Bangalore: It all may seem like a science fiction, having people or product at click of button-- welcome to the world of internet or cyber world.

While internet can be all that is cool and happening, it can be a threat too. And any harm caused via internet under the scanner of law could be considered as ‘Cyber crime’.

Cyber crimes can include criminal activities that are synonymous with traditional crimes—like, theft, fraud, forgery, defamation, and mischief; and are punishable under Indian penal code, according to Information Technology Act, 2000.

Cyber crimes can be categorized in two ways

The computer as target: here a computer is used to attack other computers e.g. hacking, virus, worms, Trojan horse

 The computer as weapon: using computer to commit real world crimes e.g. cyber terrorism, credit card frauds, pornography

Well this may all seem complex and entangled, the lack of knowledge about cyber law makes it worse still—the internet user may end up committing cyber crime unknowingly, and in that condition the law may seem too harsh.

So the government is opting lighter punishments for cyber crimes committed by teens and first-time offenders who may do it unknowingly, as reported by TOI. 

“It is important to spread awareness about cyber crime, as it may attract severe consequences” said Pavan Duggal, Advocate, Supreme Court of India. The punishments may range from a few years of imprisonment to penalty of a few lakh rupees.