Fight on cybercrime

"The Internet has become an integral part of our society and economy. 80% of young Europeans communicate via social networks. But cyrbercrime increases at the same pace of our online communications". The EU Commission thus announced the creation of the European Centre for the fight against cybercrime (European Cybercrime Centre, code EC3), inaugurated on January 11, The Hague, the Netherlands, at Europol headquarters. Millions of victims of fraud. The activity of the Centre will focus on illegal online activities, particularly online child sexual exploitation, online fraud involving credit cards and bank credentials, cyber-attacks affecting critical infrastructure and information systems in the Union. "Unfortunately, few of these crimes are reported to the police and even fewer today find solution", said Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, who clarified the role ascribed to the new organization that depends on the EU. Presenting the Centre for the fight against cybercrime, the EU Commission provided data that served as the backdrop to this community initiative. "About one million people worldwide fall victim to some form of cybercrime every day. Some estimate that victims lose around €290 billion2 each year worldwide as a result of cybercriminal activities", states a report by the EU Commission. A new Eurobarometer survey shows that Internet users are very concerned about cyber security, in fact, 89% avoid disclosing personal information online while 12% of Internet users across the EU have already experienced online fraud". Potentials and risks. The web objectively is part of everyday life, it represents a significant potential in many ways, but at the same time it "carries serious risks", notes Malmström. "EC3 is up and running to help protect European citizens and businesses from cybercrime", the Commissioner added. "The Centre will give a strong boost to the EU’s capacity to fight cybercrime and defend an Internet that is free, open and secure". Cybercriminals are smart and quick in using new technologies for criminal purposes; the EC3 will help us become even smarter and quicker to help prevent and fight their crimes" against individuals and their fundamental rights (dignity, freedom, security, privacy, property, …), institutions, the media, and civil society. Crimes against people and institutions. Among the major online threats that Europol and the EU Commission have reported, and intend to fight, figure crimes against persons (firstly child exploitation and allurement, human trafficking), cyberattacks on government websites and of financial players. "In combating cybercrime, with its borderless nature and huge ability for the criminals to hide, we need a flexible and adequate response", said Troels Oerting, Head of the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3). Thus the (EC3) is designed to deliver this expertise as a fusion centre, as a centre for operational investigative and forensic support, but also through its ability to mobilise all relevant resources in EU Member States to mitigate and reduce the threat from cybercriminals wherever they operate from". Investigations into online fraud, child abuse online and other cybercrimes regularly "involve hundreds of victims at a time, and suspects in many different parts of the world".Cross-border commitments. "Operations of this magnitude cannot be successfully concluded by national police forces alone", Oerting added. That’s why "the opening of the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) marks a significant shift in how the EU has been addressing cybercrime so far". The approach of the EC3 will be "more forward-thinking and inclusive", it will "pool expertise and information, support criminal investigations and promote EU-wide solutions" at multidisciplinary and transnational level. It will "deliver high-level technical, analytical and forensic expertise in EU joint investigations". The Centre will also will also "facilitate research and development and ensure capacity building among law enforcement, judges and prosecutors and will produce threat assessments, including trend analyses, forecasts and early warnings. In order to dismantle more cybercrime networks and prosecute more suspects". The EC3 "will gather and process cybercrime related data and will provide a Cybercrime Help desk for EU countries’ law enforcement units".