Due to the digitization of our world, the rise of cyber crimes has become more common. These attacks can cause severe damage and affect the operations of our systems. As people rely more on the internet for their daily activities, such as storing their credit card details, cyber crimes are becoming more prevalent.
Defining Cybercrime
Cybercrime is a type of criminal activity that involves the exploitation of technology-dependent enterprises and computer networks. There are various types of these crimes, which can be carried out through malicious code. These include stealing data from companies and individuals and demanding a ransom. The three broad categories of cybercrime are government, individual, and property.
Types of Cybercrime
There are various degrees of cybercrime, each with its own set of consequences. Continue reading to discover a few of these that you should be aware of.
Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks use a fake link to trick their victims into entering their personal information. These types of attacks are usually carried out by individuals who are looking to access the data of specific organizations. Unlike other types of cybercrime, these attacks are not carried out by random attackers. They are usually carried out by individuals who are trying to obtain valuable information with an end goal in mind.
Malware
Malware is a type of malicious program or code that is designed to attack or affect a computer system without the user’s permission.
Ransomware
A ransomware attack usually blocks access to a victim’s data, and it will also delete this stolen data if the victim does not pay a ransom.
Web Attacks
A web attack is usually carried out through the downloading of viruses from the internet. These infections can cause irreversible and large-scale damage to the system and an organization as a whole.
Eavesdropping Attacks
The first step in an eavesdropping attack is to intercept network traffic. This type of cybercrime is usually carried out by individuals who are looking to steal the data that other devices, such as smartphones, send to each other.
Insider Threats
In addition to eavesdropping, inside attacks are also commonly carried out by individuals who have access to a system. This type of cybercrime is carried out by individuals who have authorized insider access to a network.
AI Attacks
Due to the advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning, these attacks are expected to become more sophisticated in the future. This technology allows computers to perform various tasks on their own, but it can also take over certain systems, such as autonomous vehicles and drones.