Why victims don't report:

• Shame (e.g., sextortion victims)
• Unawareness (don't know it's illegal)
• Low conviction rates (25% in India)
• Companies fear reputation damage

E. Transnational

• 80% of cyber crimes in India have international links
• Requires cooperation between countries

Types Based on Target

1. Crime Against Individuals

• Identity theft, cyber stalking, phishing
• Revenge porn, sextortion

2. Crime Against Property

• Hacking bank accounts
• Ransomware attacks
• Intellectual property theft

3. Crime Against Society

• Fake news, hate speech
• Cyber terrorism
• Child pornography

Real Case Study

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Summary

• Cyber crime = Criminal activity using computers/networks
• Statistics: 17L cases/year, ₹1,750 cr losses, 1 crime every 5 minutes
• Nature: Borderless, anonymous, fast-paced, low-cost for criminals
• Characteristics: Technology-dependent, digital evidence, mass impact, often unreported
• Types: Against individuals, property, or society
• Key difference: Traditional crime requires physical presence, cyber crime is remote

Quiz Time! 🎯

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Next Chapter: Classification of Cyber Crimes! 🗂️