Cybercrime
Cybercrime covers all criminal offenses that can be committed using information technology. These are crimes that directly affect the Internet, computer networks and information systems, or their data. In the narrower sense, it also includes – in addition to hacking and identity theft – the illegal commercial use of e-mail addresses stolen from infected computers.
For example, the e-mail addresses of people who access online services in their job or in daily life are often used as targets for blackmail. This type of extortion is growing in importance and can cause considerable economic damage. As a result, cybercriminals are constantly adapting their attacks.
Another significant risk for companies is the theft of confidential data. These include passwords, access data to bank accounts and email addresses. Cybercriminals use this data for various purposes, including phishing and spam emails. Such attacks usually involve malware (malicious software) that is secretly installed on the victim’s device and connected to so-called “command & control servers” without their knowledge, in order to steal data or carry out other malicious activities.
The number of cyberattacks is increasing worldwide, and Germany is no exception. However, many of the attacks are carried out by perpetrators from abroad, and as a result, they are not always recorded in official police crime statistics. For this reason, cooperation between companies and IT security service providers is crucial to counteract cyberattacks. The Federal Criminal Police Office publishes the annual “Federal Situation Report Cybercrime” for this purpose.