The price of oil has fallen, and the stock market continues to ping pong, but one thing unfortunately is on the rise, and according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation that’s cyber crime. Last week the FBI noted that computer spying and the theft of personal information had risen sharply in the past year. In addition to the millions of dollars it potentially costs computer users in the United States there is also the concern that it could threaten U.S. security.
While we previously reported that most hacking is still being committed domestically, the head of the FBI’s cyber division notes that as many as two-dozen countries have taken an “aggressive interest” in penetrating the networks of U.S. companies – large and small business alike – and government agencies. While the FBI didn’t disclose which nations might be trying to get a peak at American computer networks, it has been noted that Russia and China might possess the ability to peak into our networks, and could even disrupt computer systems in the United States.
This isn’t really all that surprising, given that Georgia (the former Soviet Republic, not to be confused with the southern state of the same name) recently accused Russia conducting “cyber warfare” during the two nation’s recent border conflict. It is also no secret that Russian organized crime has also been one to go high-tech in recent years.
As part of the efforts to protect American computer networks, the FBI is stepping up efforts and working with foreign counterparts as well. This is a good step, but it could be an uphill battle for now.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center, which the FBI assists in running, has so far recorded more than 1 million complaints since it was founded in 2000. Numbers are currently running about 18,000 to 20,000 per month. One thing is certain, the crime of the 21 century will likely be digital.