What is Cybercrime?
Cybercrime is a broad term used to describe criminal activity that involves digital devices and networks. It can include everything from online banking fraud and identity theft to social media bullying and ransomware. Cybercrime attacks can be committed by lone hackers, organized criminal groups or even state actors. As the world grows increasingly reliant on technology, there has been a big rise in the volume and speed of cybercrime. The internet’s ability to reach any connected part of the world in seconds and its lack of physical boundaries makes it an attractive place for criminals to hide their tracks.
Cyber crime can affect anyone from individuals to large businesses, governments and organizations. Whether it’s suspicious charges on your credit card from a data breach or paying thousands of dollars to get your files back after a ransomware attack, the costs can be high and damaging. It can also be psychologically draining when it comes to cyberbullying and stalking.
A large number of federal and state agencies have been established to deal with cybercrime. For example, ICE has a dedicated division that deals with all cyber related issues, including data breaches, malware infections and identity theft. The Department of Homeland Security has the Cyber Security & Infrastructure Protection (CSIP) Division that works with the private sector to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. The FBI has a dedicated Cyber Task Force and the Internet Crime Complaint Center, which accepts online complaints from victims of internet crimes.