Cybercrime is on the rise, with millions of people falling victim to different types of cyber crimes regularly. With so many different types of cybercrime, it is essential to understand how to protect yourself. Taking the time to understand cybercrime and its many forms will help you avoid becoming a victim.
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What is Cyber Crime?
Cybercrime is the act of committing a crime using a computer, the internet, mobile device that is connected to the internet, and specialized software such as exploit kits and ransomware. Cybercrimes range from the theft of personal information such as bank accounts to the illegal distribution of content such as music and other material protected by copyright.
How Many Types of Cybercrime Are There?
Trying to nail down and tackle the many cybercrime types can be a difficult task. There are many different types of cybercrime, and they are often broken up into specific categories, making them a bit easier to understand.
Before diving into the 17 primary types of cybercrime, it's essential to understand how these internet crimes are categorized.
The 3 Categories of Cybercrime
The major cyber crimes that you hear about are often grouped into 3 types of cybercrime, including:
Individual
The first type of cybercrime is individual or personal cybercrime. These kinds of computer crime are committed against a single individual.
Examples of individual cybercrime include hacking an email account to steal a person's personal information, sending annoying spam emails to a person's email account, and using a person's webcam to spy on them.
Property
The second type of cybercrime is property cybercrime. These types of computer crimes are committed against a person's property, including their computer, mobile device, and other connected devices.
Examples include ransomware, which is malicious software that steals a person's files and holds them hostage, demanding money in exchange for access to the files; stealing a person's identity and using it to commit other crimes; and disrupting a person's internet connection, such as by causing denial-of-service attacks.
Government
The third and final type of cybercrime is government cybercrime. These types of internet crimes are committed against a government, including the federal government, state governments, and local governments.
Examples of government cybercrime include planting malicious software on a government network to steal data or disrupt the network; stealing government data such as tax returns, which is a federal crime; and causing a denial-of-service attack on a government website, such as the IRS website.
What Are the Different Types of Cybercrime? Full List of Cyber Crimes You Need to Know About
Cybercrime is a serious issue, and most of us have been affected by it in some way, with reports stating that cybercrime has been up by approximately 600% since the onset of the pandemic.
One of the best ways to protect yourself from internet crime is to be aware of the different types of cybercrime. This way, you can stay safe, protect your identity and personal information, and keep other pertinent data secure.
Below are 17 of the most common types of cybercrime:
1. AI-Powered Attacks
AI-powered cybercrime attacks are a form of cybercrime that utilizes artificial intelligence to attack a person. These attacks can be used to steal a person's personal data or even cause disruptive cyberattacks.
Examples can include AI-enabled phishing attacks, data poisoning, and AI-powered malware attacks.
2. Computer Vandalism
Computer vandalism is the act of damaging a person's computer through malicious software. This can include disabling systems, causing files to become corrupted, stealing confidential information, and even causing a system to crash.
Most computer vandalism is committed using a virus or malware designed to damage a computer system.
3. Copyright Infringement
Copyright infringement is stealing or sharing copyrighted materials without the owner's permission. The biggest example of copyright infringement is the act of sharing copyrighted music, videos, and other content through file-sharing sites.
Copyright infringement cybercrimes occur when someone illegally downloads copyrighted content, such as when someone uses a BitTorrent client to download music and movies illegally.
4. Cross-Site Scripting
Cross-site scripting, or XSS, is one of the types of internet crime in which a hacker injects malicious code into a website. This code is designed to steal a website visitor's data, such as their usernames and passwords.
One recent example involved British Airways, which faced a data breach in 2018, affecting roughly 380,000 booking transactions and putting thousands of customers’ sensitive data at risk.
5. Cyber Harassment
Another one of the most common in this list of computer crimes is cyber harassment. This occurs when a person uses technology to cause someone else stress, often using offensive language or images. This can be done through text or email by sending unwanted messages such as harassing sexual or violent messages.
Examples of cyber harassment include sending threatening messages or sharing intimate photos without a person's consent. Cyber harassment is often used as a form of bullying.
6. Cyber/Typosquatting
Cyber/typosquatting is using a website or domain name similar to a person's or company name to dupe people into thinking it is them. This often occurs with the intent to steal a person's name or company name, which can be used to steal sensitive information, such as usernames and passwords.
7. Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is often used to describe the act of stalking a person online, such as by repeatedly sending them unwanted messages or using the internet to track their location.
8. Cyberterrorism
Cyberterrorism is the act of using the internet to cause harm and damage, often in a way that causes mass panic or fear. Examples of cyberterrorism include a person using a computer to cause a power outage, such as using a virus or the internet to hack into a government database.
9. Denial of Service (DoS)
Denial of service (DoS) cyberattacks are designed to make a website or other online service unavailable or unusable to other users. This is often accomplished by flooding a website with requests, causing it to slow down or crash.
Examples of denial of service cyberattacks include a person using a computer or a botnet to send a large number of requests to a website to overload its servers.
10. Distribution of Child Pornography/Human Trafficking
Cyberattacks involving the distribution of child pornography and human trafficking are illegal methods of using the internet to exploit people for sexual exploitation or labor.
These cybercrimes are considered severe and can result in extensive prison sentences, as was the case for a 29-year-old Mexican national sentenced in West Palm Beach federal court to 25 years in prison for his role in a child sexual exploitation case.
11. Drive-By Attacks
Drive-by cyberattacks are a form of cybercrime in which someone hacks into a website or computer system and then uses that access to launch a series of coordinated cyberattacks against another person or entity without the victim’s knowledge.
12. Eavesdropping Attacks
Eavesdropping cyberattacks are the act of secretly monitoring another person's online activities. These cyberattacks often occur through the use of a trojan or spyware, which is used to intercept a person's online communications, such as through the use of keyloggers and other spyware.
13. Insider Threats
Insider cyberattacks are a form of cybercrime in which employees use their access to a company's computer system and other resources to damage or steal from the company.
14. Malware
Malware is short for “malicious software,” which is a term used to describe programs designed to cause harm. Examples of malware include viruses, worms, spyware, and adware. Unlike other kinds of cybercrime, such as theft or fraud, malware is designed to cause damage and harm to a computer system or the data it contains.
15. Online Libel/Slander
Online libel/slander is the act of posting false information about another person online with the intent of causing emotional distress or harm. It is often used to describe the posting of false information about a person in a public forum, such as a social media page, with the intent of causing emotional distress to the person, such was the case in the Aflalo v. Weiner case where Alfalo filed a lawsuit alleging Florida defamation per se and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Weiner.
16. Phishing
Phishing is a form of cybercrime in which someone uses the internet to try and trick someone else into giving them their login information, often using a fake website or email.
17. Ransomware
Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a computer or files and then demands payment in exchange for the computer or files to be decrypted. Ransomware is often used to hold a computer or files hostage until the victim pays a ransom.
Need Help With Any of These Types of Cyber Crimes?
If you're worried about falling victim to internet crime, you should familiarize yourself with these different types of cybercrime and learn how they work. This way, you'll be better equipped to protect yourself from a future attack.
If you believe you've been a victim of any of these types of cybercrime, reach out to Cueto Law Group today and let our team help you navigate the roads ahead.
Key Takeaways on the Different Kinds of Cyber Crime
In today's world, cybercrime is a pandemic that affects billions of people around the world. The internet has opened up many new opportunities for people to make money. Unfortunately, it has also opened up many new opportunities for crooks to get away with committing crimes without being held accountable.
If you've been victimized by cybercrime or accused of cybercrime, there are many ways to seek justice, including seeking the help of a cyber crime defense attorney. They can help you understand your rights and what you can do to protect yourself moving forward.
FAQs
Still have a few questions about the different types of cybercrime? Here are some answers to our most frequently asked questions:
What Are the Most Common Cybercrimes?
The most common forms of digital crime include malware attacks, phishing attacks, and distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS). Other common cybercrimes fall under the 3 types of cybercrimes: personal/individual, property, and government attacks. These attacks can be committed by a single individual or a group of internet criminals.
What Are the Different Types of Cyber Criminals?
There are three main types of cybercriminals: lone cybercriminals, organized crime, and state-sponsored cybercrime. Lone cyber attackers are internet criminals who operate without the help of others. Organized cybercrime is committed by groups of cybercriminals. State-sponsored cybercrime is committed by a government or some other type of institutional organization.
Which Country Has the Highest Rate of Cyber Crime?
The country with the highest rate of cybercrime is the United States, with an average of 156 significant cyberattacks between 2006-2020. In second place is the United Kingdom, with an average of 57 cyberattacks, with India coming in third with an average of 23 attacks.
