Since the day the internet was created, it has changed a lot of things. The Internet has virtually touched and changed the way we work in any field. Internet is a huge network of computer networks and it has made many breakthroughs and has helped almost every field in creating a more efficient workflow. Law is also a field that has changed a lot with the advent of the internet and the rise in digital technology. Due to the presence of the internet virtually everywhere, many concerns have been raised regarding privacy, data security, etc. which has led the law of many countries in a whole new direction. International laws have also been written for digital security. Due to this, a new profession, called Cyber Crime Lawyer has emerged and many in India aren’t sure about how to become one.
A career in Cyber Security involves learning various topics of computers and networks and how to protect digital data in any device. A cybersecurity professional needs to be aware of various so-called “attacks” that are used to extract information from a device without the knowledge of the rightful owner. Prevention of data breach isn’t the only thing that is important to a cybersecurity professional, tracing the data breach to get hold of the culprit is only one of the crucial skills a cybersecurity professional must possess.
The concepts such as OS, OSI models, Network protocols, etc. are crucial to understanding the way computers and computer networks work. The fields that computers and networks work with are plenty and surpass even the entirety of the law. For this reason, cybersecurity is complicated and extends well beyond the realms of any other field. The complexity involved in analyzing computer networks and tracing back different requests to any server is very high and in order for anyone to understand the illegal activities going on in the cyber realm, they are very crucial. The law is generally broken down into two parts: civil law and criminal law. Criminal law deals with the conduct that is perceived as threatening or harmful. Robbery, murder, etc. come under the topics of criminal law. Crime in the cyber realm can only be analyzed by a lawyer if he is aware of the intricacies of cyber security and forensics.
A career in law is sought after in almost all parts of the world due to its dynamic nature. One can pursue a career in law by pursuing a degree such as LLB. A lawyer or attorney is one who practices law by interpreting and applying it to real-world cases. A criminal lawyer deals with criminal law. Due to the increasing number of cybercrimes being reported, many have considered a specialization of law in the cyber field. In the UK and US, cybercrime is very strictly monitored and many lawyers are present to advise companies regarding cybersecurity and law. But, the Indian landscape is completely different. In India, professional lawyers who have a degree in technology such as computer science call themselves cybercrime lawyers. This is not a good sign as a degree in computer science only teaches principles of computing rather than the practical intricacies involved in cybercrime and forensics.
Cybersecurity and IT professionals get certifications such as CCNA, CEH, etc. and a lawyer gets certified as LLB or LLM. In order for someone to practice Cyber Crime Law, one must be a criminal lawyer who is well versed in the concept of cyber security and forensics. Gathering and interpreting evidence is a crucial part of criminal law. Hence, without the cyber skills, a lawyer cannot practice cybercrime law. Similarly, the concepts of law and argument are crucial to actually be a cybercrime lawyer. Hence, a mere cybersecurity professional cannot be a cybercrime lawyer.
Cybercrime lawyer must have the skills of both worlds, he/she must be well versed in the practice of law and also must be familiar with all the concepts of cybersecurity and IT. One can become a cybercrime lawyer by completing an integrated degree such as B.Tech LLB, B.Sc LLB, etc. These programs teach the concepts of cybersecurity while teaching the students to apply them to practice law. The other way is to pursue a law degree while concurrently pursuing an IT certification such as CCNA or CEH, which are short term cyber forensics courses. After that, one can expose themselves to cyber cases and modern technology to be able to practice cyber law. These are the ways to become a cybercriminal lawyer. Due to an increase in the usage of cybersecurity and digital technology, cyber lawyers are crucial to companies and governments alike, hence, good exposure in both fields is necessary.
