Introduction to Computer Wrong
Computer wrongs is an activity, considered when civil wrong and crimes act simultaneously. When this act is performed by using internet as medium, then more generic term is commonly used i,e. “Cyber Crime”.
Cyber Crime includes any tort or civil wrong performed by involving a computer, as well as any criminal conduct involving a computer. Additionally, one should keep in mind that the act/law on a given subject provides the following information:
(a) whether that act is a unlawful; and,
(b) if it is, whether such wrong/act is a civil wrong or a crime.
The Information Technology Act, as would be seen in the subsequent units, divides various computer-related wrongs into computer torts and computer crimes. Computer torts lead to penalty and compensation whereas computer crimes lead to imprisonment, fine and confiscation.
Classification of Computer Wrong or in more generic term, Cyber Crime as:
- Whether computer is used as a tool to commit the crime
- Whether computer is the target for the crime.
Where computer is used as a tool to commit the crime:
Computer is any electronic device through which one can communicate to any other device using internet as a medium. When that device is to perform or communicate with unethical purpose, then we can say that computer is used as a tool to commit the crime. By using computer as a tool one can commit: Click Fraud, Cyber terrorism, Cybersquatting, Copyright violation, Doxing, Espionage, Identity theft, IPR violation, Phishing or vishing, Salami Slicing, Sextortion, Software piracy, Spamming, Spoofing, Swatting, Typo-squatting, Vandalism, Wiretapping etc…
Where the computer is the target for the crime:
There are certain crimes where the computer itself is the target, that is, to say such crimes which have evolved due to the advancement in information technology itself. The main motive to make computer as a target is either to slow down the activities by DOS or DDOS attacks, hijack the information in the form of ransomware, try to have unauthorised access of system through SQL injection, and many more reasons to have such kind of criminal activities.
There might be instances where the computer is a tool as well as the target of a crime. This kind of activity involves sophisticated crimes usually out of the purview of conventional criminal law. There is a third category as well, where computers are considered as incidental to a crime. The use of a computer is not necessary but is used to make the offender more efficient in the commission of the crime. This includes use of computers in bookmaking or drug-dealing.
I hope you understand the concept of computer wrong and also its classifications. Looking for your comments.
