Essay on Cybercrime for Students & Children in 1000 Words

In this article you will read an Essay on Cybercrime in English 1000 words for students and children. It includes its meaning, types, causes and prevention tips.

Essay on Cybercrime for Students & Children in 1000 Words

The malicious activity of Cybercrime was first reported in 1970 when new computerized phones were being targeted. Tech-savvy people found ways to play long-distance calls through a series of codes. 

hey were the first to exploit the system by modifying both software and hardware to steal long-distance phone time.

It was the instance that made people understand that computer systems are more vulnerable to criminal activity, and the more complex the system became, it became more susceptible to Cybercrime.

What is Cybercrime? 

Cybercrime is a crime that is conducted involving computers and networks. The computer might be the tool used to commit the crime or the intended target on which the crime has been committed. 

Cybercrime may be a crime to intentionally harm the reputation of an individual in the digital world, which might cause virtual, physical, and mental harm to the individual. 

It also threatens a person’s and nation’s security and financial health. Issues like hacking, copyright infringement, unwarranted mass surveillance are the significant and high prolific crimes that are committed. 

Computers can be used as both tools and targets depending on the type of hacker utilizing the equipment. These crimes involve less technical expertise and typically exploit human weakness.  

Just like individuals walking around leaves marks, a skilled tracker can follow. Cyber criminals leave identities and locations even though they provide the best efforts to track their tracks. 

To develop the clues, international treaties are ratified between the countries so that they can follow the concern of hackers committing crimes and frauds.   

Types of Cybercrime 

1. Identity Theft

In this sort of Cybercrime, criminals access the profile of the user and use their personal information to steal funds or commit fraud based on the user. 

The criminal can also generate your digital account and utilize the same to commit fraud and even claim benefits from the various government schemes in your name. 

The criminal uses the password obtained from hacking the victim’s personal information from social media or by sending phishing emails. 

2. Cyberstalking

This Cybercrime involves online harassment where the victim is subjected to a plethora of online messages and emails. 

Typically, the stalker uses social media, websites, and search engines to intimate the victim and instils fear. The stalker knows the victim and makes the person feel afraid and concerned for their safety.  

3. Cyberextortion

This kind of crime also occurs when the website, email server is threatened with repeated denial of service or attacks by hackers. The hackers demand money in return for a promise to stop attacking and provide protection.  

By the latest reports, Cybercrime extortion is increasingly attacking the corporate website and their networks, crippling their capability to operate and demanding payments to restore their service. 

At least 20-30 cases are reported each month regarding extortion and are not even reported to Cybercrime cells. 

4. Cyberwarfare

The department of the US Army has noted the increase of cyber warfare in recent times due to constant change in the geostrategic significance. 

It is one of the fronts that the defence body of every country is focused on to thwart hackers from attacking the computer networks of their country.  

Further, all the essential utilities of a country, including the defence systems, are monitored controlled through computers and networks with little human intervention. 

The criminals are continually finding ways to penetrate the network systems so that they can extort money from the government of the countries. The Defence bodies of the states are always trying to be ten steps ahead of the criminal hackers to defend their homelands.  

5. Financial Frauds and Crime

Computer frauds are where there is a misrepresentation of facts intended to cause harm to an individual or an organization. The evasion will result in altering the data in unauthorized ways like entering the false data or by entering illegal instruction or processes. 

Modifying or deleting the stored data. Other frauds may include bank fraud or theft of classified information. These types of crimes lead to the loss of confidential information or financial information.  

Through the automated teller machine (ATM), many people get cash nowadays by using cards and typing personal identification numbers (PINs). 

Criminals have developed ways to intercept both data in the magnetic stripe on the cards and the PIN to create fake cards and withdraw cash from the ATM.  

6. Drug trafficking through darknets

Drug traffickers are always finding ways to sell their products & find new customers for their products. 

In this modern age of time, Darknet is one of the places in the digital world where criminals are selling their products to the customers without even coming into physical contact with them. 

7. Social Engineering

It is the kind of crime in which the criminals make direct contact with the victim, usually through phone or email. 

They try to gain the confidence of the victim by posing as customer service agents so that the victim gives away the required information willingly. Usually, the data is like a password; the company, the victim, works for or has bank information.  

Cybercriminals will try to find out as much information through social networking and try to add you as your friend on social accounts. Once they gain entry to your accounts, they can sell your information or secure the report in your name. 

8. PUPs 

Potentially Unwanted Programs known as PUPs are less threatening than other cyber-crimes but are a type of malware. The purpose of these programs is to uninstall necessary software from your system, including search engines and pre-downloaded apps. 

They can include spyware or adware; it is, therefore, an excellent idea to install antivirus software to avoid malicious downloads. 

9. Phishing 

Phishing is the type of attack that involves hackers sending a malicious attachment along with email or the URLs to the users to gain access to their computers and accounts. 

Cybercriminals are becoming more established; these mails are also not flagged as spam. Sometimes the users are tricked into emails claiming they must change the password or update their billing information, giving the hacker access. 

10. Illegal Contents: 

Cybercrime also involves hackers sharing inappropriate content that can be considered highly offensive and distressing. Offensive content can include criminal activities, intense violence, and sexual activity between two adults. 

Illegal contents also include the radicalizing of the youths and leading them to commit terror-related activities. These types of materials are available on both the everyday internet and anonymous dark web. 

Crime and Cybercrime have increasingly become significant problems for society. Both in the public webspace and dark web space, cybercriminals are highly skilled and are not easy to find. 

Cybercrime has generated a foremost threat to those who use the internet with loads of information stolen by hackers and causing a dent in the economy. 

Causes of Cybercrime

As I have mentioned above Cybercrime is of several types so using the internet without knowing the proper security information is not good.

Below we have given a few major causes of Cybercrime:

1. Lack of knowledge

Today internet is one of the most important places to get information about everything. You will get every information on any topic when you search on internet.  

But using it without knowledge is dangerous which is one of the major causes of Cybercrime.  Most of the peoples only get hacked only because of lack of knowledge. 

So, before entering to the cyber world you must have the knowledge of above given types of Cybercrimes.

2. Using internet without limitations

Using internet is very easy but using without any limitation is one of the major causes of Cybercrimes. You must have some limits to share your data on internet.

If you use social media you must set up your privacy settings properly. Sharing All of your personal data on internet without any limitation cause data hacks and Cybercrimes.

Not only this Childrens are more susceptible to cybercrime now a days because they are now sticking with their mobile phones and laptops most of the time. this issue started after the rise of online education all over the world.

Few parents are aware of this type of issue and they always limit their kid’s device usage. 

Sharing your card and bank details on internet for any type of fake offer another cause of Cybercrime. In short words you must have to create few limitations during using your device network on internet.

3. Using Cracked software

Most people use cracked software and applications in their devices. It is another major cause of Cybercrime.

Hacker’s crack software’s and put malware inside it. So, when users install it in their PC and mobile the hacker gets into their device and easily steals their passwords, Wi-Fi details, and important data.

4. Storing of data in small space 

Still in this digital world people are keeping their important documents and data in small space of their PC and mobile phone. This is causing the ultimate cybercrime.

Always try to keep your private and important data in secure cloud folder or cloud data base with 2FA and OTP verification enabled.

How to prevent cybercrime?

In this modern-day age of technology, hackers are taking over our systems, and no one is safe. The crime is also not easily detectable, but there are ways to protect yourself from these crimes like educating yourself and your colleagues and taking preventive measures.  

There are few simple steps to protect yourself from Cybercrime. Let’s go through those points:

1. Use a premium security service in your device

Must use a premium security app in your electronic device which will secure your files and scan your network. Also, most of the security software’s secure your data from ransomware attacks.

2. Use password protection apps and plugins

If someone hacks your Google password, he will easily get all the credential saved on Chrome browser. So nowadays it is better to install an extra Password Manager with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). 

Most of the password managers are available for both PC and Smartphones. So, it will be easy for you to synchronize your passwords on both of your devices. Most of the cybercrime today is happening only because of password hack.

3. Keep your device and OS software updates

Updating your device regularly is the most important thing in device security, it avoids new Malware and cybercrime. So always update as soon as possible when you get a new security patch notification on your device.

4. Properly set up your social media privacy settings

Now a days most of the people use social media but using it properly is most important. Most of the hackers stole personal information from social media accounts.

Correctly editing your privacy settings in social media keeps your profile secure and visible to your near and dear ones only. Opening it to everyone may lead to account hacking or stealing of important personal details.

5. Use a strong password in your network devices

Using an automatic password generation tool or extension in your device provides you with a better strong password. Not only this, try to change your wireless network passwords every month if possible.

6. Always use child mode when kids are using devices

Children in everyone’s house use their parent’s laptop and smartphone but nobody keeps limitations during their usage. Kids are not aware of any type of Cybercrime so they may make mistakes which may cause personal and important data hacks.

Most of the Smartphones and computers are now coming with a child mode option. Always ON that option when your child is using your phone.

7. Use a reliable VPN to secure your identity

If you are worried about your personal data hack using a VPN in your device solves this problem. When the VPN is active nobody will track you and know your location.

Accessing your accounts became hard to hack by hackers. Using a VPN stops most of the cybercrime happening nowadays.

8. Stay updated about the latest security breaches

Every OS and device company provides regular updates to their users. The main reason for it is the latest security patches keep the devices secure from new vulnerabilities. So, always update your device software as soon as you get. 

9. Keep knowledge of what to do when you’re hacked?

Hackers are very clever so maybe after doing all the above precautions you may get hacked. After gone hand everybody gets worried about their important files and data.

Every country has different departments and laws for dealing with cybercrimes. You must know what to do when you are hacked. In India there is a National Cybercrime Reporting Portal where you can report your issue.

Summary

Cybercrime is one of the major security concerns for all of us. We need to use our online work using with secure connection and database.

Also, you should aware of different types of cyber hacks happening now a days. You can also go through various Cybercrime prevention steps to avoid any cyberattack.

Following all the step keeps you away from cyber hack and secure you from fraud. I hope this Essay on Cybercrime helped you to understand all about it in short.

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