Cyber Crime and Security: Analysis of Online Fraud in Australia

This report provides an executive summary of the growing issue of cyber crime and security in Australia, with a specific focus on online fraud. It examines the increasing prevalence of online fraud, its impact on the Australian public, and the various methods employed by criminals, including phishing and online shopping scams. The report delves into the effectiveness of existing government policies and laws, such as the Cyber Act 2001, while also discussing their strengths and weaknesses. It highlights the need for amendments to current regulations and the implementation of stricter punishments to deter cyber criminals. Furthermore, the report emphasizes the importance of public awareness programs and technological advancements to combat online fraud. The analysis includes a case study of a cyber attack on a Queensland law firm and concludes with recommendations for enhancing cyber security measures and preventing online offenses, including amending laws, strict punishments and awareness programs. The report aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges and potential solutions related to cyber crime in Australia.

Cyber Crime and
Security

Executive Summary
The whole project is based on Cyber crime and security. Topics which has been selected
for the file is Online fraud. This crime is increasing day by day within the nation due to which
local people are facing number of issues and it is important to resolve it as soon as possible. Each
and every information will be mentioned in it that how any of the problem arises and how it is
needed to be sort. In file, there will be explanation that how any of the offence can create
problem. In second segment, there has been discussion that how any of the government policies
have been formed. There is a discussion about various laws and regulation which has been
enforced to protect any of the unethical activities that takes place within the nation.
Online offence is one of the serious offence where person uses internet in unethical
manner to harm other people just for personal benefits. Online offence includes financial fraud,,
fraudulent, transaction and many more. In Australia, it is becoming the most serious problem as
number of people are being attacked on daily basis. In file, proper description has been done that
whether government policies are effective or not. In order to know in detail, strength and
weaknesses are helpful because strength explains that how any of the government policies is
helpful in protecting cyber offences. Secondly, weaknesses are there which helps to find the area
to improve in future by providing appropriate recommendation on it.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Cyber Crime is an criminal activities which involves computer, online media network.
The main purpose to conduct any of the criminal activity is just to generate personal profit.
Government is the one who need to step up in order to find the solution that how any of the cyber
crime can be omitted and what can be the possible solutions (McGuire and Dowling, 2013). In
context of the file, the choose problem is Online Fraud where it will be discussed in detail by
using multiple examples. Secondly, there will be explanation that how any of the law which has
been enforced by commonwealth is working and where outcomes are positive or negative. There
will be discussion in the file about strength and weaknesses of government policies.
MAIN BODY
Cyber crime is one of the major problem which is being faced by the local public of
Australia as everyday percentage of crime is increasing due to which many people have to suffer
in current scenario. There are different sort of activities which is being performed within cyber
crime and among that online fraud is major one. Here, criminal uses online resource to hack
others account so that account can be debited (Hyman, 2013). It is one of the most serious
problem which is being faced by the public of Australia. In this fraudulent activity, there are
different other ways through which this types of activities are conducted. Specially, people uses
different online application by breaking their terms and condition which is unethical in present
situation. Phishing is one of the problem which has evolved in rapid speed because with the help
of malware software, hackers hack the sensitive information of any user through which they
transfer the data. As per the report of Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, it has
been found that Australians have lost $260,000 in just year 2017 and total number of cases in
that duration is 11000 (ACCC reveals Australians lost $260k to phishing scams, 2017). In online
fraud, it has been found that online shopping scam is also one of the major problem where there
are number of cases in which illegal sites are created through which people are forced to do
online transaction and afterwards they don't receive the order.
Whenever this types of unethical activities takes place, it directly affects the government
policies because it shows that they are unable to form proper laws and policies due to which
other have to suffer (Kshetri, 2013). They are needed to make sure that they will form proper
laws and regulation through which positive result can be obtained. Here, law is not only the
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possible solution but government is required to develop proper system software through which
they can detect the person who involve in the activity related to cyber crime. But, still lots of
changes are required in law because people are able to find every alternates through which they
can easily conduct any of the unethical activities at any period of time (Yip and et. al., 2012). one
of the landmark in Australia is Queensland law firm in which cyber attack has been done. In this
firm, the hacker sent them a fake email and when lawyers opened that email whole of the
information were circulated to hacker. It is the perfect example due to cyber crime has taken
place within Australia (CASE STUDY: How cybercriminals targeted QLD law firm with social
engineering, 2018).
The main law within Australia that protects each and every activity related to cyber attack
is Cyber Act 2001 where every information is mention that when people are held liable or
counted as defaulter under Cyber crime. Some of the additional laws and acts which covers
computer offences are Crimes Act 1914, Criminal Code Act 1995, Telecommunication Act 1997
and many more (Cybercrime Act, 2001). Whenever any of the person is found guilty under cyber
crime then they are liable for the punishment of maximum of 10 years. Every year government is
planning something different through which they can reduce the percentage of crime but still
they are missing in number of situation. The main reason behind all this crime is that everyday
new technologies are being introduced through which people easily attempt the crime which they
are willing to do. It is necessary that changes should be done in some of the plans and policies
through which positive outcome can be achieved (Hsu and Marinucci, 2012). While analysing on
government policies, it is understood that they have been formulating it in suitable manner but
still they are unable to obtain the accurate result which they wants. Although, there are number
of laws and regulation through which all of the problem related to cyber crime can be controlled
but still it is important and necessary that some of the changes should be done or even new laws
should be formed through which every situations can be controlled. There are loop holes in this
laws due to which criminal don't have to suffer in number of situation. According to the report of
PwC global survey report, it has been found that in last two year also half of the organisation
situation in Australia have been hit by cyber crime and that is one of the biggest challenge from
which government have to overcome. If they will not be also to find accurate solution then they
will required to suffer from number of problems.
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The main strength of Australian government is that they prepare different plans and
policies to overcome from the problem related to cybercrime. In recent period of time, they have
formed National Plan to combat Cyber crime (National Plan to Combat Cybercrime, 2013). This
plan is very crucial in context of Australia because it allows to find exact mode of problem
which nation is facing just because of cyber crime. Secondly, they have formed State and
Territory agencies which have the major responsibility to find about cybercrime which has been
affecting individuals, business and even government policies. It has been helpful for them to
bring out the positive outcomes in Australia but still changes are required in it.
When it comes to weaknesses, there are number of segments which are needed to change
because that is the main reason government is facing number of problem every year. While
talking about plans and policies, government is able to form number of agencies and plans to
overcome from the problem of cyber crime but they are unable to execute them all (Arief, Adzmi
and Gross, 2015). Here, whenever they from policies they prepare plans and policies but at the
time of implementing it they are unable to do so due to which they have to face various problem
at in different stage. Secondly, they are unable to do amendments on the laws and regulations
which they have formed and that is one of the greatest problem which is being faced by the
government. Another, weakness which can be seen is that the maximum punishment that can be
given to individual is ten years (Manky, 2013). There are number of situation where defaulter is
left by charging them a monetary fine. While talking about some of the other weaknesses,
government is required to invest huge amount of capital to sort out this particular problem but
they are unable to prepare proper budget for that. Another one is that making people reliable to
do each and every work with the help of internet but their sites are not safe and secure in many of
the cases due to which data is not protected. These are some of the main weaknesses of
Australian government which they are needed to overcome as soon as possible so that positive
results can be obtained (Almadhoob and Valverde, 2014).
Recommendation: There are number of problem which are being faced by Australian
government just because of online offences as they are increasing day by day. To overcome from
this types of problem it is necessary for government to make some of the strict rules in which
punishment should be given according to the situation which arises in front of them. As they
have formed different agencies which has been working to resolve the problem of cyber crime, it
is necessary for them to prepare proper plans to overcome from the problem which they have
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been facing. This is help them to execute the plans and policies which they have formed through
which chances of obtaining better result will increase automatically. Data Protection Act 2014
which has been applied within Victoria should be applied within whole of Australia because it
can be one of the better option to resolve any of the problem related to cyber crime (Brewster
and et. al., 2015). When rules and regulation do not changes according to the situation, it gives
opportunity to criminal to find the ways that how they can harm other. So, by considering this, it
is necessary for Commonwealth to amend some of the laws and policies on regular interval
through which chances of cyber crime can reduce significantly (Sharma, Doshi and Prajapati,
2016). In addition, different types of awareness program can be conducted by government
through which general public can get knowledge that how can work on internet where their data
can be kept safe and secured.
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CONCLUSION
It is concluded that cyber crime is one of the major problem due to which there are
number of people who faces the problem. It is important in any of the nation that proper laws and
regulation should be formed so that any sort of problem related to cyber crime can be reduce. To
reduce the effect of cyber crime, it is necessary that laws should be amended in every short
period of time so that unethical practises can ended. Further this report concludes that it is
important to be aware about all the cybercrime for being safe and keeping all the information
private and confidential. Lastly, this report concludes that prevalence and development of
cybercrime was started with the implementation of e-commerce which supported to rise online
scams.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Almadhoob, A. and Valverde, R., 2014. Cybercrime prevention in the Kingdom of Bahrain via
IT security audit plans. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology.
65(1). pp.274-292.
Arief, B., Adzmi, M. A. B. and Gross, T., 2015. Understanding cybercrime from its stakeholders'
perspectives: Part 1—attackers. IEEE Security & Privacy. 13(1). pp.71-76.
Brewster, B. and et. al., 2015. Cybercrime: attack motivations and implications for big data and
national security. In Application of Big Data for National Security. (pp. 108-127).
Butterworth-Heinemann.
Hsu, D. F. and Marinucci, D. eds., 2012. Advances in cyber security: technology, operations,
and experiences. Oxford University Press.
Hyman, P., 2013. Cybercrime: it's serious, but exactly how serious?. Communications of the
ACM. 56(3). pp.18-20.
Kshetri, N., 2013. Cybercrime and cyber-security issues associated with China: some economic
and institutional considerations. Electronic Commerce Research. 13(1). pp.41-69.
Manky, D., 2013. Cybercrime as a service: a very modern business. Computer Fraud &
Security. 2013(6). pp.9-13.
McGuire, M. and Dowling, S., 2013. Cyber crime: A review of the evidence. Summary of key
findings and implications. Home Office Research report. 75.
Sharma, P., Doshi, D. and Prajapati, M. M., 2016, November. Cybercrime: Internal security
threat. In 2016 International Conference on ICT in Business Industry & Government
(ICTBIG). (pp. 1-4). IEEE.
Yip, M. and et. al., 2012. The digital underground economy: A social network approach to
understanding cybercrime.
Online
ACCC reveals Australians lost $260k to phishing scams. 2017. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.crn.com.au/news/accc-reveals-australians-lost-260k-to-phishing-scams-
in-2017-465535>
Cybercrime Act. 2001. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2004A00937>
National Plan to Combat Cybercrime. 2013. [Online]. Available Through:
<https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/criminal-justice/files/national-plan-combat-
cybercrime.pdf>
CASE STUDY: How cybercriminals targeted QLD law firm with social engineering. 2018.
[Online]. Available Through: <https://securitybrief.com.au/story/case-study-how-
cybercriminals-targeted-qld-law-firm-social-engineering>
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