The digital environment has brought with it millions of people around the world, but this massification has also been impregnated with illicit activities, which are better known as computer crimes.
In fact, most of them are covered by anonymity, which has caused users to comment differently. types of computer crimes without even knowing that they do it, so it is important that you learn to know and identify them.
▷You may also be interested in: 6 Best PC Security Software ▷
What are Computer Crimes?
A computer crime is considered to be any act that threatens the well-being or property of society or an individual, but perpetrated from different computer equipment or devices, including the internet.
There are various consensuses on the most common definitions of all cybercrimes, but the penalty is almost always It depends on the jurisdiction of each country, which have their own laws and establish the consequences.
The 6 Types of Computer Crimes You Should Know About
Taking the above into account, different laws in different nations have their own classifications of what they consider a computer crime, but we can establish a list with the most important or common types that you will almost always find.
1. Scam
La swindle It is one of the most common ways that people are compromised through the Internet and computer media. Criminals usually use a false identity to offer a product or service that does not really exist.
Millions of users report being scammed by buying and selling sites such as MercadoLibre, through social media marketplaces such as Facebook or directly with accounts and profiles, which They are unreliable in most users.
In addition, a scam can also be the theft of your information through the use of websites, emails, spam or software that acquire your identity data, which seriously undermines your well-being.
It is important to note that scams or any other computer crime They are not only tied to desktop computers, but can also run on smartphones or tablets and through messengers such as WhatsApp.
2. Identity theft
Another of the most serious crimes in the computer or digital field is identity impersonation, which consists of impersonating a person, user or client, using their data, photographs and their own image to commit other crimes or achieve multiple purposes.
On social networks, the impersonator can hack a profile or create a completely new one, but with the name, photographs and information of the impersonated person to deceive and even scam others, so this crime can lead to the commission of other serious offenses.
It is also very common for criminals to steal your information through malware or by using software that collects your personal data, such as passwords, email addresses or credit cards, to make purchases or steal your money.
Identity theft ends up seriously affecting the victim in such a way that it can distort their image in society, seriously harm them psychologically or involve him in criminal offenses.
3. Extortion
La extortion It is the act of threatening or intimidating a person into doing something that they do not want to do, but almost always with the aim of making a profit. The extortionist tends to force the victim to do something, threatening them with something if they do not comply with their requests.
On the one hand, extortionists can access information or personal data of a user, who is threatened with having it made public if he or she does not provide money or comply with something requested.
This is one of the most frequent types of cybercrime on the Internet, mainly when it involves images, videos or multimedia content of an explicit and personal nature that can affect the name of the threatened person.
Extortion usually has an economic purpose or interest, although it is not a rule or something unique. In fact, people can also be threatened in exchange for reveal personal information such as passwords or bank card details.
4. Hacking
We constantly see the term “hack” in internet searches, but the simple act is considered a serious crime under international law. It consists of using different methods and means to access the data and information of an individual or a group of people.
For example, using computer software to generate possible passwords to access another person's social networks. It can also be taking over access to a service or a website, as well as illegally accessing files on a locked computer.
Hackers often work remotely and making use of other computer programs, but they also take advantage of extortion, identity theft or fraud to obtain data and hack a medium.
Simply changing the information on an account or device is considered hacking, which can lead to convictions or prison sentences of several years, depending on the laws of each country.
5. Piracy
Perhaps piracy should be in first place, because it is practically the most common computer crime. recurrent worldwide, especially in places where this practice is not considered a major fault.
Piracy is considered a crime in which copyright of any kind is violated. For example, uploading to the web or downloading content such as movies, music, videos, software, books and copyright-protected products or services.
Piracy also occurs through the installation of programs or applications that are private or paid, but their restrictions are bypassed by using other tools to enter falsified codes or keys.
There are many cases where people are arrested and convicted for illegally downloading music from the Internet, or for spreading protected content through various means. What's more, Megaupload case was mainly tainted by this computer crime.
6. Computer sabotage
When a platform, service, equipment or device is illegally accessed to hinder its use or correct operation, it is known as computer sabotage and can go hand in hand with data manipulation crimes.
There are several ways used to commit this criminal act, such as worms or computer viruses, which are inserted physically or virtually to delete data or completely damage the device.
So are the time bombs, which are entered into the computer so that it modifies the information or performs some action such as deleting certain files, but at a specific time or date.
We sometimes see sabotage in the manipulation of databases which correspond to a company's customers, in order to affect communication or harm the parties in some way, leading to the violation of other related laws.
Conclusions
The Internet is a fundamental human right, and access to information or the use of the information technology (ICT) They are too. This comes with a series of freedoms, but unquestionably, with responsibilities.
The fact that the resource of the pseudonym, anonymity, @, avatar or any other way of hiding your identity is used, cannot be used to carry out illegal actions and that threaten the well-being and rights of rights of other people.
There are many who They commit various types of crimes computer scientists presented on this list, but without having any idea or without considering that this could lead to them serving many years in prison and/or paying large amounts of money and compensation.
My name is Javier Chirinos and I am passionate about technology. Ever since I can remember, I have been interested in computers and video games, and that passion has turned into a job.
I have been publishing about technology and gadgets on the Internet for over 15 years, especially in mundobytes.com
I am also an expert in online marketing and communication and have knowledge in WordPress development.