Cybercrime Laws

According to a statement made in front of the National Assembly by Parliamentary Secretary for Interior Shaukat Ali, the Criminal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing is going to build a Cyber Patrolling Unit (CPU) to monitor what’s trending upon on the internet, social media in particular. The new initiative’s budget has reportedly been cast aside, and it slated this to launch in two to three months. Cybercrime is now one of the primary worldwide concerns, causing billions of dollars in monetary damage to the global economy. According to statista.com, the total monetary damage caused to the global economy by cybercriminal operations reached 3.5 billion US dollars, or roughly 580 billion Pakistan rupees, through the end of 2019.

With our country’s rapidly increasing internet penetration, Pakistani authorities have taken the required measures to ensure people and their data safe online. The more the individuals in our country rely on Internet services, the more susceptible they are all to digital crimes. We’ll study several kinds of cybercriminal activities and cybercrime legislation in Pakistan in this blog. In we’ll learn more about the step-by-step process for detecting cyber crime in Pakistan.

Cybercrime Categories

There are several varieties of cybercrime, which are divided into the following groups.

Hacking: is a sort of cybercrime that involves getting unauthorized access to data stored on a person’s computer.

Identity fraud: is the intentional use of yet another person’s identity. In 1964, the phrase “identity theft” was coined.

Cyberbullying: also referred to as online bullying, is a form of harassment or bullying that actually occurs via the internet.

Cyberstalking: The use of internet to stalk or harass somebody is known as cyberstalking. False charges, slander, and libel are all implicated.

Spoofing: is a hacking technique in which hackers fool computer systems in order to get an unfair competitive advantage and steal information from social contacts or websites.

Financial fraud occurs whenever someone uses the internet to steal money or deprive others of their assets.

Digital piracy:, also known as online piracy, is indeed the act of downloading and sharing digital copyright material without permission.

Computer viruses:  malicious software are malware computer programs that duplicate themselves in order to involve and spread across computers.

Malware: is malicious software developed by cybercriminals with the goal of harming people to a server, computer, client, or network.

Intellectual property rights: Stealing copyrighted content or material through the internet is characterized as intellectual property theft.

Money laundering: seems to be the practice of using the internet to launder money through various online payment methods.

A denial of service (DOS) assault: is a cyberattack that aims to disrupt the targeted server’s traffic. It stops the intended users from accessing a network resource or system.

Electronic terrorism: often referred to as cyberterrorism, is the use of the internet to carry out violent crimes. It entails posing a danger to someone or gaining ideological or political advantage.

Vandalism: refers to the deliberate destruction and damage of your online content.

Pakistan’s Cybercrime laws

Pakistan currently has three cyber crime laws in place. In Pakistan, these laws address several types of online offenses. The following is a list of them:

• The Electronic Transactions Ordinance (ETO) was enacted in 2002
• 2007 Electronic/Cyber Crime Bill
• PECA 2016 (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act)

The Electronic Transactions Ordinance (ETO) was enacted in 2002

The Electronic Transactions Ordinance (ETO), which had been enacted in 2002, was the first IT-related legislation. National legislators established these. It was an essential step in ensuring the legal sanctity and preservation of the local e-Commerce industry. A large portion of Pakistan’s cyber crime legislation was dominated by external cyber crime legislation. It is divided into 43 categories that deal with different forms of cyber offenses in Pakistan. Pakistan’s cyber crime law encompasses the main eight key elements of the e-Commerce business.

• Electronic Document Recognition
• Electronic Communications
• The Digital Signature Regime and Its Legal Consequences
• Digital Signatures
• Stamp Duty
• Certification Services for Websites and Digital Signatures
• Certified Copies: Attestation and Notarization
• Jurisdiction
• Offenses

2007 Electronic/Cyber Crime Bill

In 2007, the PECO (Prevention of Electronic Crimes or Cybercrime Ordinance) was passed. The following constraints offenses are included by Pakistan’s cyber crime law:

• Terrorism on the Internet
• Damage to data
• Electronic thievery
• Forgery of electronic documents
• Unauthorized Entry
• Cyberstalking
• Cyber-spamming/spoofing

Cybercriminals in Pakistan can present a myriad of sanctions under protecting Electronic Crimes or Cybercrime Ordinance (PECO). For various forms of Cybercrime, they can range from six months in prison to perhaps the death penalty. The laws apply to everyone in Pakistan that commits a cyber crime, regardless of nationality or citizenship.

PECA 2016 (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act)

In 2016, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) was enacted. In Pakistan, it provides a clear framework for all sorts of cyber crime. It is one of Pakistan’s cyber crime laws, and it is founded on the Cyber Crime Bill of 2007. In Pakistan, it deals with various internet crimes.

• Unauthorized Data Access (Hacking)
• Denial of Service (DoS) assault (DOS Attack)
• Electronic Forgery and Electronic Fraud are two types of electronic fraud.
• Cyberterrorism

In Pakistan, the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (PECA) enforces the sanctions mentioned below on cyber criminals.

• For unauthorized access to sensitive information systems, you could face up to three years in prison, a penalty of one million Pakistani rupees, or both.
• Disruption of critical information systems with illegal and unethical motives can result in up to seven years in prison, a PKR ten million fine, or both.
• For involvement in a terrorist attack offense, you could face up to seven years in prison, a PKR ten million fine, or both.
• Importing, exporting, or supplying electronic devices for offensive use can lead to up to six months in prison, a PKR 50 thousand fine, or both.
• For being involved in a security breach, you might face up to three years in prison, a PKR 5 million fine, or both. It might include the unintentional internet release of somebody’s personal information.

In Pakistan, How Do You Report Cybercrime? (National Response The Centre for Cyber Crime)

The Federal Investigation Agency is now in charge of the National Response Centre for Cyber Crime (NR3C) (FIA). In Pakistan, it acts as a cyberlaw enforcement agency. Whether you’re looking for a way to report cybercrime in Pakistan, NR3C is the place to go. The National Response Centre for Cyber Crime, as per its official website, has expertise in NR3C in Digital Forensics, Information Security Audits, Technical Investigation, Vulnerability Scanning, and related training.

How To File A Cybercrime Complaint Through Nr3c In Pakistan?

If you’ve been to the official website of the NR3C, you’ll notice that there’s a page devoted to reporting computer crime. You’ll be directed to the FIA web page if you click the link to that part, as shown in the screenshot. You’ll fill in all of the required information and attach any relevant documents here. This is how you’re using NR3C to file a cyber crime complaint in Pakistan.

You can contact the National Response Centre for Cyber Crime in Pakistan using the following contact information to get updates on the status of your cybercrime complaint.

Contact number: 051-9106384

Contact number: 03366006060

Helpline For Cyber Rescue

Do you want to make a cyber crime complaint in Pakistan? As a 24/7 complaint helpline, NR3C has provided another convenience for internet consumers. 9911 is the number to call if you need help with cybercrime.

Nr3c Salient Features

Let us just study more about National Response Centre for Cyber Crime in Pakistan now that you know how to file a complaint about cyber crime in Pakistan. We’ll go over some of the major characteristics listed on its website. They’ve been categorized as the institution’s achievements, such as how it combats cybercriminals in Pakistan. It also includes NR3C’s training, research, and development programs.

• Achievements
• Programs of Study
• Development and Research

Achievements

Raids and crackdowns on illegal grey traffickers with VOIP setups were successful, costing the government roughly PKR 3 billion per month.

• Thousands of accusations of cyber harassment and internet defamation.
• Many incidents involving internet fraud and scams have indeed been successfully resolved by NR3C.
• Assisted with technical details of cyber crime cases that required audio and video forensic investigation.
• Responded to a financial sector’s grievances. Banking/ATM frauds, card fraud, and internet banking frauds are all possibilities.

Programs of Study

• Law enforcement agencies receive technical training in digital forensics, cyber crimes, and information security.
• Awareness seminars and informative lectures are conducted at prestigious educational institutions and corporate companies.
• For proper interpretation of forensic data, cyber crime, legislation applications, and evidence solvent extraction, skill development training based on digital forensic comprehension is needed.
• NR3C has trained over 12,000 people from across the country to help combat cyber crime.

Development and Research

• Developed a technique to track and identify the whereabouts of e-mails from unknown senders.
• To handle forensic demands, We created software.
• Developed a computer program for tracking and managing cybercrime complaints.
• Law enforcement agencies were helped in identifying mobile phones with duplicate IMEI numbers.
• In 2010, We contributed to a research study that was studied in the Journal of American Science. The title of the article was “DataMining Methodology in the Context of Manufacturing Databases.”

Cyber Scout

Cyber scouts in Pakistan are specially trained and dedicated citizens who assist the country in fighting internet crime. They are conditions leading from a specific age group, mainly teenagers and young adults. At NR3C, they receive specialized training in order to conduct the following jobs and responsibilities.

Cyber Scouts’ Roles and Responsibilities in Pakistan

• Educate people about cyber crime and how to prevent becoming a victim.
• Assist people in Pakistan with the process of reporting cyber crime.
• Inform the public about the measures that may be taken to prevent cyber crime.
• nr3c is a place where you can share information.
• Encourage safe and responsible usage of the internet.
• Individuals should be encouraged and assisted in reporting cyber crime.
• Keep an eye on the internet.
• Encourage the proper application of technology.

Tips for Avoiding Cybercrime

Here are some helpful strategies for preventing cyber crime

Protect Your Smartphones

• To keep your smartphone safe, always use a strong password.
• Set your device’s automatic lock to “on.”
• Install an antivirus or other protection software on your computer.
• Apps should only be downloaded from trusted sources.
• Examine all app permissions.
• Don’t forget to upgrade your operating system’s security.
• Any spam links you get via email or text message should be avoided.
• Turn off your Wi-Fi connection’s automatic mode.
• Always look for “https” in the URL when browsing or purchasing online on your smartphone or PC.

Secure Your Banking Online

• Use separate PIN CODES for different bank accounts.
• For any form of internet banking, avoid using computers in cyber cafes.
• Never keep your pin code and debit/credit cards in the same place and never leave your

Computer unattended while using it to access your bank account.

• Always sign up for transaction alerts via mobile SMS and email.
• Never respond to emails or messages requesting your pin code or password.
• Type the URL into the address bar to get to the e-banking website.
• After you’ve finished using e-banking services, log out and exit your browser.
• When using an ATM, always cover the keypad before entering the pin code.
• Examine the area around the ATM to ensure that no additional devices have been installed.

Secure Your Social Media

• To get access to your account, use extra security mechanisms (security code, Login alert, etc)
• Set the login highest executive to on.
• Allow just certain individuals to see your stuff (videos, photos, tagged locations, and friends, etc.)
• Control and monitor who’s had access to your contact information.
• All search engines would be unable to find your profile.

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