ONS Reports Huge Spike in Cybercrime and Fraud During COVID-19

Fraud and laptop misuse offenses rose by 43% in the calendar year ending June 2021 in contrast with the pre-COVID 12 months ending June 2019, according to estimates from the Telephone-operated Crime Survey for England and Wales (TCSEW).

Printed by the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS), the figures additional demonstrated the extent to which crime shifted to the electronic house in the course of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in the United kingdom. There was an approximated 14% decline in total crime excluding computer misuse and fraud in 2020/21 in contrast with 2018/19.

Laptop or computer misuse offenses, defined as fraudsters hacking or employing personal computer viruses or malware to disrupt providers, acquire info illegally or extort men and women or companies, improved by 85% in 2020/21 in comparison with 2018/19, with a total of 1.8 million incidents estimated to have occurred. This was largely driven by a 161% rise in unauthorized accessibility to particular info (such as hacking). This integrated victims’ facts getting compromised through huge-scale facts breaches and victims’ email or social media accounts becoming compromised.

There was also an approximated 32% increase in fraud conditions, in accordance to the TCSEW. This appeared to be largely driven by substantial improves in “consumer and retail fraud” and “advance price fraud.” This indicates that fraudsters have adapted to new behaviors this kind of as the shift to on the internet procuring and banking during the pandemic.

Commenting on the figures, Dr Süleyman Özarslan, co-founder of Picus Security and head of Picus Labs, stated: “A 43% maximize in fraud and computer system misuse circumstances is an astonishing spike. Cybercrime is not a victimless criminal offense, and if this spike was found in an additional legal activity, it would be headline information.

“While most varieties of crime in the United kingdom have lessened since 2020, in particular during lockdowns, the similar can not be stated for on the net fraud. If anything at all, it has ramped up significantly. The study notes a 32% boost in fraud incidents and cites ‘advance cost fraud’ and ‘retail fraud’ as critical motorists.”

Özarslan added: “The study also notes a 161% enhance in ‘unauthorized accessibility to personalized info.’ I consider this signifies cybercriminals’ added focus on personalized information as a cash-earning asset. Cyber-criminals will routinely market stolen personal data on the dark web for example, credit card details with an account stability up to £3500 may possibly expense in the location of £175. Thieving personal information has been valuable business all through the pandemic.”

The ONS claimed the TCSEW presents a much better indication of laptop misuse offenses as it consists of crimes that go unreported to the police. Having said that, some specialists have criticized its accuracy as it only highlights incidents that are claimed by individuals.

Jed Kafetz, head of pentesting at RedScan, commented: “As for the 85% increase in laptop or computer misuse and hacking, I feel the crime stats are however participating in capture up to fact. The 1.8 million approximated computer system misuse offenses are likely to be a fraction of the true amount when you consider how lots of facts are missing, stolen and bought all through large info breaches in a common yr. I’m positive hacking incidents are grossly underreported because persons more and more be expecting them in day-to-working day everyday living.”

Some parts of this article are sourced from:
www.infosecurity-magazine.com