CYBERCRIME IN INDIA
THE LAWWAY WITH LAWYERS JOURNAL VOLUME:-22 ISSUE NO:- 22 ,MAY 25, 2025 ISSN (ONLINE):- 2584-1106 Website: www.the lawway with lawyers.com Email: thelawwaywithelawyers@gmail.com Authored By :- VEERBHAN CYBERCRIME IN INDIA Abstract Many individuals say that the internet is a fantasy tool, a fascinating location, and an impressive encounter. But who is it for? Many of us are at risk of falling victim to the increasing number of criminals who are skilled in using the internet. A few people use internet technology for illegal actions, such as unlawful access to other networks. These illegal activities are related to the internet, which is known as cybercrime. Cyber law can be described as the branch of law that addresses the internet, cyberspace and legal issues. The scope is broad and includes many additional issues such as online security, online privacy, internet access and use, and freedom of expression. This article provides a brief study of cyber law and the key legal principles that govern cyberspace. The study delves into the significance of cyber law in protecting privacy, ensuring data security, and combating cybercrime. It examines the major statutes and regulations that constitute cyber law, with a focus on international frameworks and the legal landscape in India. Through this study, the article aims to highlight the critical role of cyber law in maintaining the integrity of digital interactions and defending individual rights in the digital era. Key Words: Cybercrime, Cyber Law, Unauthorised Access, Network, Punishment, Internet. Introduction Cybercrime is derived from the words “cyber” and “crime”. Cyber means the Use of the internet and computer resources, and crimes mean the activities restricted by law. It means cybercrime is a crime that is committed through the internet and computers. Cybercrime developed at the time of the Internet’s development. The internet changes everything. With the evolution of the internet, there is a growth in committing crimes and offences on the Internet. Cybercrime includes a wide range of illegal activities, such as Internet phishing, cyber theft, virus attacks, software pirating, bank robbery, illegal downloading, industrial spying, cyber stalking and child pornography. Cybercrime is rapidly increasing in India. 49 thousand complaints of cybercrime were reported in 2020 in all states, which increased to 52 thousand in 2021, and in 2022, it was 64 thousand. Cybercrime involves unauthorised access to personal data, which directly infringes individual privacy rights. Article 21 guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. The Supreme Court of India has interpreted the right to life to include the right to privacy. Classification of Cybercrime Cybercrime can be divided into four major categories. They are as follows: Cybercrime Against Individuals Cybercrime Against Property Cybercrime Against an Organisation Cybercrime Against Society Cybercrime Against Individuals: Cybercrimes which focus on a certain person or individual. Some cybercrimes committed against individuals are: Email Spoofing: Email Spoofing is a method of spoofing mail headers. It means a message appears from an individual or some other source that is not genuine or authentic. These strategies are often utilised in scamming or spam campaigns because people open emails or text messages that they think are from a reliable source. Spamming: Email spamming is also known as unwanted emails. The email address of the receiver is acquired by spambots, these spam bots scan the web for email addresses. Spammers use bots to build email mailing lists. Spammers are often sending millions of emails to receive even a little. Cyber Stalking: Cyberstalking is when someone follows someone using electronic communications or repeatedly attempts to contact that person for personal gain, even if the person has expressed clear disapproval, or monitors a website, email, or other electronic communication, all of which constitute harassment. Cyber Bulling: All types of bullying or harassment through the use of electronic or communication tools such as laptops, computers and smartphones. Online Sextortion: Online sexual harassment happens when someone makes threats to send private information electronically unless they provide sexually explicit images, a bribe or money. Cyber Defamation: Cyber defamation refers to the damaging of an individual’s reputation in the view of others by online media. Bad comments are made to cause harm to a specific individual’s reputation. Phishing: In this type of crime or spam, attackers try to obtain account details or login credentials by impersonating a famous person or address in several ways. Contact, Client ID, IPIN, debit or credit card numbers, card expiry date, and CVV number are examples of email information. Cybercrime Against Property: These kinds of cybercrimes include intellectual property, copyrights, patents and trademarks. These are those offences that have an impact on a person’s property, which are as follows: Intellectual Property Crimes: Any act that results in partial or complete deprivation of the right of the owner is a crime. The most common forms of intellectual property crimes can be defined as software piracy, copyright infringement, Infringement of patents, trademarks, designs, and services, theft of code of computers, etc. Cyber Squatting: This means that two individuals claim to have previously registered a trademark, used a mark before someone else, or used a similar name previously. For instance, two similar names, www.books.com and www.boooks.com. Cyber Vandalism: Vandalism is the destruction or damage of another’s property. So, Cyber Vandalism refers to the damage or corruption of data during the interruption or impact of internet service. It can include all catastrophic damage to anyone’s computer. These activities can lead to theft of the computer, access to the computer’s core or related to the computer. Hacking Computer System: Hacktivism involves carrying out attacks by gaining unauthorised access to/controlling computers on well-known Twitter accounts, blogging platforms, etc. Due to hacking activities, your data and computers may be lost. According to research, the primary goal of these attacks is to harm a person’s or business’s reputation rather than make money. Transmitting Virus: An application known as a virus attaches itself to a system or file and then propagates to other files and computers via the internet. Typically, they corrupt,