The advancement of technology has made man dependent on the Internet for all his needs. Social networking, online shopping, storing data, gaming, online studying, online jobs, everything that man can think of can be done with the help of the internet.Today,the Internet is used in almost every sphere but like everything that has its boon and bane with the development of the internet and its related benefits also developed the concept of cyber crimes.
Cyber Crimes can be distinguished in two ways:
1. The crimes in which the computer is the target.Examples of such crimes are hacking, virus attacks,DOS attack etc.
2. The crimes in which the computer is used as a weapon.These types of crimes include cyber terrorism, IPR violations, credit card frauds, EFT frauds, pornography etc.
What happens next is no surprise!! More than 6,31,000 cybersecurity threats were detected on Android devices in Indians between April and June this year.
On a daily basis, more than 2,000 malware, 3,000 potentially unwanted applications (PUA) and 1,000 adware are detected, said a report.Most users install advance security software on their laptops and desktops but often neglect their mobile devices.This leaves a major gap in their overall security posture and presents a lucrative opportunity to cybercriminals.The increase in the number of mobile-based threats such as Banking Trojan and crypto-mining attacks is indicative of a growing shift towards exploiting vulnerable mobile devices to compromise sensitive personal information of mobile users.
What makes the data all the more alarming is the low awareness about the need for adequate security amongst mobile users, according to the report.
There are some basic precautions everyone using the Internet should take to protect themselves from the gamut of cybercrimes out there:
1. Use a full-service Internet security suite such as Norton Security Premium to ensure that you are protecting yourself against viruses/
2. Use strong passwords, don’t repeat your passwords on different sites.
3. Keep all your software updated.
4. Manage your social media settings to keep most of your personal and private information locked down.
5. Secure your home network with a strong encryption password as well as a VPN. A VPN will encrypt all traffic leaving your devices until it arrives at its destination.
6. Keep up to date on major security breaches.
7. If you believe that you’ve become a victim of a cybercrime, you need to alert the local police and the cyber crime cells.
