Russian computer crime statistics

Date: July 30, 2004
Source: Computer Crime Research Center
By: Ludmila Goroshko

Russia -- Department "K" (a department on fighting high tech crimes) revealed 4,295 crimes in the sphere of high technologies for the first 6 months of 2004, Chief of the Department "K" press center, colonel of police Eugene Yakimovich said. According to his information, the analysis shows that 16% of malefactors who acted in the sphere of "computers" were young men aged between 18 and 25 years, 70% of them had high or incomplete high education. The main share of crimes relates to illegal access to information and using of malicious software. It was noted that officers of the department were quite successful in their struggle against crimes of such kind.

Statistics show that per cent of such cases solution amounts to 96%. The most notorious case discovered by "computer" investigators involved 7 hackers who stole $21m from plastic card holders. Col. Yakimovich also divulged some details on the recent operation carried out jointly with Scotland Yard to arrest a group of hackers in Russia. They used malware in order to attack sites of banks and gambling companies in Great Britain. Malefactors demanded from $5,000 up to $50,000 to stop their illicit actions. At the moment, two men allegedly members of the criminal group are detained. They were charged of creating and utilizing of malicious software (violating article 273 of the Russian CC) and extortion (article 163 of the CC).

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