Cybercrime in India 2024: A Growing Threat

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“Cybercrime is not just a technological problem; it’s a societal one.”

India is home to around 800 million internet users and ranks among the world’s most digitally connected countries. This makes India attractive for cybercriminals. Nowadays government departments and businesses are increasingly relying on digital technology. To provide things such as education, finance, healthcare, and other government services to the peoples

The rapidly increasing internet penetration has also given rise to a huge increase in cyber attacks, from phishing to hacking of data houses. As more commerce and applications move online every day, the potential for cybercrime becomes even greater.

Cyber Crime

Cybercrime is a crime that happens on the internet. It can be anything bad from spreading bad news about someone, stealing money, or stealing someone’s confidential information through the internet.

Cybercrime in India Helpline Number

The Cybercrime in India Helpline Number is 1930.

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Types Of Cybercrime In India

Type of Cybercrime	Details
Phishing	A fake email claiming to be from a bank asking for your account details.
Malware	A virus that steals your credit card information
Identity Theft	Using someone’s Social Security number to open a new credit card.
Cyberbullying	Posting mean comments about someone online.
Online Fraud	A fake online store that sells products that don’t exist.
Hacking	Breaking into a company’s computer system to steal customer data.
Data Breaches	A company’s database of customer information is hacked and leaked online.
Child Exploitation	Creating and distributing child pornography.
Child Pornography/CSAM	Distribution of explicit images of children
Cyber Stalking	Using electronic communication to follow or harass someone.
Cyber Grooming	Building an online relationship with a minor for sexual purposes.
Online Job Fraud	Promising high-paying jobs that don’t exist.
Online Sextortion	Threatening to release explicit images unless someone sends money or performs sexual acts.
Vishing	Pretending to be a bank representative to obtain account details.
Smishing	Sending a message claiming to be from a bank or government agency.
SIM Swap Scam	Obtaining a new SIM card for someone’s registered number to gain access to their accounts.
Impersonation and Identity Theft	Creating a fake profile using someone’s personal information.
Spamming	Sending mass emails or text messages advertising products or services.
Viruses, Worms, and Trojans	Infecting a computer with a virus that deletes files.
Denial of Services (DoS) Attack	Overwhelming a computer system with traffic to make it inaccessible.
Website Defacement	Replacing the content of a website with offensive or malicious material.
Cyber-Squatting	Registering a domain name similar to a well-known brand.
Pharming	Redirecting a website’s traffic to a fake website.
Cryptojacking	Using someone’s computer to mine cryptocurrency without their knowledge.
Online Drug Trafficking	Selling or distributing drugs over the internet.
Espionage	Obtaining information illegally.

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Cybercrime in India Stats

There have been several reports which claim that India is among the world’s most hacked countries.

Expected to result in $10.5 trillion per year by 2025 The global annual cost, meanwhile, was estimated in 2023 to be $8 trillion.
In 2022, the FBI reported receiving some 800,944 complaints affecting at least an estimated minimum of over a quarter billion consumers. This is equivalent to an average of 97 victims per hour.
There would have been an estimated total of 33 billion accounts breached in 2023, with a daily average of breaches at about 2,328.

Ransomware and Phishing

In 2023, Ransomware attacks were the most worrying with some organizations that suffer from 72.7% of ransomware victims It is assumed that the costs of ransomware will achieve 265 $ billion every single season by this year.
Phishing attacks represent 80% of all reported cybercriminal activities, making them the number-one type of threat. They are also tied with healthcare as the most expensive, clocking in an average of $4.91 million per breach.

Regional Insights

The average cost of cybercrime for businesses in the U.S. is about $27.37 million U.S. residents lost $6.9 billion last year to cyber-enabled crimes, including losses through such scams as romance and investment frauds, according to the FBI’s 2021 Internet Crime Report released.
50% of UK businesses impacted by a cyber attack 2023 Businesses paid up to an aggregate of £4,200 per data breach on average in 2022 reinforcements

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Trends and Future Projections

The COVID-19 pandemic led to expanded cybercrime by sixfold. This method has previously been used in “less targeted spam attacks” and due to the global shift towards workplaces working remotely, companies are leaving themselves open for a new style of attack.

Cryptocurrency crime to exceed $30 billion per year by 2025, predicts cybersecurity ventures. We also know that the number of reported vulnerabilities is going up, with a 25% year-over-year increase seen in the U.S. government’s National Vulnerability Database between 2021 to 2022

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Cybercrime Laws in India

Law	Details
Information Technology Act, 2000 (IT Act)	India’s primary cyber law. Recognizes electronic transactions, accepts e-filings and human cybercrime is punishable increasing from hacking to identity theft and fraud. Amendments to the Act have been made and cyber-security strengthens implemented as well, with penalties for damage caused by a rise in the amount of harm through cyber attacks.
Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 (DPDPA)	The law is concerned with personal data and the privacy of individuals. It sets rules on data processing, consent, and the rights of persons involving

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Cybercrime in India IT Act: Sections and Penalties

Section	Offense	Punishment
Section 65	Tampering with Computer Source Documents	3 years imprisonment or fine up to 2 lakhs INR, or both
Section 66	Using the password of another person	3 years imprisonment or fine up to 1 lakh INR, or both
Section 66D	Cheating Using Computer Resources	3 years imprisonment or fine up to 1 lakh INR, or both
Section 66E	Publishing Private Images of Others	3 years imprisonment or fine up to 2 lakhs INR, or both
Section 66F	Acts of Cyber Terrorism	Life imprisonment
Section 67	Publishing Child Porn or predating children online	7 years imprisonment or fine up to 10 lakhs INR, or both
Section 69	Govt.’s Power to block websites	Subject to compliance with the procedure
Section 43A	Data protection at the Corporate level	Liability to pay damages for wrongful loss or gain caused by negligence in implementing security practices

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How do you file a cybercrime complaint online in India?

Identify Source:

National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP): It is a centralized portal for reporting cybercrimes in India. FIE A COMPLAIN(https://cybercrime.gov.in/)
State-Specific Cybercrime Reporting Portals: Some states have their own specific reporting channels. You are able to find your state portal online.
The Crime In Your Local Area: If the crime is serious or urgent you can report it to your local police station.

Collect basic data: While making a complaint collect this information.

Details of the incident
Evidence
Victim’s information
Perpetrator’s information:

Complete the complaint form: The online complainant will ask you for details of the incident, about your information, and if you have any evidence. Give information that is factual and complete.

File the complaint: Fill out and file electronically. Or a complaint number or acknowledgment which will help you in the future.

Follow-up – If you also need to follow up after making the complaint, with the investigating authority regarding your case.

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Cybercrime Techniques and Tactics

Technique	Description	Example
Malware	Malicious software designed to harm computer systems.	Viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, ransomware
Viruses	Self-replicating software that attaches to other programs.	A virus that spreads through email attachments and corrupts files.
Worms	Self-replicating software that spreads independently of other programs.	A worm that replicates itself across a network and consumes system resources.
Trojans	Malicious software disguised as legitimate software.	A trojan horse that downloads malware onto a system when executed.
Spyware	Software that secretly monitors and collects user data.	Spyware that tracks a user’s online activity and sends information to a third party.
Ransomware	Malware that encrypts files and demands a ransom for decryption.	Ransomware that locks a user’s files and demands a payment in cryptocurrency.
Social Engineering	Manipulating people to gain unauthorized access or information.	Phishing, spear phishing, tailgating, pretexting
Phishing	Sending fraudulent emails or messages to trick people into revealing personal information.	A phishing email pretending to be from a bank, asking for account details.
Spear Phishing	Targeted phishing attacks are aimed at specific individuals or organizations.	A spear-phishing email sent to a company’s CEO, pretending to be from a business associate.
Tailgating	Following someone into a restricted area without authorization.	Entering a building by following someone who holds a door open.
Pretexting	Creating a false scenario to gain trust and obtain information.	Pretending to be a customer service representative to get someone’s account details.
Hacking	Gaining unauthorized access to a computer system or network.	Password cracking, SQL injection, buffer overflow, cross-site scripting, man-in-the-middle attacks
Password Cracking	Trying different combinations of characters to guess a password.	Using a password cracking tool to brute force a password.
SQL Injection	Injecting malicious code into a website to access or manipulate data.	Inserting malicious SQL code into a website’s search bar to retrieve sensitive information.
Buffer Overflow	Exploiting a programming error to execute malicious code.	Overloading a program’s memory buffer to execute unauthorized instructions.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)	Injecting malicious scripts into a website to steal data or hijack user sessions.	Injecting JavaScript code into a website to steal cookies or redirect users to malicious websites.
Man-in-the-Middle Attacks	Intercepting communication between two parties to eavesdrop or manipulate data.	Intercepting network traffic to steal login credentials or credit card information.
Botnets	Networks of compromised computers controlled by a malicious actor.	Creating a botnet using malware to send spam or launch DDoS attacks.
Botnet Attacks	Using a botnet to perform malicious activities.	Launching a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack to overwhelm a target’s servers.