By: ‘Manako Lethunya
Maseru- In today’s world, where everyone is connected online and ideas can travel across the globe with just a click, there is a hidden group of cybercriminals. These criminals pose a significant threat to global security, the economy and personal privacy through digital attacks. The level of complexity and size of these crimes have created a new challenge for governments, businesses and regular people to deal with.
The internet has made it easier for people to find information and tools, but it has also led to more cybercrimes happening. The Cybercrime Breaches Surveys stipulate that, in the UK, businesses had to deal with more than 400 000 cybercrime incidents in 2022. According to the Cybercrime Breaches Surveys, it is estimated that globally, cybercrimes could cost the economy up to $10.5 trillion every year by 2025.
Cybercriminals use a range of tactics, from identity theft, phishing schemes to sophisticated ransomware attacks that paralyse businesses and demand hefty ransoms. The emergence of “Ransomware as a Service” (Raas) has lowered the entry barrier for aspiring cybercriminals, allowing even those with minimal technical skills to launch potent attacks. Meanwhile, criminal organisations operate like any business, complete with customer support and online forums where they exchange techniques and tools.
Victims of cybercrime go through more than just losing money. Sergeant Sakoane from the department of Cybercrime showed cases of one civil servant who had her bank accounts drained by a phishing scam, feel violated and experience emotional and psychological effects that can last a long time. “Recovering my identity took many months, and the stress was too much to handle. It is not just about the money; it makes you feel unsafe.”
Businesses not only have to pay for recovery but also deal with the lasting impact on their reputation. According to the research conducted by IBM, the typical expenses of data breach has now risen to $4.35 million, causing businesses to deal with losing customers and a decrease in trust for a considerable amount of time even after the situation has calmed down.
Cybercriminals and experts are always trying to outsmart each other. New technology leads to new ways to protect against online dangers. Multi- factor authentication, advanced encryption methods and threat detection systems using artificial intelligence (AI) are some new tools to keep our digital information safe. Experts caution that solely relying on technology is not enough to eliminate the threat of cybercrime.
According to Sergeant Sakoane from the cybercrime department of Lesotho Mounted Police Services, human error is still the most vulnerable aspect of cybersecurity. She emphasises the importance of education and training in preventing cyber-attacks. Patrons need to understand how to spot phishing emails and also understand the importance of having strong passwords to keep themselves and their companies safe.
The department of cybercrime has undergone a workshop organised by SADC summit where they addressed issues surrounding cybercrime. The department of Cybercrime of the Lesotho Mounted Police Services went to tertiary institutes and radio stations to pass awareness about cybercrime and digital attacks to the youth and society. However, there are still limitations to tackling these obstacles because there are no regulations that govern this department and there are not enough resources and logistics to tackle cybercrime.
Cybercrime has complicated legal consequences that can be hard to keep up with as technology keeps advancing. Different areas have trouble working together to deal with cybercrimes that happen across boarders and current laws do not always keep up with how fast things are changing.
Organisations like INTERPOL and the United Nations are trying to tackle these issues, but stronger laws are necessary to stop people from committing cybercrimes and make sure they are punished. The dark web makes it hard for law enforcements to stop illegal activities because it is a hidden part of the internet where things like stolen data, hacking services and harmful software are popular. Investigators often struggle to keep up with the criminals operating on the dark web.
As cybercrime changes and grows, it is important to use a mix of methods to fight against it. This means using new technology, changing laws and encouraging people to work together more. To fight cybercrime, we need to focus on working as a community, where sharing information and good ideas is normal. This can help people and groups defend themselves better. In today’s digital world, making the internet safer needs everyone around the world to work together and come up with new ideas. Fighting against cybercrime means staying alert, being strong and working together to keep not only our personal information safe but also the completely interconnected world.