You can do almost anything online — which is great for most users, but all these possibilities can also be exploited by criminals to do bad things. Cybercrime is an issue that affects us all in some way, and it’s something we should take seriously. If you trust the wrong person or click a spoof link, you might end up paying for it either through your own pocket or having to fork out for the damage its caused to your equipment. Read on to learn about the various scams out there and how you can protect yourself from them. Also discover how Avira Free Security helps you surf the internet even more safely.
What is cybercrime
In a narrower sense, the term cybercrime encompasses all crimes and scams committed by criminals using computers and the internet. In a broader sense, cybercrime also includes traditional criminal offenses where information and communication technology is used to plan, prepare, and carry out cybercrimes. The victims are mostly private individuals, but companies, organizations, and even government institutions are also repeatedly affected. The cybercriminals use a variety of different methods to deceive potential victims and cause them harm.
Organized cybercrime is an ever-growing threat — especially since more and more areas of our lives have become digitalized in recent years, offering criminals new opportunities to launch cyberattacks. From transactions and communications to entertainment and our day-to-day jobs, we now do almost everything online.
The motives for cybercrime are also varied. Often, the primary aim of cybercriminals is financial gain. The criminals might try to steal money directly from victims’ accounts or they might threaten to expose sensitive information unless the victim pays them a ransom. Motives also include identity theft, damaging critical infrastructure, and stealing business secrets. The big challenge here is that cybercriminals strike anonymously and from anywhere in the world, which is what makes them so dangerous and unpredictable.
Cybercrime methods
The internet allows cybercriminals to operate in a variety of ways. Let’s look at the most common methods used to deceive or attack potential victims.
Phishing
Phishing is one of the most well-known and common scams. The goal of phishing is to obtain sensitive data from victims. Criminals send either spoof emails or links to malicious websites. The trick is always the same: The cybercriminals pose as a legitimate and reputable person or organization that the potential victims trust. This tricks them into clicking links or downloading files.
Malware
Malware refers to malicious software such as viruses, Trojans, and ransomware. These programs infect computer systems, cause chaos, and steal sensitive data. Malware attacks often end in blackmailing the victims: In return for paying a ransom, computers and data are made accessible again.
Malicious pop-ups are a particularly common and annoying form of malware for internet users. The classic form is a fake virus warning that pops up while surfing, displaying a link to a paid “cleaning tool”. Using this tool, scared victims download the virus onto their computers.
Identity theft
The goal of identity theft is always to get hold of and misuse personal data. Cybercriminals pretend to be someone else to take out contracts in the other person’s name, transfer money without authorization, or even commit crimes. They are willing to go to great lengths to profit from their illegal activities, even if it means undertaking tax fraud or costly investments.
Often, the cybercriminals don’t even use the data themselves but sell it directly on the dark web.
Hacking
When you think of cybercrime, “hackers” immediately spring to mind. Hacking involves hackers gaining unauthorized access to computers and networks. The goal is almost always to steal, manipulate, or destroy sensitive data. Hackers often bring down entire networks or make it impossible for organizations to carry out their normal operations. Check out our article on this topic to understand the different hacker types and how their methods and goals differ.
DDoS attacks
This abbreviation stands for “distributed denial of service“ — a method used to deliberately overload servers. Here, attackers flood a server with huge amounts of requests to exceed its capacity. This then impacts websites and services or causes them to crash. Major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are particularly attractive targets for DDoS attacks because they directly affect a huge number of people.
Cyberespionage
Cyberespionage involves the targeted and unauthorized surveillance of computers and networks. The target here is also sensitive and confidential information. Cyberespionage rarely affects private individuals and is primarily aimed at the theft of state, economic, and military documents and secrets.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is a crime that shouldn’t be underestimated in times of social media and global interconnectivity. Cybercriminals spread hate and stir incitement (mostly anonymously). The cyberbullies can also insult and defame individuals or groups of people. Such crimes are extremely challenging to punish because the accounts are in most cases anonymized and difficult to trace. Even though there are rules on the internet, bullying online is still a big problem.
Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking involves the targeted and, above all, repeated harassment and persecution of an individual via the internet. The cyberbullies or harassers create a frightening and threatening environment for their victims via social media and communication channels like WhatsApp, public chats, and emails. Cyberstalking is similar to traditional stalking, but happens online instead of in the physical world. However, this crime is particularly widespread because criminals can terrorize their victims at any time and from anywhere in the world.
Goals and motives of cybercriminals
There are different motivations and intentions behind cybercrime. The most common include:
- Financial gain: This involves the theft of financial data as well as blackmail and fraud for personal enrichment. Selling personal data and business information also brings in money.
- Data theft: Die vertraulichen Informationen und hochsensiblen Dokumente von Personen, Unternehmen und Institutionen nutzen Täter für kriminelle Zwecke. but they often simply sell this data on.
- Sabotage: Systems and networks are manipulated and paralyzed. Such failures can cause immense damage from which the competition benefits.
- Espionage: The cybercriminal makes money through unauthorized access to information and data.
- Superiority: Smaller-time cybercriminals in particular see their actions as a demonstration of power towards their victims. This feeling of power and control gives them a sense of satisfaction and makes them feel important.
Impacts of cybercrime
The impacts of cybercrime cause immense harm to those affected.
- Financial damage: Unauthorized transactions and the taking out of contracts in their name can cause victims serious financial damage.
- Data loss: Files and documents can be stolen or manipulated and destroyed.
- Operational damage: If a company’s computers and servers are broken or slow, it can cause big problems for the business, like lost money and unhappy customers.
- Reputational damage: If data has been stolen, website visitors or users of a service can lose trust in the platforms. The damage is particularly acute if highly sensitive information such as account details and addresses is involved.
- Legal problems: Even if they’re not to blame, companies can be sued for violating data protection laws.
- Mental-health issues: Cyberbullying and stalking cause fear, stress, and panic among victims. Financial fraud can also have serious consequences for the livelihood and mental health of those affected.
Reporting cybercrime
If you’ve fallen victim to a cyberattack, report the incident immediately to assist the police and relevant authorities in combating such crimes. You can register the crime comparatively quickly online. Save and document all evidence, screenshots, and transactions to help investigators better understand your case. In addition, contact your consumer advice center for support and advice, which can help you with further steps.
If the criminals acted on behalf of other people or companies, you should also inform them immediately about the incident. Companies can also turn to the agency responsble for investigating cybercrime, like the Internet Crime Complaint Center in the US, for support in the event of loss or damages.
How to protect yourself from cybercrime
Even though the dangers are many and varied, and the cybercriminals are becoming more and more creative, there are a host of effective steps you can take to protect yourself on the internet. The most important measures you can take now include:
- Create and use unique, strong passwords
- Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Keep your software up to date
- Check downloads before downloading anything
- Regularly back up your data and files
- Be mindful and cautious when using your email and browsing the internet
Enjoy even greater protection when on the go with Avira Free Security
Using the internet carefully is the best protection against cybercrime and the potential damage it causes. But not all threats are eliminated just by being more aware. With Avira Free Security, you can protect your computer and smartphone from potential threats in real time — safe in the knowledge that you’ll be notified immediately if anything suspicious is happening on your device.
With the integrated VPN, you can surf more securely on public networks — making it more difficult for cybercriminals to gain access to your device.