Reducing Cybercrime: Identity Theft, Internet Frauds, and Intrusion of Computer Networks

This essay discusses the ways to reduce cybercrime, including identity theft, internet frauds, and intrusion of computer networks. It provides insights on how internet and computer users can protect themselves from cybercrimes.

Running head: CYBERCRIME ESSAY 1
Cybercrime Essay
Student’s Name
School Name

CYBERCRIME ESSAY 2
Cybercrime
In the contemporary world, explosion of the internet technology has in different ways
affected how users communicate and go about their daily lives. The internet enables people and
businesses to communicate fast and convenient. However, the internet and computers are being
used negatively in a way destructive to the society. Cybercrime has become a threat to the
internet users, especially in the mobile technology. Cybercrime is a criminal activity committed
by cybercriminals using the internet and computers as tools. These activities include but not
limited to illegal file downloads and uploads such as music and videos, and sending spam emails
targeted to breach the privacy of the user (Armerding, 2015). For long now, cybercrime has
aroused the concerns of the government agencies as well as the users’ sensitivity to the
information they share through the internet (Miller & Murphy, 2009). Various methods are used
to reduce cybercrimes to the internet users especially business corporations and prominent
individuals. For that reason, this paper will focus on the pertinent parts of cybercrime which
include reducing identity theft, internet frauds and intrusion of computer networks.
How can the users of the internet and computer networks reduce identity theft? Identity
theft is identifying with another person’s information falsely mainly for financial gain. To most
internet and computer network users, the solution to this question remains bizarre. This question
has been a remedial response by the Internet Service Providers and hosts. But contrary to
expectations, to most users, the cyber crime has been hard to crack. Due to modern technology in
computing and information, identity theft has become sophisticated with hackers’ ability to hack
bank transactions, ATM vending machines, mobile phones and more. Hackers have become
interested in anything that is connecting to the internet. The problems arise because the internet
and computer users may not be aware of the forms cybercrimes take and the ways they occur.
This is regardless of numerous sensitization campaigns aiming at reducing identity theft by the
ISP, web servers, and other internet safety campaigners. To reduce cyber identity theft, the users
need to be taught the types of cybercrimes and how they can protect themselves. People should
also learn about the secure and safe sites where they can learn about cybercrimes, cases for
cybercrimes and safety measures when using the internet and computer networks. Such
informative sources include the privacy statements of most websites which includes the safety
measures of the user, exploring more on the topic of internet security using scholarly literature or
contacting the internet service providers and network administrators (Commonwealth of
Australia, 2016).
The other one is how to reduce internet fraud. The government agencies and law
enforcement for different countries work to reduce internet frauds as well as informing people on
how not to fall a victim. Internet fraud is the use of the internet to commit fraud. These include
the use of online services to fraudulently solicit, transact, and transfer proceeds of fraud to
financial institutions. These crimes are mostly committed using personal computers whiles others
use other people’s network. Agencies such as National Internal Security keep track of the
internet activities for issues like money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal business
activities. The agencies also provide guidelines on how to secure personal data and access to
assistance in case of theft of personal information and if used in committing internet crimes.
Some of the measures that have been put in place to protect internet users and reduce internet

CYBERCRIME ESSAY 3
frauds are the provision of channels for reporting fraudulent activities and surveillance of the
networks to track any suspicious activity (Cohen, 2003).
Finally, internet money transfers have become more popular today for convenience.
Cybercrimes are also at the rise with identity theft and fraudulent internet transactions taking the
center stage. Hackers are working tirelessly to bypass security levels of any computer as long as
they have a reason to break in (Data breach, 2015). This is regardless of numerous security layers
developed in software and computer systems to keep off sniffers and break in. Breaking into a
computer network exposes the user information and the use of the computer network is
compromised. It also exposes sensitive information which can be used by the criminals to
conceal identity and be able to carry out the fraudulent transactions. Internet and computer users
need to be informed of ways to reduce hacking into their computer systems and networks. Some
of the ways to reduce chances of hacking into personal computer and networks are to install
updated anti-spy wares and avoid accessing sites which cannot be trusted to avoid virus infection
of their computer (Paulson, 2002). This is because data privacy is key when using any computer
system or network.
The risk posed by cybercrimes to individuals and businesses have intensified the efforts
aiming to reduce their impacts. Majority of internet users today have started taking their internet
privacy seriously owing to the levels of transactions being they carry out over the internet. Also,
the relevant authorities are taking a key interest in reducing internet frauds which may result to
dwindling of the economies. As a result, internet criminals are left with few loopholes to exploit
and which are mostly dependent on the users’ privacy measures. Because of this, internet users
are advised to be extra careful when navigating through the internet web and also make sure their
computers and networks are always secure.

CYBERCRIME ESSAY 4
References
Armerding, T. (2015). Cybercrime: Much more organized. Retrieved from
https://www.csoonline.com/article/2938529/cyber-attacks-espionage/cybercrime-much-
more-organized.html
Cohen, F. (2003). Internet Fraud. Computer Fraud & Security, 2003(4), 19. doi: 10.1016/s1361-
3723(03)04013-2
Commonwealth of Australia. (2016). Identity crime and misuse in Australia 2016 (pp. 1-91).
Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved from
https://www.ag.gov.au/RightsAndProtections/IdentitySecurity/Documents/Identity-
crime-and-misuse-in-Australia-2016.pdf
Data Breach. (2015). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_breach
Miller, H., & Murphy, R. (2009). Secure Cyberspace: Answering the Call for Intelligent Action.
IT Professional, 11(3), 60-63. doi: 10.1109/mitp.2009.60
Paulson, L. (2002). Stopping intruders outside the gates. Computer, 35(11), 20-22. doi:
10.1109/mc.2002.1046967