Published on: 01st November 2025
Authored by: Uma Muthukaveri N
GOVERNMENT LAW COLLEGE, RAMANATHAPURAM
ABSTRACT
In recently, my friend and I used to discuss about the problem with her social media account, which was hacked by someone. He abused her identity to make money from her friends and family. It was a major setback for her. It will have a significant effect on her both physically and mentally. After logging out of her social media account, she felt a sense of relief. She shared the thing with me. I made the decision to write an article about cybercrimes. Because people might have been aware of that. They have to protect their personal data from those cybercriminals.
INTRODUCTION
Cybercrime, the use of computers and networks to commit illegal acts, is not a new phenomenon. It’s roots can be traced back to the early 19th century, with incidents like the 1834 French telegraph hack, where thieves stole financial data- long before the digital age. As technology advanced, so did the methods and motivations of cybercriminals. From early phone phreaking in the 1960’s and 1970’s to the rise of computer viruses, malware and large- scale cyberattacks has evolved into a complex, global ecosystem. In today’s digitally connected World, cybercrime has emerged as a major threat, affecting individuals, businesses, and government alike. Cybercrime refers to criminal activities conducted through computers, networks, or the internet ranging from identity theft and financial fraud to ransomware attacks and cyberespionage. The perpetrators of these crimes, known as cybercriminals, use advanced technology and exploit vulnerabilities in software, hardware, and human behavior to steal sensitive information, disrupt operations, or cause financial and reputation harm. As technology continues to evolve, so do the methods and motivations of cybercriminals, making cybersecurity a critical concern for everyone.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CYBERCRIME
The 19th century marked the beginning of the history of cybercrime. At present, we are confronted with a multitude of problems related to cybercrimes. The people will face a significant impact assessment result of.
1962
The beginning of cybercrime was when Allen Scherr attacked MIT computer networks and stole passwords from their database using a punch card.
1971
Bob Thomas, a researcher at BBN Technologies, created the first computer virus for research purposes. Referred to as the creeper virus, the self- replicating program was detected on the ARPANET in 1971 and predicted the potential of future viruses to cause significant damage to computer systems.
1981
The first person ever to be convicted for committing a cybercrime was Lan Murphy, who successfully hacked into AT&T’s internal systems and changed their computer clocks causing havoc.
1988
The first major cyber attack on the internet was courtesy of Cornell graduate student Robert Morris the ‘Morris Worm’ occurred in the year prior to the World Wide Web’s debut, when the internet was primarily a domain of academic researches. Computer systems at Stanford, Princeton, John Hopkins, NASA, Lawrence Livermore Labs, and UC Berkeley were affected by it.
1989
Ransomware made its initial appearance. The AIDS Trojan, which was the initial strain of ransomware, was easily removed, which made it ineffective. The cybercrimal distributed 20,000 infected disks to attendees of the World Health Organization AIDS conference, unlike the ransomware of today.
THE FRENCH TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
The French telegraph system, also known as the chappe telegraph, was a pioneering visual semaphore system used for long- distance communications in France during the late 18th and 19th centuries. It utilized a network of towers positional at intervals, with operators using telescopes to observe and relay messages encoded by the position of movable arms of the towers. This system allowded for faster communication than traditional methods like riders on horseback, playing a crucial role in government administration and military operations.
WHY THE CRIMINALS CHOOSE THIS
In a world where there were numerous ways to make money. But these ways require a comprehensive effort from us. The method of illegally earning money through cybercrime doesn’t want any efforts from them. The cybercrimals also know that it is illegal to make money from these actions. By tapping the computer button, they will hack into the accounts of certain individuals and use that information to ask for money their friends and families. This is a very easy to way to make money for them. Cybercrime allows criminals to target multiple victims simultaneously from remote locations, generating substantial profits while minimizing physical risk and direct confrontation with law enforcement. The internet provides multiple layers of protection through VPN’s, encrypted communications, and Cryptocurrency transactions, making it extremely difficult to trace criminals activities back to perpetrators like these things are motivate criminals to do like that.
TYPES OF CYBERCRIMES
There are numerous types of crimes. In this article we will knew about some of .
Hacking
Unauthorized access to computer systems or networks, often for malicious purposes like stealing data or causing disruption.
Phishing
Deceptive attempts to obtain sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, by disguising as a trustworthy entity.
Identity theft
Stealing personal information, such as names, addresses, and financial data, to impersonate someone or commit fraud.
Cyberbullying and Harassment
Online harassment, threats, and stalking, often using social media or messaging platforms.
Cyber extortion
Using digital threats or blackmail or corporate data for espionage or malicious purposes.
Cybercrime encompasses a wide range of illegal activities carried out using computers and the internet. These are the problems comes under the cybercrime. And the people face this challenges in the digital age day today lives. Especially the women’s are the easy victim for those cybercriminals. They will use those women for make money.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR CYBERCRIME
Information Technology Act -2000[1]
In the Indian context, cybercrime, as defined under the information Technology Act (IT), 2000, encompasses any criminal activity involving a computer system, or computer network, where the computer serves as the instrument, target or means of perpetrating the crime. The IT Act outlines various cyber offences and their corresponding punishments, including unauthorized access, data theft, hacking, and Cyber terrorism. The Act prescribes penalties for various cyber offences, ranging from imprisonment and fines to life imprisonment in cases like cyber terrorism. The 2008 amendment to the IT Act introduced provisions related to electronic signatures contract validity through electronic means and penalties for companies handling sensitive personal data negligently. The section 43- Imposes penalties for unauthorized access, data theft, virus introduction or denial of access to computer system. Section 65- Deals with tempering with computer source documents, including concealing destroying, or altering source code. Section 66- convers a range of computer – related offences, including hacking and data alteration. And sections 66A, 66B, 66C, 66D, 66E, 66F, 67, 67A, 67B, 69, 69A,and 70 these sections of IT act related to cybercrimes.
The Bharatiya Nyaya sanhita – 2023[2]
In the Bharatiya Nyaya sanhita (BNS) cybercrime is not explicity defined as a separate offense but is addressed through various sections dealing with offences that involve digital devices and networks. It compasses illegal activities conduct using computers, the internet, or other digital technologies, including online fraud, hacking, identity theft, cyberbullying, and the spread of misinformation. In essence, the BNS uses existing offences from the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and expand their application when committed through electronic means. This approach aims to address the evolving nature of cybercrime and hold offenders accountable for their actions in the digital age. Section 111- This section defines and addresses organized crime, which can encompass cybercrimes committed by groups or individuals acting together in a continuing unlawful activity. Section 303- Deals with theft, including theft of data, mobile phones, or computer hardware, which are relevant to cyber theft. Section 318- This section covers various fraudulent activities, including passwords theft, creation of fake websites, and other cyber fraud schemes. And 319, 336, 353, and 48 these sections are related to the cybercrime activities. The penalties of the cybercrime under BNS Act consists a range from fines and imprisonment to potentially life imprisonment or even death penalty in cases of organized crime resulting in death.
The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam- 2023[3]
The BSA Act also applies to cybercrime cases. It lays down the rules for the admissibility of evidence in criminal trails, including electronic evidence such as emails, chat logs, and social media posts. The act governs the types of evidence that can be presented in court, the procedures for presenting evidence, and the evaluation of evidence. Section 85 and 86 of the BSA Act now include digital signatures alongside electronic signatures. Section 62, 63, 65A, and 65B of the BSA Act focuses on evidence related to electronic records.
Other commissions for cybercrime
National Cybercrime Reporting Portal
This portal allows citizens to report cybercrimes online, and it serves as a central repository for cybercrime information.
Cybercrime Prevention Against Women and Children (CCPWC) Scheme
This scheme focuses on preventing cybercrimes which was targeting women and children.
National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC)
While not a commission, the (NCCC) is an operational cybersecurity and e- surveillance agency that screens communication metadata and coordination intelligence gathering.
State and UI law enforcement agencies
The primary responsibilities for investigating and prosecuting cybercrimes lies with the respective State and union territory law enforcement agencies.
Case laws
Yahoo!Inc v Akash Arora and Anr[4]
In today’s commercial world, a trademark serves to identify the product to ensure its quality and promote the product. Trademark rights encourage competitiveness and preservation of product quality. Akash Arora was operating the web service ‘yahooindia.com’ which was identical to the trademark “Yahoo!” owned by the plaintiff. The court ruled that where the brand name is similar to another name of another company, people are likely to get confused by using that a brand name can lead to consequence damage to the plaintiffs. The court granted an ad interim injunction in favor of the plaintiff as against the defendants which refrains the defendants from operating any business, sale, advertising or dealing in service or goods on the internet or under trademark/ domain name ‘Yohooindia.com’ or any other trademark/ domain name which is similar to the plaintiff’s trademark till the disposal of the suit.
Pune Citibank mphasis call center fraud case[5]
This case which occurred in 2005,involved employees of the call center, handling Citibank’s customer service, stealing approximately rupees 1.5 crore from costumer accounts. The achieved this by exploiting security vulnerabilities in the system and passwords . The fraudulent transfers were made to fake accounts in Indian, and the victims were primarily US citizens. The case involved violations of the IT Act, 2000, and the IPC, and led to the arrest of 16 individuals. The incident highlighted the need for enhanced security measures in call centers, stricter employee monitoring, and better customer education to prevent similar frauds.
CBI v Arif Azim ( Sony sambandh case) [6]
The “Sony sambandh case” refers to India’s first cybercrime conviction involving a complaint by Sony India about unauthorized online purchase on their website www.Sony-Sambandh.com. The website allowed Non- Resident Indians (NRI’s) to purchase Sony products for delivery to relatives in India. An investigation revealed that an employee at the Noida call center, Arif Azim gained access to an American National’s credit card information and used it to make fraudulent purchases on the site. Arif Azim was convicted under sections 418, 419,and 420 of the Indian Penal Code for cheating and fraud. This case set a precedent as the first cybercrime conviction in India.
CYBERSECURITY
Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from digital attacks. It involves using various technologies, process, and controls to minimize the risk of cyber threats and unauthorized access. In essence, cybersecurity aims to safeguard digital assets and information from theft, damage, or disruption. Cybersecurity is a dynamic field that is constantly evolving to address new threats and technologies. It requires a combination of technical expertise, strong policies and procedures, and a commitment from everyone within an organization to protect vigilant and protect against cyberattacks. We might have to improve the cybersecurity to protect the people from those cybercriminals.
AUTHOR SUGGESTION
We might have to introduce numerous new commissions to protect the people from the cybercrimes. And also we have to improve the security system against the cybercrimes. We should spread the news to people might have to be aware of the cybercrime especially women. Women are the easy target for those cybercriminals. Organize a programme and conduct some webinars or events to prevent those cybercrimes. It will help our people enormously from affected by cybercrimes.
CONCLUSION
In that scenario we will face so many problems under the cybercrime in our day today lives. We might have to prevent that for people welfare. So we have to introduce the new laws and commissions for cybercrime it will protect the people from those cybercriminals. And the people also have to be aware of that. They have to know what are challenges comes under cybercrime and how they have to avoid those by their own and how to file a complaint of cybercrimes. It will made the people more intelligent.
[1] Information Technology Act – 2000,43,65,66,66A,66B,66C,66D,66E,66F,67,67A,67B,69,69A.
[2] The Bharatiya Nyaya sanhita – 2023,111,303,318,319,336,353,48.
[3] The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam-2023,85,86,62,63,65A,65B.
[4] Yahoo!Inc v Akash Arora and Anr 1999,||AD( DELHI) 229,78(1999) DLT 285.
[5] Pune Citibank mphasis call center fraud case, 2005..
[6] CBI V Arif Azim,2013.
