In today's techno-savvy environment, the world is becoming more and more digitally sophisticated and so are the crimes. Internet was initially developed as a research and information sharing tool and was in an unregulated manner. As time passed by it became more transactional with e-business, e-commerce, e-governance, and e-procurement, etc. All legal issues related to internet crime are dealt with through cyber laws. Cyberlaw is important because it touches almost all aspects of transactions and activities and on involving the internet, World Wide Web, and cyberspace. Cyber Crime is not defined in the Information Technology Act 2000 nor in the National Cyber Security Policy 2013 nor in any other regulation in India. Hence, to define cyber-crime, one can say, it is just a combination of crime and computer.
In today's highly digitalized world, almost everyone is affected by cyber law.
For example:
• Almost all transactions in shares are in Demat form.
• Almost all companies extensively depend upon their computer networks and keep their valuable data in electronic form.
• Government forms including income tax returns, company law forms, etc. are now filled in electronic form.
• Consumers are increasingly using credit/debit cards for shopping.
• Most people are using email, phones, and SMS messages for communication.
• Even in noncyber cases, important evidence is found in computers/cell phones eg: in cases of murder, divorce, kidnapping, tax evasion, organized crime, terrorist operations, counterfeit currency, etc.
• Cybercrime cases such as online banking frauds, online share trading fraud, source code theft, credit card fraud, tax evasion, virus attacks, cyber sabotage, phishing attacks, email hijacking, denial of service, hacking, pornography, etc. are becoming common.
• Digital signatures and e-contracts are fast replacing the conventional method of transacting Need For Cyber Law