Which of the following is not a cybercrime ?
- (a)Phishing
- (b)Cyber Stalking
- (c)Identity Theft
- (d)Online Chatting
Correct — D, Online Chatting. Chatting online is an ordinary, lawful activity, so it is not a cybercrime. The other three — phishing, cyber-stalking and identity theft — are recognised offences committed using computers/the internet. (Chatting can be a medium for crimes such as grooming or fraud, but the act of chatting itself is legal.)
- (a)Phishing — A cybercrime — fraudulently baiting users (via fake e-mails/sites) into revealing passwords, card numbers and other sensitive data.
- (b)Cyber Stalking — A cybercrime — using the internet to repeatedly harass, threaten or stalk a target.
- (c)Identity Theft — A cybercrime — stealing and misusing another person's personal or financial identity data.
A cybercrime is an offence in which a computer or network is the tool or the target — for example fraud, harassment or theft carried out online. The test is whether the act is unlawful, not merely whether it uses a computer. Everyday online activities (chatting, browsing, e-mailing) are lawful even though they run on the same networks that criminals misuse.
Three options are clearly wrongful acts; only 'Online Chatting' is a normal use of technology. The question rewards spotting the single legitimate activity among a list of offences.
- Phishing = fraud to steal credentials/sensitive data via deceptive messages
- Cyber-stalking = online harassment/threats against a person
- Identity theft = stealing and misusing someone's identity data
- These offences are punishable under the IT Act, 2000 (and the IPC/BNS); online chatting itself is legal
Phishing, cyber-stalking and identity theft are offences; online chatting itself is legal, though it can be misused.
- Assuming anything done on a computer/internet is automatically a 'cybercrime'
- Forgetting that a lawful activity can be a medium for crime without itself being an offence
State PCS and UPSC ask you to identify which item is/ is not a cybercrime, or to define a specific attack (phishing, identity theft); anchor 'the crime is in the unlawful act, not the use of a computer.'
Which of the following is a type of cyber-attack that involves tricking users into revealing sensitive information?
- (a) Phishing attack
- (b) SQL Injection attack
- (c) DOS attack
- (d) None of the above
Answer(a) Phishing attack
Same concept — identifying cybercrimes; this later MPPSC question tests phishing, one of the offences in this list.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which of the following is a cybercrime?
- (a)Sending an e-mail
- (b)Phishing
- (c)Video calling
- (d)Logging into online banking
Answer(b) Phishing — fraudulently obtaining sensitive data; the others are ordinary lawful activities.
- practice — not a real PYQ
A fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive data by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication is called:
- (a)Phishing
- (b)Spamming
- (c)Caching
- (d)Buffering
Answer(a) Phishing — deception to steal credentials or financial data.