Yes, from the above video, we can see that the effects and trends of the cyber crime world is spreading fast and they all come in various means and forms. They could be in the form of cyber-terrorism, scam, piracy, pornography, illegal sites and many more.
So what exactly is classified under the categories of "Cyber Crime"? And, exactly how many forms of cyber crimes exist in the modern world today?
"Cyber Crime" is often termed as a broad range of crimes in which the computer or any part of it is used in order to achieve a certain objectives that benefits solely an individual or group that affects another party badly. To simply put, it is to use the computer as a tool to commit crime. As to how many forms of cyber crimes out there, there are hundreds and counting. as we can see from he video, these cyber criminals are constantly new and devious ways to beat or hack the system.
Now, we will be focusing on the latest and hottest 3 trends and forms of cyber crimes. These can be categorized as Piracy, Fraud and Cyber-Terrorism.
Piracy
Online Piracy is a term used to describe the illegal copying and distribution of copyrighted materials from the Internet. This form of cyber crime is one of the most popular and still the most growing form of cyber crime. Online Piracy poses a serious threat to the online world. it allows people to "own" a certain online material without going through the correct and legal procedures.
For example, when an artist releases an album, the whole company attached to the artist expects the fans to buy the album. this way they could make sales and analyze the artist through their record sales. However, online piracy is making it difficult for them to do so as people are constantly downloading and "stealing"their materials from the Internet.
Therefore, they are unable to properly market the artist and this would affect their record sales,in turn, this situation is totally not helping the artist develop and make a profit.
That was only one of many examples of how online piracy is affecting the world. However, people are too ignorant about the fact or too cheap to get their material, thus resorting to these kinds of means. Also, the reason that online piracy is common and widespread is due to its easy to access factors and also based on the fact that it is free-of-charge.
Some applications that promotes online piracy include Limewire, Ares and Torrents. These applications are made easily available, easy to navigate, and moreover, it is free-of-charge. They allow us to download music, movies and many more for free. These are exactly the kind of applications that is promoting and highlighting the advantages of Online Piracy.
Therefore, it is up to us to choose between right or wrong. Piracy is easy and free-of-charge, but is it worth all the effort?
Online Fraud
Online Fraud and Scams takes one more victim. so do not fall prey to these websites. They might offer something that is too good to be true. If it sounds too good to be true, there might be a chance that it is most probably an online fraud or scam.
Online frauds or scams is often the acts of cheating someone through the new media, usually for financial purposes. Like the victim in the above video, money was involved and naively, he got himself trapped and had to pay the price, literally. Online Frauds and Scams can happen in the form of chatrooms, e-mails, websites, etc.
There has been a rise in the number of fraud websites around in the cyber world. These websites appear normal and appear like nothing out of the ordinary. However, there is more than just meets the eye. These websites carry darker ulterior motives that plans to harm the other party involved. Usually, they are for financial schemes.
A popular example of online fraud is the African online fraud. This apparently became hot news a a couple of years back. the story begins when an individual receives an e-mail regarding a trapped businessman in Africa without any money to return home. Therefore, he asked for help by asking these individuals to transfer money into his bank account with the promise of a greater return upon his arrival back home. However, he did not keep his word. Months later, he got caught and was believed to have cheated people for over millions of dollars.
The victims of the online fraud and scams do not know what hit them right away, but in the long term, they will see that the money that they have 'invested' in the website are misused and not for the purpose it is originally intended for. By then, it is too late for them to act.
Therefore, not all websites are legit. Do investigate and research the website before committing and participating in any online activities.
Cyber-Terrorism
This is currently the hottest and the most dangerous form of Cyber crime found in the 21st century. It is the most feared form of crime in the turn of the century. Promoting violence, fear, terror, and radical ideologies are some of it evil motives. They aim to target those who are anti-government and those who seeks a place to speak their mind. They offer solutions through violence, terror and radical behaviours.
Below is a video of what cyber-terrorism is all about:
In the video, it states that that the meaning of "Cyber-Terrorism" is the deliberate destruction, disruption, or distortion of digital data of information flow with widespread effect for political, religious or ideological reasons. Simply put, it is a form of action used by extremist to vent their feelings about something they dislike using radical means ad through the new media.
An example of a radical group resorting to cyber terrorism is the Jemaah Islamiyah or commonly known as the JI. They are a radical terrorist group that aim to eliminate the infidels or the Americans due to a difference in believes. Personally, i think that it is stupid to start a war over the difference in ideologies as there are bound to be people of different beliefs and background.
Furthermore, these radical groups are using the new media to advertize their form of terror and scare tactics that they hope to make the publics fear and respect them. They are feared but not respected. the act of violence or terror and the fact that they spread it all around the new media only gets them attention, but not respect. If it is attention they crave, they certainly got it. But if it is respect and honour they want, they are a longshot from achieving that.
Many more radical groups are emerging and following the trends of the JI. Therefore, the public needs to be aware of these facts and do not ever partake in their activities. They only have Terror and Fear in the minds and they will do all sorts of nasty and devious acts to achieve their objectives.
Therefore, with these highlighted, it is ultimately up to the individuals themselves to make a choice. Leading a life of crime is easy and rewarding, but they price that they have to pay is hefty and permanent.
