Discuss different types of cybercrimes and measures required to be taken to fight the menace. (UPSC 2020)

Cybercrime now ranges from petty fraud to attacks on national systems. With digital payments, cloud services and AI tools expanding fast, criminals exploit weak users, weak systems and weak coordination.

• Major types: phishing, UPI and investment frauds, identity theft, malware, ransomware, extortion, sexual exploitation, deepfake abuse and “digital arrest” scams.
• Critical threats: hacking of government portals, banking networks and critical infrastructure, often through organised transnational groups.
• Legal response: stricter use of BNS, IT Act and DPDP Act, with faster investigation, better evidence handling and stronger data protection compliance.
• Policing: empower I4C, NCRP, 1930 helpline and CERT-In; ensure quick FIR registration, real-time fund freezing and inter-state coordination.
• Prevention: cyber hygiene in schools, workplaces and villages; warnings against fake calls, QR traps and deepfakes; secure APIs, MFA and regular audits for firms.

A successful fight needs technology, law and public awareness working together. India must treat cybercrime as both a policing issue and a governance challenge.