Cyber Crimes: My Device Please Don’t Make Me A Prisoner -By Micheal A. Adeniyi

Micheal A. Adeniyi

“Cyber Jailer, Please don’t make me a prisoner” Yes, whenever Nigeria decides to have a functional cyber crime warriors: I am not talking about the DSS shakara whenever somebody criticizes the government from the Wailing Association of Nigeria, I understand cybercrime is any criminal activity involving computers and networks ranging from fraud to spam to the distant theft of government or corporate secrets through criminal trespass into remote systems, even in other countries or on other continents.
Online activities are as vulnerable to crime and can compromise personal safety as effectively as common physical crimes. Lawmakers, law enforcement, and individuals need to know how to protect themselves and the people for which they are responsible, everone should also be careful of how they use their medium. I know a group of young Nigerian CSEAN (CyberSecurity Experts Association ofNigeria) are trying their best to stop cybercrimes, I think their should be a cyber court too.
Criminal are criminals but the tools used to commit the crimes is the difference.

Cyber Jailers Can Jail You if you commit any of the cybercrimes offences below

* Assault by Threat– threatening a person with fear for their lives or the lives of their families or persons whose safety they are responsible for (such as employees or communities) through the use of a computer network such as email, videos, or phones.
*.Child pornography– the use of computer networks to create, distribute, or access materials that sexually exploit underage children.
*.Cyber contraband– transferring illegal items through the internet (such as encryption technology) that is banned in some locations.
*.Cyberlaundering– electronic transfer of illegally-obtained monies with the goal of hiding its source and possibly its destination.
* Cyber Abduction: Adding people to various groups without their permission
*.Cyberstalking– express or implied physical threats that creates fear through the use of computer technology such as email, phones, text messages, webcams, websites or videos.
*.Cyberterrorism– premeditated, usually politically-motivated violence committed against civilians through the use of, or with the help of, computer technology.
Cyber theftis using a computer to steal: This includes activities related to: breaking and entering, DNS cache poisoning, embezzlement and unlawful appropriation, espionage, identity theft, fraud, malicious hacking, plagiarism, and piracy. Examples can include:

*.Advertising or soliciting prostitution through the internet. It is against the law to access prostitution through the internet because the process of accessing the internet crosses state and sometimes national borders are different.
*.Drug sales. Both illegal and prescription of drug sales through the internet are illegal

*.Computer-based fraud. Fraud is different from theft because the victim voluntarily and knowingly gives the money or property to the criminal but would not have if the criminal did not misrepresent themselves or their offering. Fraud is a lie. If someone leads you on or allows you to believe something that is false to benefit them, they are lying and this is fraud. You become a victim when you voluntarily surrender monies or property based on their misrepresentation or lie. Losing money from computer crime can be especially devastating because often it is very difficult to get the money back. Other than direct scams, fraud can include acts such as altering data to get a benefit; examples are removing arrest records from a police station server, changing grades on a school computer system, or deleting speeding tickets from driving records.
*.Online gambling.

Cybertresspass– accessing a computer’s or network’s resources without authorization or permission from the owner, but does not alter, disturb, misuse, or damage the data or system. This is hacking for the purpose of entering an electronic network without permission. Examples might include:
1.Using a wireless internet connection at a hotel at which you are staying and accessing the hotel’s private files without disturbing them because they are available.
2.Reading email, files, or noting which programs are installed on a third-party’s computer system without permission just for fun, because you can. This is sometimes simply called snooping.

Cybervandalism- Damaging or destroying data rather than stealing or misusing them (as with cybertheft) is called cybervandalism or Cheat Code: This can include a situation where network services are disrupted or stopped . This deprives the computer/network owners and authorized users (website visitors, employees) of the network itself and the data or information contained on the network. Examples:

*.Entering a network without permission and altering, destroying, or deleting data or files.
*.Deliberately entering malicious code (viruses, rootkits, trojans) into a computer network to monitor, follow, disrupt, stop, or perform any other action without the permission of the owner of the network.
*.Attacking the server of the computer network (DDoS attack) so the server does not perform properly or prevents legitimate website visitors from accessing the network resources with the proper permissions.

Here in Nigeria, according to the high-level overview of what the Cybercrime Act 2015 provides, there are things we should be aware of before DSS or or Cyber policing agents comes knocking at your door to arrest and prosecute you before the law..
Do you know the Cyber Law Bill of 2015

1.Gives the President the power to designate certain computer systems, networks and information infrastructurevital to the national security of Nigeria or the economic and social well-being of its citizens,as constituting critical National Information Infrastructure, and to implement procedures, guidelines, and conduct audits in furtherance of that. Examples of systems, which could be designated as such, include transport, communication, banking etc. To find out more about what such a plan should look like, you can check the USA’s National Infrastructure Protection Plan or that of the European Union’s.

2.Prescribes the death penalty for an offence committed against a system or network that has been designated critical national infrastructure of Nigeria that results in the death of an individual (amongst other punishments for lesser crimes).
3. Hackers, if found guilty, of unlawfully accessing a computer system or network, are liable to a fine of up toN10 million or a term of imprisonment of 5 years(depending on the purpose of the hack). The same punishment is also meted out toInternet fraudsters who perpetuate their acts either by sending electronic messages, or accessing and using data stored on computer systems.
4.Makes provision for identity theft, with the punishment of imprisonment for a term of not less than 3 yearsor a fine of not less thanN7 millionor to both fine and imprisonment. An example of identity fraud would be the individual who impersonated Pastor Oyedepo on Facebook and was apprehended by the police of recent.

5. Specifically creates child pornography offences, with punishments of imprisonment for a term of 10 years or a fine of not less than N20 million or to both fine and imprisonment, depending on the nature of the offence and the act carried out by the accused persons. Offences include, amongst others: producing, procuring, distributing, and possession of child pornography.
6.Outlaws Cyber-stalking and Cyber-bullying and prescribes punishment ranging from a fine of not less than N2 millionor imprisonment for a term of not less than1 year or to both fine and imprisonment, up to a term of not less than10 years or a fine of not less thanN25 million or to both fine and imprisonment; depending on the severity of the offence.

7.Prohibits cybersquatting which is registering or using an Internet domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else, or to profit by selling to its rightful owner. Individuals who engage in this are liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than2 yearsor a fine of not less than N5 million or to both fine and imprisonment.

8.Forbids the distribution of racist and xenophobic material to the public through a computer system or network (e.g. Facebook and Twitter, Instagram, Nairaland), it also prohibits the use of threats of violence and insulting statements to persons based on race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin. Persons found guilty of this are liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than5 years or to a fine of not less than N10million or to both fine and imprisonment.

9.Mandates that service providers shall keep all traffic data and subscriber information having due regard to the individual’s constitutional Right to privacy, and shall take appropriate measures to safeguard the confidentiality of the data retained, processed or retrieved.
Kindly beware of this crimes before you end up in the prison.

My humble device and self I trust You, I am crime free. I pray I won’t land in jail

@9jaclicktivist