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Threats on Internet

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Introduction :

The internet has revolutionized the way we live, work, and communicate. However, it has also brought with it a host of new threats that can compromise our privacy and security. These threats come in many forms, from hackers and cybercriminals to viruses and malware.

One of the most significant threats on the internet is cybercrime. Cybercriminals use various methods to steal personal information, financial data, and other sensitive information from individuals and organizations. They may use phishing scams, malware, or other tactics to gain access to their victims’ accounts or systems.

Another common threat on the internet is malware, which is software designed to damage or disrupt computer systems. Malware can take many forms, including viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. It can infect computers through email attachments, downloads, or other means and can cause significant harm to individuals and organizations.

Other threats on the internet include identity theft, cyberbullying, and online harassment. These can have serious consequences for victims, ranging from financial loss to emotional distress.

There are many types of threats information systems face today. Accidents, software errors, hardware failures, or environmental influences such as fire may affect business’ operation. Each of these threats require proper planning and range of activity to resolve. 

Perpetrator of criminal threats often take control of communication systems. Malicious threats can also be internal or external to organization. Activity may be from an individual, loosely it group, organized criminal elements, Corporations, or governments. While motive and criminal threats is important in evaluating risk, any attack against information and Infrastructure of business can cause severe disruption and may result in loss of funds, productivity, market share, or reputation. 

Criminal activity against information systems is growing. This increase is partly due to:

  • Traditional business are increasingly moving to computer- based operations.
  • General knowledge of basic computer concepts and possibilities for exploitation are becoming pervasive within public.
  • Increased connectivity and ineffective security controls allow greater access to information and services while providing anonymity.
  • Some elements of stereotype amateur “hacker” are evolving into more criminally motivated activities.

Almost every type of crime in physical world has or probably soon will have an online, computer-based counterpart. In fact, networks become another tool which often become easier criminal targets. With this said, there are several fundamental criteria for most profit motivated criminals to use information systems. 

Information systems provide low level of authentication and therefore higher degree anonymity. This lessens chance of arrest in some cases, even though the crime is detected. 

 

Today, criminal activity against information systems can be categorized as follows :

  1. Low-Level Intruders – 
    This group images up a subset of stereotypical “hacker”. These individuals may evolve from online trespass and vandalism to more criminal activity such as theft of information, extortion, and credit card fraud. In addition, this group has a pool of potential resources for more conditional criminal elements to exploit either directly or indirectly. 
    For example, in 1995, loosely knit group of low-level “hackers” was arrested for using computer systems to steal credit card numbers. These numbers were sold to European-based organized crime groups for telecommunication fraud.
     
  2. For-Profit Fraud – 
    Online activity of this group is highly variable and may include scams, extortion, deceptive advertising. theft, securities fraud or illegal fund transfers. Many of these cases are classified as computer assisted crimes. In other words, information systems are used as tool, not target. 
    For example, document fraud was involved in multi-million dollar case involving theft from a pair of California banks last year using desktop publishing software and equipment to create false payroll checks.
     
  3. Organized Crime – 
    Many elements of organized crime are recognizing that they need to understand and use information systems to maintain their traditional level of influence and revenue. Motivation for organized crime to become involved in high technology information systems goes beyond simple fraud and extortion to include surveillance of law enforcement, money laundering, and secure and anonymous communication.
     
  4. Fringe Groups – Political, Religious, and Anarchists – 
    Although this group rarely has fraudulent motives, there has been an increased use of information systems by some groups to further their agendas. Most of the attacks in this arena are in either theft of information or denial of service attacks. 
    A recent example was the attempt by German Chaos Computer Club to disrupt French telecommunications and Internet infrastructures to protest against French Nuclear Testing.
     
  5. Industrial Espionage and Sabotage – 
    Because few companies report cases of industrial espionage, accurate statistics are difficult to produce.
     
  6. International Espionage and Information Warfare – 
    Several well documented cases have come to light of national intelligence agencies gathering economic information to assist their nation’s businesses in competitive situations. Some of methods for gathering this information have extended into attempts to access information and communication systems.
     
  7. Terrorism – 
    Several indicators have been discovered that traditional terrorist organizations are viewing information systems as both potential tools and targets. In particular, ability to gather targeting information from credit records, financial institutions and healthcare providers appears to be an increasing threat recently demonstrated by IRA.

Types of Threats on Internet :

There are several types of threats on the internet, including:

  1. Malware: Malware is malicious software that is designed to disrupt or damage computer systems. It includes viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, and spyware.
  2. Phishing: Phishing is a tactic used by cybercriminals to steal personal information, such as usernames, passwords, and credit card numbers. This is often done by sending emails or messages that appear to be from a legitimate source, but are actually designed to trick the recipient into giving up their information.
  3. Hacking: Hacking involves gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or network. This can be done through exploiting vulnerabilities in software or using social engineering tactics to trick users into giving up their login credentials.
  4. Denial of Service (DoS) attacks: A DoS attack is designed to overwhelm a computer system or network with traffic, making it unable to function properly. This can be done by sending a large number of requests to a server, or by flooding a network with traffic.
  5. Social engineering: Social engineering is the use of psychological manipulation to trick users into giving up their personal information. This can include tactics such as phishing, pretexting, and baiting.
  6. Botnets: A botnet is a network of compromised computers that can be used to carry out various malicious activities, such as DDoS attacks, spamming, and stealing personal information.
  7. Insider threats: Insider threats involve individuals within an organization who use their access to confidential information for malicious purposes, such as stealing data or causing damage to the network.

Issues of Threats on Internet :

Threats on the internet can have a wide range of issues, including:

  1. Financial loss: One of the most significant issues of internet threats is financial loss. Cybercriminals can steal credit card information, bank account details, and other financial information, leading to significant financial losses for individuals and organizations.
  2. Identity theft: Cybercriminals can use stolen personal information, such as social security numbers and birthdates, to commit identity theft. This can lead to financial losses, damage to credit scores, and other serious consequences.
  3. Loss of privacy: Internet threats can compromise individuals’ privacy by allowing cybercriminals to access personal information and monitor online activity. This can lead to targeted advertising, cyberstalking, and other forms of online harassment.
  4. Damage to reputation: Online threats can damage an individual’s or organization’s reputation. This can happen through the spread of false information, negative reviews, or other means.
  5. Disruption of services: Cyberattacks can cause significant disruption to businesses and organizations, leading to lost productivity and revenue.
  6. Legal and regulatory consequences: Failure to protect personal and confidential information can result in legal and regulatory consequences. Organizations can face fines, legal action, and other penalties for failing to protect sensitive data.
  7. Psychological impact: Online threats can have a significant psychological impact on individuals, leading to anxiety, stress, and other negative effects.


Last Updated : 15 Mar, 2023
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