The Threat of Cybercrime
Cybercrime is any criminal activity that takes place online or over computer networks. This includes a wide variety of activities like fraud, theft, extortion, identity theft and even cyberbullying. Cybercriminals can be individuals with very little technical skill or highly organized global criminal groups. Today’s world has a great reliance on modern technology and the Internet, but this increased connectivity also introduces new risks such as malware infections and data theft. As smart devices such as refrigerators, washing machines, and lights are introduced to the Internet, they provide new vulnerabilities for cybercriminals to exploit.
The most common way to commit cyber crime is through the use of a malicious program called malware. This software, often referred to as ransomware, can be installed on computers and used to lock down their operating systems. Cybercriminals can then demand a ransom from victims in exchange for the return of their stolen systems. Other forms of malware include viruses, worms, Trojan horses, cryptomining, and spyware.
Other cyber crimes involve illegally sharing and distributing inappropriate or illegal content. This type of content is typically found on the dark web and can range from images and videos of sexual activity to child pornography or materials advocating terrorism.
Whether the motivation is financial, political or revenge, the threat of cybercrime is very real and has a large impact on society. Cybercriminals can attack individuals, businesses and even governments, and they are very indiscriminate when it comes to choosing their targets.