Com.

331: Computer Science NEB GRADE XI

Unit 8
information SecUritY and cYBer law
Concept of digital society:
A modern, progressive society that is formed as a result of the adoption and integration of Information
and Communication Technologies (ICT) at home, work, education and recreation, and supported by
advanced telecommunications and wireless connectivity systems and solutions
. Or
A society in which everything runs on digital technology where paperless and electronic means are the
norm. Process of evolution derived from the information society through the intensive use of
technologies and digital media where the internet positions itself as the information tool itself and whose
decentralized set of networks form a union in access and transmission collaborative learning.

Computer ethics or Cyber ethics:

The computer ethics or the cyber ethics are the set of moral principles or the codes of conduct, which
should be strictly followed by the computer professionals. The intention of the computer or cyber ethics is
to avoid the criminal activities through the use of computers.

Or,

COMPUTER ETHICS:- Computer ethics is set of moral principles or code of conducts that regulate
the use of computers systematically without making harm other users. It gives awareness to the user
regarding the immoral behavior and activities in the computing field.

The following are some examples of computer ethics:

i. Do not use other’s password

ii. Do not steal other’s information

iii. Do not use computers to harm others

iv. Do not disclose other’s secrecy

v. Do not spread virus in the network

vi. Do not copy licensed software, which you have not paid

vii. Do not alter other’s data

viii. Do not misuse electronic transaction

ix. Do not use computer to bear false witness, etc.

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Information security:

Information security, sometimes abbreviated to infosec, is a set of practices intended to keep data
secure from unauthorized access or alterations, both when it's being stored and when it's being
transmitted from one machine or physical location to another. You might sometimes see it referred to
as data security. As knowledge has become one of the 21st century's most important assets, efforts to
keep information secure have correspondingly become increasingly important.

Information security refers to the processes and methodologies which are designed and
implemented to protect print, electronic, or any other form of confidential, private and sensitive
information or data from unauthorized access, use, misuse, disclosure, destruction, modification, or
disruption.

Cyber crime:

The act of misusing computers, Internet or other electronic media is called cyber crime. As the use of
Information Technology is increasing, the act of cyber crime is also increasing day by day.

Or,

COMPUTER CRIME/CYBER CRIME:- The criminal or illegal activities involving the

information technology with the help of computers is known as cyber crime. It includes the traditional
crime conducted through the internet. Computer crime is growing fast because the evolution of
technology is fast, but the evolution of law is slow. While only limited number of nations has passed
laws related to computer crime, the solution is an international problem that requires a long term
solution. Some of the criminal activities are destroying data, unauthorized access to the computer
system, accessing other data or information illegally, copying and distributing software illegally, e-
mail bombing, etc.

The following are some examples of cyber crime:

i. Misuse of computers

ii. Spreading virus

iii. Stealing other’s information

iv. Pirating licensed software

v. Disclosing of other’s secrecy

vi. Misuse of electronic transaction and electronic media

vii. Rude and vulgar comments in Internet on social media

viii. Alteration of other data without permission

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ix. Cracking or hacking

x. Password guessing

xi. Forgery etc.

Protection from cyber crime:

 Think of complicated passwords, and don't allow others to access your password-protected sites
without you being present.
 Encrypt sensitive files, or keep them on a computer with no internet access, on a flash drive, or
even on paper.
 Avoid dubious sites and chat rooms.
 Never respond to a text, email or pop-up that asks for your login info.

Malicious software(Malware):

Malware, short for malicious software, is a blanket term for viruses, worms, trojans and other
harmful computer programs hackers use to wreak destruction and gain access to sensitive
information. As Microsoft puts it, "[malware] is a catch-all term to refer to any software designed to
cause damage to a single computer, server, or computer network."

In other words, software is identified as malware based on its intended use, rather than a particular
technique or technology used to build it.

Types of malware

There are a number of different ways of categorizing malware; the first is by how the malicious
software spreads. You've probably heard the words virus, trojan, and worm used interchangeably,
but as Symantec explains, they describe three subtly different ways malware can infect target
computers:

 A worm is a standalone piece of malicious software that reproduces itself and spreads from computer
to computer.
 A virus is a piece of computer code that inserts itself within the code of another standalone program,
then forces that program to take malicious action and spread itself.
 A Trojan is a program that cannot reproduce itself but masquerades as something the user wants and
tricks them into activating it so it can do its damage and spread.

Spam

Spam is any kind of unwanted, unsolicited digital communication that gets sent out in bulk. Often spam is
sent via email, but it can also be distributed via text messages, phone calls, or social media.

Types of spam

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1. Phishing emails

2. Email spoofing

3. Tech support scams

4. Current event scams

5. Advance-fee scams

6. Malspam

7. Spam calls and spam texts

Cyber Law:.

The law regarding the use of computers is called Cyber Law. It highly concerns with the misuse of the
computers, Internet and other electronic media, which are specially used for information flow. Cyber
ethics just suggest not committing computer crimes or cyber crimes but the cyber law strictly defines the
punishment in case of violation of the laws or cyber principles. Actually the cyber law is in practice to
support the cyber ethics.

Or,

CYBER LAW:-The law which is related to the internet and cyber space is called cyber law. This is
laws or rules which are formed and adopted by government or organization to control computer crime
that are performed by the people. It is important because it controls cyber crime and other internet
problems of computer.

It has the following provisions:

1. Electronic and Digital Signature Law

2. Intellectual Property Law
3. Copyright Law
4. Trademark Law
5. Semiconductor Law
6. Patent Law
7. Telecommunication Law
8. Data Protection and Privacy Law

CYBER LAW OF NEPAL:- Cyber Law of Nepal was established in 30th Bhadra, 2061 (15th
September, 2004) approved from cabinet.
The main laws are as follows:-
I. Conducts such as hacking, deleting data, stealing e-document, software piracy and posting
offensive information are capable of criminal and civil functioning under the new cyber law.
II. The government can punish cyber offenders with up to 5 years of imprisonment and or a fine
up to Rs. 50,000. However, much depends on the harshness of the crime.

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III. The law has tightened the security for banking transaction through electronic means, which
should be the electronic activities across the internet via Nepal.

Digital signature:
Digital signature is a security mechanism system used on the internet for data and information transaction
by attaching a code at the end of electronic message that attests the authenticity of sent messages.

Digital Divide:
Digital Divide is the term used for the gap between the computer literate and illiterate people. Or it can be
said that it is a division between technical and non-technical man powers in the field. IT is the modern
technology and for the use of this technology, one can have sound knowledge of computers. But still there
are a great number of people, who do not know the computers’ operations. They do not understand the
computer related terms. This difference or gap is called digital divide. First, this term came into practice
in the mid of 1990s by political speeches and news media. This division is increasing day by day in
between urban area people and rural area people, educated and uneducated, rich and poor and so on. So it
has become a global issue and governments are trying to bridge this gap.

Or

DIGITAL DIVIDE:-
Digital divide terms the border line or disparities between fully accessible to information, digital
technological resources and those people who have partially accessible to information and digital
information technology or who have not. The term is similar to knowledge divide to some extent because
knowledge divide refers the gap in living conditions between those people who can find, utilize the
information and process it accordingly to use as knowledge, and those who are handicapped in this
process. In another words, digital divide can also be defined as the troubling gap between those who use
computers and the internet and those who do not.

IT POLICY IN NEPAL:-
The IT policy of Nepal was introduced in the year 2057 BS (2002 AD). The provision of amendment of
IT policy is in every 2 years. There are 12 members in National Informational Technology Co-ordination
Committee (NITCC). There are 18 members in the National Informational Technology Council (NITC).
NITC is formed under the chairmanship of prime minister. NITCC is formed under the chairmanship of
science and technology minister.

IT policy is needed for Nepal to provide access to IT to the general people, to establish knowledge
based industry and to change the economic conditions of people.
The different IT policies are:-
I. To establish national information technology center.
II. To provide internet facilities to all the village development committees of the countries.
III. To increase the use of computer in government and private sector.
IV. To include computer education in the curriculum from the school level.
V. To make the information technology accessible to the general public and increase
employment through this mean.
VI. To spread IT in the developing rural areas.
VII. To establish Nepal in international markets in IT.

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