CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY LAW

BLAW 2403 | Information Technology Law

By Ms. Hamisa Jim

Ext: 8403
Hamisa.jim@limkokwing.edu.my
 FACULTY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

AIM AND OBJECTIVES

• Understanding the definition and concept of IT Law

• Defining Computer Crime
• Identifying of Cyber Crime
• Classification of Cyber Crimes
• Cyber crimes other than those mentioned under the IT Act
• Cyber law and Terrorism
• Cyber offenders

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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

AN INTRODUCTION TO INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY LAW
• Information technology deals with information system, data storage,
access, retrieval, analysis and intelligent decision making.
• It refers to the creation, gathering, processing, storage, presentation
and dissemination of information as well as the processes involved and
the devices that enable all this to be done.
• The misuse of technology has created the need of the enactment and
implementation of the cyber laws.
• Today, computers play a major role in almost every crime that is
committed and each passing day, cyberspace becomes a more
dangerous place to be in.
• The anonymity provided by the internet has led to criminals thinking
they haveNo part
the freedom to execute ALL RIGHTStheir
RESERVED criminals intentions via the
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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

• Information Technology Law focuses on new legislation which can cover all the
aspects of the Cyber Crimes that should be passed known by every internet user.
• In any field of human activity Success leads to crime that needs mechanisms to
control it.
• When the internet was first developed, the founding fathers hardly had any
inkling that internet could transform itself into an all pervading revolution which
could be misused for criminal activities and which required regulations.
• IT professionals need good definitions of cyber crime in order to know when (and
what) to report to police, but law enforcement agencies must have statutory
definitions of specific crimes in order to charge a criminal with an offense.
• The first step in specifically defining individual cyber crimes is to sort all the acts
that can be considered cyber crimes into organized categories.

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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

What is considered as a computer crime?

• Computer crimes refers to any threat directed to a computer or

a computer system that could result into damages
• Examples of Computer crimes may include;
1.Any Criminals that Operates Anonymously Over the Computer
Networks.

2.Hackers Invade Privacy.

3.Hackers Destroy "Property" in the Form of Computer Files or
Records.

4.Hackers Injure Other Computer Users by Destroying Information

Systems

5.Computer Pirates Steal Intellectual Property. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

CYBER CRIMES UNDER IT LAW ACT

• Tempering with computer evidence

• Hacking
• Publishing absence information
• Child pornography
• Accessing protected system
• Breach of Confidence & Privacy

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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

CYBER CRIME
• Defining cyber crimes, as "acts that are punishable by the Information
Technology Act" would be unsuitable as the Indian Penal Code also covers many
cyber crimes, such as email spoofing and cyber defamation, sending threatening
emails etc. A simple yet sturdy definition of cyber crime would be "unlawful acts
wherein the computer is either a tool or a target or both".
• In generally the term cybercrime was analyzed into two categories and defined
thus:
• Common types of Cyber crimes include:
 Hacking

 Phishing

 Computer Viruses

 Cyber stalking

 Identity Theft

 Cyber Terrorism
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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

Computer Crimes Act 1997

• Purpose: to provide for offences relating to the misuse of computers.

• It also makes provisions to facilitate investigations for the enforcement of
the Act.
• If an offence is committed by any person outside Malaysia, he may be
dealt with as if he had committed the offence within Malaysia, if for that
offence the computer program or data was in Malaysia or capable of
being connected, sent or used by or with a computer in Malaysia.

• Enforcement is in the hands of the police.

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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

• In any field of human activity Success leads to crime that needs

mechanisms to control it.
• Legal provisions should provide assurance to users,
empowerment to law enforcement agencies and deterrence to
criminals.
• The law is as stringent as its enforcement.
• Crime is no longer limited to space, time or a group of people.
• Cyber space creates moral, civil and criminal wrongs.

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Common Reasons for committing cybercrimes

• Wider accesses to information.

• Complexity of computer system.

• Negligence of network users.

• Non- availability or loss of evidence.

• Lack of Jurisdiction leading to fearless crimes.

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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

Categories of Cyber Offenders

• Cyber offenders refers to any person that commits a wrongful act over the
internet;
• Kids and teenagers
• Most Cyber Criminals are teenagers and kinds below the age of 18 years
• Organized Hacktivists
• These are a group of Hackers who claim to have a motive to help citizens
and usually target the government, example include Pakistani cyber warriors
and Wikileaks
• Disgruntled employees
• Employees who have hold a grudge against their bosses and their fellow
workers
• Professional hackers
• These No
are sometimes hired to track ALL RIGHTS down
RESERVED any cyber crimes and they
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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

SUMMARY

• A computer crime is any act performed electronically that is

punishable by law
• Crime directed at a computer or a computer system are referred to
as cyber crimes.
• The target is the data and not the computer system parse.
• Computer abuse is a serious threat - fraud, virus infections, hacking
theft of data, unauthorised modifications and unauthorised use.

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REFERENCES
• Cyber Crimes and Real World Society by Lalitha Sridhar.

• Information Technology Act, 2000

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BLAW 2403 | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY LAW

END OF SLIDES

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