Internet crime under attack

Date: February 25, 2004
Source: Computer Crime Research Center
By: Ludmila Goroshko

It is quite indicative that role of additional incentives in growing attention of governments to regulating virtual entrepreneurship was in not economical achievements and successes, but in doubly negative phenomena - mass attack of the internet crime and rise of international terrorism. Regular losses of global economy are enumerated by 10 digit sums in hard currencies. Not only men in the street, but most politicians, economists, business men and also experts analysts after 11 September disaster hastened to announce the Internet to be at least one of most actual tools of international terrorism if not even the ally of it.

Special anxiety of law enforcement bodies of Russia and Ukraine is conditioned, first of all, by creation of so called "financial" fraudulent schemes using the Internet. Here false companies hire staff through the Internet - holders of credit cards with obligatory initial fee. Then "significant monetary funds" are virtually transferred to these cards and then these cards are used for purchasing of non-existing items in the Internet stores or auctions. Afterwards malefactors cancel all operations, money on cards is withdrawn, the companies disappear.

Cyber Terror Response Center experts inform that number of filed criminal cases on facts of computer crimes and internet crimes in 2003 year increased up to 60000. It is nearly 500 times greater than in 1997 year (only 100 cases on such internet crimes). According to analysts' forecasts, about 1 billion computers will be connected to the Internet by 2005. At once there are billions of websites placed in the Internet. The volume of data transmitted via the Internet is doubling each 4 months. Today we can emphasize real dependence of developed countries on assurance of international information infrastructure.

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