The development in information technology and electronic media especially from 1980’s onwards have given rise to a new variety of computer related crimes which are commonly called “cyber crimes”. The widespread growth of these crimes has become a matter of global concern and a challenge for the law enforcement agencies in the new millennium.
Because of the peculiar nature of these crimes, they can be committed anonymously and far away from the victim without being physically present there. Further, cyber criminals, have a major advantage; they can use computer technology to inflict damage without risk of being caught.
These crimes cover a wide range of illegal computer-related activities such as theft of communication services, industrial espionage, dissemination of pornographic and sexy offensive material in cyber-space, electronic money laundering and tax evasion, electronic vandalism, terrorism and extortion, tele-marketing frauds, illegal interception of tele-communication etc.
Some authorities feel that the term ‘cyber crime’ is a misnomer as this term is nowhere defined in any statute or Act enacted by the Parliament. In a sense, it is not radically different from the concept of conventional crime insofar as both include conduct whether act or omission, which causes breach of law and therefore, it is punishable by the state.
A cyber crime may be defined as any criminal activity that uses a computer either as an instrumentality, target or means of perpetrating further crime. In other words, cyber crime is an unlawful act wherein the computer is either a tool or a target or both.
The distinction between cyber crime and conventional crime lies in the involvement of the medium in cases of cyber crime. That is, there should be involvement, at any stage, of the virtual cyber space medium in case of a cyber crime.
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