The fear online is mainly caused by the fact that this form of crime "just arrives" on one's own smartphone or computer and is not always immediately recognizable. For example, two-thirds of all Dutch people have experienced phishing emails, WhatsApp fraud or fake text messages from banks. Sometimes a phishing attempt is recognized, but a lot of people still become victims, sometimes with thousands of euros in damages. This is not surprising; cybercrime is taking on increasingly professional forms. Where phishing mails used to be recognizable by spelling mistakes, for example, they are now almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Every day, many people receive fake emails, fake requests, and links to fake websites. While traditional forms of crime are declining, cybercrime is actually showing an increase in recent years, and one click of a button can result in thousands of victims.
So are the forms of cybercrime in which computers are targeted: Ddos attacks in which organizations and companies are shut down, ransomware that prevents organizations and companies from accessing their own data. Criminals threaten that only if payment is made will the user regain access to their own data. Not to mention CEO fraud or invoice fraud, in which companies sometimes pay millions to a criminal posing as a supplier, for example.
With "the internet of things," where even the vacuum cleaner is controlled by cell phone, there are more and more potential vulnerabilities at home and at work.
Good security of digital systems is important to prevent cybercrime. For example, it helps to install available updates immediately, use strong passwords and, when in doubt, do not open an e-mail or link.
Source: https://www.om.nl/onderwerpen/cybercrime/, accessed May 2, 2024.
