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Theft of Personal Information: Internet is the main source of piracy, plagiarism, and other evil
threats relating to privacy of information of an individual or an organisation. One should be
careful enough while handling one's personal information, such as name, address, credit card

number, etc., as they can be accessed by hackers or code crackers for personal monetary gains.
Such elements can also disturb system applications by spreading virus and changing program
logics and outputs.
Pornography: This is a major issue posed by the Internet. There are many pornographic sites on
the Internet that can be found easily which could be challenging to the mental health of children.

Cyber Terrorism: It causes a serious threat to the world nowadays. Modern terrorist
organisations perform target attacks on power plants, banks, commercial areas, or buildings of
national importance. This can be conducted remotely with the help of a mobile phone and the
Internet, which are less expensive than previous terrorist threads.

Time Wastage: Although Internet provides various services to its users, yet people generally
waste time and energy in surfing the net. This can result in loss of our personal interaction with
people and it can also affect both of our socialising skills and health.

COMPUTER ETHICS
The word ethics refers to moral standards and principles that govern the conduct and behaviour of

an individual. Likewise, computer ethics is a set of procedures, values, and practices that regulate
the use of a computer connected to the Internet. Some computer ethics are listed below.
• Never steal anyone’s data or information.
• Do not copy someone's original work and claim it as your own creation.

• Never use a computer to spy on or harm other people. Avoid using pirated or suspicious
software.

• Do not share sensitive or confidential information online.
• Do not make while insulting or embarrassing remarks about anyone. Be courteous and
respectful communicating online.
• Do not use someone's computer resources without their consent.

• Do not open any email attachment received from an unknown or unexpected source.
• Remain aware and alert about various cyberattacks.

UNETHICAL COMPUTER PRACTICES/CYBERCRIMES

Internet is a vital resource to search and access data and information. It has made tasks, such as
sharing photographs, shopping, banking, and sending messages in real time easy. However, the
biggest drawback of these online activities is that our personal data is easily available on the
Internet, making it vulnerable to theft and breach of privacy. Moreover, anyone with malicious
intents can track our online activities.

Cybercrime refers to an unethical or illegal activity that involves a computer and a network.
These activities are punishable. It is important to note that in some instances, a computer is used
to commit crime, while in some cases, the computer itself is the target of a crime. This chapter
sheds light on the various unethical cyber practices prevalent in the cyber world. Cybercrimes in

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