INTRODUCTION:

INTRODUCTION: 

The term ‘cyber crime’ is a misnomer. This term has nowhere been defined in any statute /Act passed or enacted by the Indian Parliament. The concept of cyber crime is not radically different from the concept of conventional crime. Both include conduct whether act or omission, which cause breach of rules of law and counterbalanced by the sanction of the state.

Before evaluating the concept of cyber crime it is obvious that the concept of conventional crime be discussed and the points of similarity and deviance between both these forms may be discussed.

 Crime is a social and economic phenomenon and is as old as the human society. Crime is a legal concept and has the sanction of the law. Crime or an offence is “a legal wrong that can be followed by criminal proceedings which may result into punishment.” (1)The hallmark of criminality is that, it is breach of the criminal law. Per Lord Atkin “the criminal quality of an act cannot be discovered by reference to any standard but one: is the act prohibited with penal consequences”.

 A crime may be said to be any conduct accompanied by act or omission prohibited by law and consequential breach of which is visited by penal consequences.

 Cyber crime is the latest and perhaps the most complicated problem in the cyber world. “Cyber crime may be said to be those species, of which, genus is the conventional crime, and where either the computer is an object or subject of the conduct constituting crime”.“Any criminal activity that uses a computer either as an instrumentality, target or a means for perpetuating further crimes comes within the ambit of cyber crime”.

A generalized definition of cyber crime may be “ unlawful acts wherein the computer is either a tool or target or both” The computer may be used as a tool in the following kinds of activity- financial crimes, sale of illegal articles, pornography, online gambling, intellectual property crime, e-mail spoofing, forgery, cyber defamation, cyber stalking. The computer may however be target for unlawful acts in the following cases- unauthorized access to computer/ computer system/ computer networks, theft of information contained in the electronic form, e-mail bombing, data did ling, salami attacks, logic bombs, Trojan attacks, internet time thefts, web jacking, theft of computer system, physically damaging the computer system.

1.1: Background

In the words attributed to the Greek Philosopher, Heraclitus, there is nothing permanent but change. These words, written almost 2500 years ago, are very true today: we are living in a constantly changing world. The most rapid pace of change that we see is in the world of computer or the information and communication technology. Over the last fifteen years, the increase in technology and the use of computer, in both the personal and business sector has increased remarkably. This technology advance has ensured that the twenty first century is the information age. With all the possibilities that the new technology offers for progress and development, the same technology can be used for malicious and criminal purposes. A couple of years ago, fishing spelled with “F” was a pleasant activity with a fishing rod or a net where you could land yourself a nice meal for you and your family. Today, phishing, spelled with “PH” is an activity with a fake website or email where one can land credit card or bank account details. We are extremely dependent on the cyber

world for both our professional and person al work. With this growing dependency on information and communication technologies(ICT), there has emerged new threats to network and information security. There is a never-growing vulnerability to cybercrime in today’s world. This is also true for Bangladesh where the number of internet users is growing rapidly and where ICT is important for the economy.

1.2 Problems

Cybercrime generally refers to criminal activity where a computer or network is the source, tool, target, or place of a crime. These categories are not exclusive and many activities can be characterized as falling in one or more. Although the term cybercrime is more properly restricted to describing criminal activity in which the computer or network is a necessary part of the crime, this term is also sometimes used to include traditional crimes, such as fraud, theft, blackmail etc., in which computer or networks are used. As the use of computers has grown, cybercrime has become more important. Cybercrime, as a transnational crime, is a global issue with a global impact. In creased sophistication of cybercrime attacks and vulnerability of information available online is a serious concern for institutions, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders

2Victims of these attacks are not just private citizens or organizations with limited resources available to protect themselves but very large companies.

1.3 Objectives

The overall purpose of the study was to identify the impact of cybercrime in Bangladesh with regard to technological enhancement. The study has embarked upon the specific objectives are to assess:

•Types of cybercrime with the profile of cyber criminals and victims;

•Impact of cybercrime against individuals;

•Impact of cybercrime against organizations;

•Impact of cybercrime against the Government;

•Necessary Legislations in Bangladesh to tackle Cybercrime.

1.4 Scopes and Limitation

Cybercrime does not know the border. The same technology that brings people of the world closer together has a darker side, making it easier for criminal or malicious elements to steal, destroy, corrupt, defraud and exploit. They do not have to be near they can do so from another country or continent. Internet technology has come to Bangladesh quite late. But, the country does not leg behind when it comes to cybercrimes. As most of the organizations in Bangladesh are very keen to use the opportunity of the internet technology, the potential threats can not be ruled out. Due to availability and comparatively cheaper prize of a personal computer, interest to use them for day to day personal business is being grown up. Considering the above views, the study was conducted at all levels (corporate and/or personal) in where ICT has arrived with its prospect. The study has suffered certain limitations as below:

•The duration of the study was very short. More in-depth investigation would have resulted better outputs;

•Lack of resources has hampered the study to some extent;

•Access to information is very difficult. In most cases, concerned persons were very rigid to share adequate information.

1.5 Hypothesis

Technology is used by both Crooks and Cops! Cybercrimes such as online hacking, software piracy, virus dissemination, child pornography, credit card fraud etc. represent new crime methods, and continue to grow at an alarming rate. These create new and severe problems that are very complex to tackle. Organizations are being cheated with a lot of money as well as information. At the same time, they are engaging huge resources to hi 1.6 Rationale

Cybercrime has already become a going concern in both private as well as public sector in Bangladesh. During the last decade private and public sector has done a revolution with the use of technical enhancement. Due to unauthorized intervention to the system, company loses huge confidential information which caused a large amount of financial lose. It has already been identified that especially Financial Institutions are in the most threading organization for cybercrime that at the same time reflects to the personal life. Some development partners has started working how to tackle cybercrime and improve effective communications. In the view above, it can be assumed that this report in general will be helpful for all concerned. In particular, development partners will be able to identify the how it affects in every arena of our country. Persons will be able to become aware having idea how it impacts to human life. Finally, policy makers will be having a clear idea on the impacts of cybercrime to all arenas that will enable to prepare and implement a comprehensive strategy or action planner it.

1.6 METHODOLOGY

By design, this is an exploratory type of qualitative study attempts to unearth the in-depth of cybercrime in Bangladesh.

1.7 Study Area

The study has been carried out in all sectors where technological intervention has already become as essential. The below table shows the organizations covered within the purview of the study:

Hot Spot Cybercafé in Mirpur. Blue Planet.Com in Dhanmondi. Global Windows in UttaraBanksiv. Dhaka Bank Private University. Eastern University. University of Asia PacificGovernment Agenciesvii. Cybercrime Unit at CID, BP

1.8 Target Audiences

In order to collect relevant information for the study following target audiences were brought within purview of the study (Appendix 1):

•Manager of Cybercafé

•Technical Experts of Cybercafé

•Automatic Trailer Machine administrator in Bank

•Students of Computer Science of different universities

•Members of Cybercrime Unit at CID, Bangladesh Police

•Members of general public

1.9 Data Collection Method

Employing the following qualitative methods has collected the relevant information:

•Literature Review (secondary source of information; journals, reports etc.)

•In-depth interviews were made with the Manager and others of Cybercafé.

•Focus Group Discussion with the students of private university.

•Key Informant Interview with the Member of Cybercrime unit.