Crimes in which computer systems are used as tools/instruments

a.Financial fraud
(Several sections under IPC, ITAA 2008 and other applicable laws)
Financial frauds include business frauds, investment frauds, mass marketing frauds, offering jobs overseas, Nigerian Frauds, business opportunity frauds, etc., where unsuspecting people are lured in trap by the promise of such opportunities and deceived of their money and other valuables.

b.Data modification
(Under Section 66 of ITAA 2008 and sections 403,406,408,409 of IPC as applicable)
In this crime, the criminal gains entry into the targeted system like financial systems and modifies or changes the data con- tained in a computer system. This type of crime can be committed by the authorised users (insiders) of the computers also.

c.Identity theft and its misuse
(Under Section 66C, 66D of ITAA 2008)
It is the theft of sensitive identity information such as date of birth, name, PAN numbers, passport numbers, credit card numbers, e-mail accounts, etc., for fraudulent purposes. The user may obtain the sensitive information by several means like phishing, sending some links to victim’s e-mail address and asking them to furnish confidential information, or obtaining the information through social engineering, using key-loggers, etc.

d.Cyber bullying/Stalking
(Under Section 66A of ITAA 2008 and sections 500,504,506,507,508,509 of IPC as applicable)
It is defined as the use of Information and Communication technologies to harass, threaten or intimidate someone. Cyberbul- lying can include acts such as making threats, sending provocative insults or racial or ethnic slurs, gay bashing, attempting to infect the victim’s computer with a virus, and flooding an e-mail inbox with messages.

e.Data theft
(Under Section 66 of ITAA 2008 and section 379 IPC)
Data theft is copying the data without the permission of the owner of the computer/computer system/computer network. It can be in the form of breaking into the system and copying classified and sensitive information often in the workplace/ business. The type of data can be anything like official/business communication, contact details of customers, clients, addresses, user names, passwords, credit card numbers, and other related documents.

f.Pornography
(Under Section66E, 67, 67A and 67 B of ITAA 2008 and section 292 IPC)
Pornography is posting, publishing, and transmitting obscene messages, photographs, videos, and text through e-mail, Web sites, chatting, and other forms over the Internet. Child pornography is one of the biggest ventures on the Internet.

g.Theft of trade secrets and intellectual property
(Under Section 66 of ITAA 2008, IPR laws and other applicable laws)
It is the theft of knowledge based assets and capital, trade designs, logos, ideas and innovations, material that is copyrighted by an individual or an organization. It also includes audio, video, movies, etc. Highest number of cases under intellectual property theft happened with software and its source code.

h.Espionage on protected systems
(Under Sections 66, 70 of ITAA 2008 and other applicable laws)
This kind of spying and espionage on the government systems is often done by the intelligence officials of enemy or neigh- boring countries. It involves accessing sensitive and classified documents.