cyber security courses

As the field of information technology is highly progressing over the past centuries, it is becoming more vulnerable to misuse, mismanagement, and moreover civil, criminal, and moral wrongdoings. Here comes the need for mechanisms to control it and requirement for legal provisions. This will empower law enforcement agencies, offer assurance to user, and deter criminal activities.

Information Technology

“Information technology deals with information system, data storage, access, retrieval, analysis and intelligent decision making” (Kamble, 2013). IT refers to formation, gathering, processing, storing, presentation, and dissemination of information along with processes and devices through which these are done.

Cybercrime- definition and types

Cybercrime has become a prevalent phenomenon that defines any criminal activity committed on or over the medium of computers, internet, or any such technology acknowledged under the Information Technology Act. Along with some conventional crimes committed over cyber technologies, types of newly emerged cybercrimes are-

  • Cyber terrorism,
  • Cyber stalking,
  • e-mail spoofing,
  • Cyber defamation,
  • Cyber pornography
  • Hacking
  • Tampering computer sources
  • Forgery
  • Virus attack
  • Data breach etc.

These are due to lack of efficient knowledge among IT professionals, lack of effective legal implementation by law enforcement officers, and lack of awareness among general public.

Cycle of Cyber Crime

Cyber Law- needs and approaches

A well-defined framework of cyber laws is needed to control, prevent, and manage spread of cybercrimes.

  1. Effective cyber law is needed to implement set of guidelines of conduct to facilitate public and private communications and commerce over the electronic media.
  2. This will enhance the protection of electronic medium and increase the reliability of different electronic platforms.

The two most significant players in the fight against any kind of cybercrime are- IT professionals and law enforcement organisations. Close cooperation between these two can control the cybercrime effectively and make the IT platform safe for its users.

Cyber Laws in India:

Keeping pace with other nations, India conjointly has passed its 1st cyber law, the Information Technology Act 2000 that aims to strengthen the legal backbone of the country’s e-commerce.

IT Act, 2000 has described a number cyber crimes including hacking, information breach, damage to computer codes and such. Now it is possible for the corporates to have a statutory remedy if anyone breaks into their information structures or networks, causes damages or copies data. The penalty as served by the IT Act, 2000 is monetary damages, by the way of compensation, not exceeding Rs. 1, 00, 00,000.