Cybercrimes Prevention Tips

Cybercrimes

NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL What is Cybercrime? growth is critical to crime prevention efforts on protecting A crime committed or facilitated via personal data in public and private the Internet is a cybercrime. sectors. This also helps in the Cybercrime is any criminal activity creation of tools and strategies to involving computers and networks. It combat cyber criminals. can range from fraud to unsolicited emails (spam). It can include the Internet connected activities are as distant theft of government or vulnerable to crime and can lead to corporate secrets through criminal victimization as effectively as trespass into remote systems around common physical crimes. The types the globe. Cybercrime incorporates of crimes that are currently anything from downloading illegal occurring have existed long before music files to stealing millions of the Internet was around. By virtue dollars from online bank accounts. of the tools being used today to Cybercrime also includes non-money commit cybercrimes, criminals are offenses, such as creating viruses on now more anonymous and provided other computers or posting with a virtual market of available confidential business information on victims. The responsibility falls on the Internet. individuals to protect themselves and their families through safe Most cybercrimes cannot be placed online practices. into a single crime category, which makes statistical recording of this “In 2011, the annual cost of activity limited at best. The Internet identity theft alone was $37 Crime Complaint Center (IC3) billion dollars….Identity Theft compiles and releases annual reports made up only 9.8 of all on the statistics and cybercrime cybercrime in 2010.” (Gordon M. facts. Using statistics and facts, Snow, Assistant Director, Cyber analysts prepare reports on Division, Federal Bureau of cybercrime trends and growth. Investigation, Statement before the Knowing the facts, trends, and Senate Judiciary Committee,

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Subcommittee on Crime and checks for payment and sent the  Hacking, which is the illegal Terrorism, Washington, D.C., April excess funds to sender. access of computer or network 12, 2011.) (Source: 2010 Internet Crime Report) resources without authorization  Criminal mischief, which includes damaging or destroying Other types of cybercrimes data or information contained on In 2010, the top ten reported include the following: a network with the intent of cybercrimes to the IC3 were  Threats or threatening a person depriving the owners and users of 1. Non-delivery payment/ with fear for his or her safety or the information. This can include merchandise—14.4 percent of the safety of others through use installing malicious codes such as the sellers/purchasers did not of a computer network viruses, Trojans, and worms. receive payment/merchandise.  Child pornography, which 2. FBI-related scams—13.2 includes the creation, distribution, Cybercrime Prevention or accessing of materials that percent of criminals pose as the Strategies FBI to defraud victims. sexually exploit underage children 3. Identity Theft—9.8 percent  Contraband to include Cyber criminals are no different than were unauthorized use of transferring illegal items via the traditional criminals in that they personal identifying information Internet want to make their money as quickly to commit crimes.  Copyright or trademark and easily as possible. Cybercrime 4. Computer crimes—9.1 percent infringement prevention can be achieved fairly were crimes that target a  Money laundering, which is quickly and in a cost-effective computer or were facilitated by a transferring proceeds from manner. When armed with a little computer. criminal activity with the intent technical advice and common sense, 5. Miscellaneous fraud—8.6 of hiding the source and many cybercrime attacks can be percent of scams and fraud destination of the funds avoided. Similar to target hardening included sweepstakes and work-  Cyberbullying, which includes for a residence or a business (e.g., from-home scams. stalking, sending threatening lights, locks, and alarms), the more 6. Advance fee fraud—7.6 percent messages, altering images then difficult it is for a cyber criminal to were the Nigerian letter scam. distributing them with the intent successfully attack a target, the more 7. Spam—6.9 percent of users to harass or intimidate likely he or she is to leave it alone received unsolicited, mass  Cyber terrorism, which is and move on to an easier target. produced bulk messages. violence, commonly politically 8. Auction fraud—5.9 percent was motivated, committed against a The following ten tips are basic ways fraudulent or misleading civilian population through the that cybercrime can be prevented. information in the context of an use of or facilitated by computer  Keep the computer system up online auction site. technology to date—Cyber criminals will use 9. Credit card fraud—5.3 percent  Human trafficking when it is software flaws to attack computer was fraudulent charging of either soliciting or advertising systems frequently and goods and/or services to a Internet facilitated prostitution anonymously. Most Windows- victim’s account.  Online gambling, which is based systems can be configured 10. Overpayment fraud—5.3 currently illegal in the United to download software patches and percent of victims deposited bad States updates automatically. By doing

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this, cyber criminals who exploit might try to gain access to crash monitoring all online activity flaws in software packages may be it, delete information, or steal with the intent to protect the thwarted. This will also deter a passwords and other sensitive system from viruses, other number of automated and simple information. Software firewalls malicious programs, and can be attacks criminals use to break are widely recommended for upgraded to protect against into your system. single computers. The software is spyware and adware. To be safe  Secure configuration of the prepackaged on some operating on the Internet, the antivirus system—It is important that systems or can be purchased for software should be configured to computers are configured to the individual computers. For update itself every time the security level that is appropriate multiple networked computers, system connects to the Internet. and comfortable for the user. Too hardware routers typically provide  Protect your personal much security can have the firewall protection. (www.fbi.gov/ information—Using many of adverse effect of frustrating the scams-safety/, How to Protect the online services today involves user and possibly preventing Your Computer, www.fbi.gov/ sharing basic personal them from accessing certain web scams-safety/computer_protect) information to include name, content. Using the “help” feature  Install or update your antivirus home address, phone number, of the operating system can often software—Antivirus software is and email address. Using address many of the questions in designed to prevent malicious common sense is the best way to this area. software programs from protect against and prevent  Choose a strong password and embedding on your computer. If cybercrime. Do not respond to protect it—Usernames, it detects malicious code, like a email messages that contain passwords, and personal virus or a worm, it works to misspellings, poor grammar, odd identification numbers (PIN) are disarm or remove it. Viruses can phrases, or web sites with strange used for almost every online infect computers without the extensions. When in doubt about transaction today. A strong users’ knowledge. Most types of responding to an email, consider a password should be at least eight antivirus software can be set up telephone call to the organization characters in length with a to update automatically (www. to verify authenticity. Type the mixture of letters and numbers. fbi.gov/scams-safety/, How to address for the website in the Using the same password for Protect Your Computer, www.fbi. browser instead of clicking on a various sites or systems increases gov/scams-safety/computer_ link. Any financial transaction the risk of discovery and possible protect.) Nearly 100 percent of website should have an “s” after exploitation. It is never a good the computers sold in the United the letters “http” (e.g., https:// practice to write a password down States today come with some www.mystore.com not http:// and leave it near the system it is form of antivirus software. Failure www.mystore.com). The “s” intended to be used on. to keep this software current is stands for secure and should Changing a password every 90 where a majority of the issues appear when you are in an area days is a good practice to limit arise. The firewall monitors all requesting you to login or provide the amount of time it can be used data flowing in and out of the other sensitive data. Another sign to access sensitive information. computer to the Internet, often that you have a secure connection  Keep your firewall turned blocking attacks from reaching is the small lock icon in the on—A firewall helps to protect the system. Antivirus software is bottom of your web browser your computer from hackers who the next line of defense, (usually the right-hand corner.)

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 Read the fine print on website  If it seems too good to be true, www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/ privacy policies—On many it is—No one is going to receive cyber/cyber social networking and photo a large sum of money from a dead  Federal Bureau of Investigation sharing sites, there is wording on Nigerian politician, win a huge (FBI) for tips to avoid Internet the privacy policies that allow the lottery from being “randomly fraud www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/ website to keep information and selected from a database of email fraud/Internet_fraud photos posted to the site, addresses,” or make big money  Internet Crime Complaint sometimes indefinitely, even after from “passive residual income a Center www.ic3.gov the original has been deleted by few hours each day working out  Department of Justice- Computer the user. While this may not of your home.” Many of these Crime and Intellectual Property discourage one from posting crimes go unreported because the Section www.cybercrime.gov images or messages, awareness victim is too embarrassed to  Federal Trade Commission that this can be later retrieved and admit to law enforcement that Consumer Information www.ftc. disseminated may be a they were duped. gov/bcp consideration as to what  Turn off your computer—With  National Crime Prevention information or photos are posted. the growth of high-speed Internet Council www.ncpc.org What today may seem to be a connections, many opt to leave harmless prank can have a their computers on and ready for Also, contact your local police devastating effect on one’s action. The downside is that being department for information on local reputation several years later “always on” renders computers cybercrime issues and prevention when applying for a job or other more susceptible. Beyond firewall suggestions. opportunity. protection, which is designed to  Review financial statements fend off unwanted attacks, turning regularly—Reviewing credit the computer off effectively severs Bibliography card and bank statements an attacker’s connection—be it 2010 Internet Crime Report, Internet regularly will often reduce the spyware or a botnet that employs Crime Complaint Center, 2011 impact of identity theft and your computer’s resources to reach www.ic3.gov/media/annual credit fraud by discovering the out to other unwitting users. (FBI report/2010_IC3Report.pdf problem shortly after the data Website -Scams and Safety, How Cyber Investigations, Federal Bureau has been stolen or when the first to Protect Your Computer: www. of Investigation, 2010 www.fbi. use of the information is fbi.gov/scams-safety/computer_ gov/cyberinvest/cyberhome.htm attempted. Credit card protect) Gordon M. Snow, Assistant Director, protection services can often Cyber Division, Federal Bureau of alert a person when there is The bottom line is for every Investigation Statement before the unusual activity occurring on his preventative measure that you take, Senate Judiciary Committee, or her account, for example, you limit your chances for becoming Subcommittee on Crime and purchases in a geographically a victim of cybercrime. Terrorism, Washington, DC, distant location or a high volume April 12, 2011 www.fbi.gov/news/ of purchases. These alerts should Resources testimony/cybersecurity- not be taken lightly and could be responding-to-the-threat-of-cyber- the first indicator that a victim  Federal Bureau of Investigation crime-and-terrorism receives that something is wrong. (FBI) for cybercrime information NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL

This project was supported by Grant No. 2009-GP-BX-K052 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the SMART Office, and the Office for Victims of Crime. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not rep- resent the official position or policies of the United States Department of Justice.

NATIONAL 2001 Jefferson Davis Highway Suite 901 CRIME Arlington, VA 22202 PREVENTION 202-466-6272 COUNCIL www.ncpc.org