The 2016 trends in cybercrime that you need to know about
Date: October 05, 2016Source: Computer Crime Research Center
In a report identifying eight trends in the underworld of cybercrime, Europol warned that cybercrime offences were becoming the norm and overtaking the reporting of "traditional" crimes in some EU countries.
Europol's Director Rob Wainwright warned in the report released Wednesday that "the relentless growth of cybercrime remains a real and significant threat to our collective security in Europe."
"Europol is concerned about how an expanding cybercriminal community has been able to further exploit our increasing dependence on technology and the Internet."
He added that the agency had seen "a marked shift" in cyber-facilitated activities relating to trafficking in human beings, terrorism and other threats.
Europe's law enforcement authorities had responded to the changing threat by increasing their skill-sets, Wainwright said, "but the growing misuse of legitimate anonymity and encryption services for illegal purposes remain a serious impediment to the detection, investigation and prosecution of criminals."
Yet Steve Wilson, the head of the European Cybercrime Centre, noted that there were reasons to be positive about progress in tackling cybercriminals.
"2016 has seen the further evolution of established cybercrime trends….However there are many positives to be taken from this year's report. Partnerships between industry and law enforcement have improved significantly, leading to the disruption or arrest of many major cybercriminal syndicates and high-profile individuals associated with child abuse, cyber intrusions and payment card fraud, and to innovative new prevention programs such as the no more ransom campaign."
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