Cybercrime

Definitions

European Definitions

EU DG Home Affairs

Cybercrime consists of criminal acts that are committed online by using electronic communications networks and information systems. It is a borderless problem that can be classified in three broad definitions:
1. Crimes specific to the Internet, such as attacks against information systems or phishing (e.g. fake bank websites to solicit passwords enabling access to victims' bank accounts).
2. Online fraud and forgery. Large-scale fraud can be committed online through instruments such as identity theft, phishing, spam and malicious code.
3. Illegal online content, including child sexual abuse material, incitement to racial hatred, incitement to terrorist acts and glorification of violence, terrorism, racism and xenophobia.

Note: a 4^th elements exists: cybercrimes affecting the physical world through unauthorised use of Process Control Systems and IoT.

ECA

Cybercrime: Various criminal activities involving computers and IT systems as either a primary tool or primary target. These activities include: traditional offences (e.g. fraud, forgery and identity theft); content-related offences (e.g. online distribution of child pornography or incitement to racial hatred); and offences unique to computers and information systems (e.g. attacks against information systems, denial of service attacks and malware).

[BG] Киберпрестъпност: Различни престъпни дейности, в които компютри и ИТ системи са или основен инструмент, или основна цел. Тези дейности включват: традиционни престъпления (например измами, фалшифициране и кражба на самоличност); престъпления, свързани със съдържанието (например онлайн разпространение на детска порнография или подбуждане към расова омраза); и престъпления, които са възможни само при компютри и информационни системи (например атаки срещу информационни системи, редизвикване на отказ на услуга и зловреден софтуер)

[CS] Kyberkriminalita: Různé trestné činnosti zahrnující počítače a informační systémy jako primární nástroj nebo primární cíl. Mezi tyto činnosti patří: tradiční trestné činy (např. podvody, padělání a krádež totožnosti), trestné činy související s obsahem (např. distribuce dětské pornografie on-line nebo podněcování k rasové nenávisti) a trestné činy specifické pro počítače a informační systémy (např. útoky na informační systémy, útoky odepření služby a malware).

[DE] Cyberkriminalität: Unterschiedliche kriminelle Aktivitäten, bei denen Computer und IT-Systeme entweder Hauptinstrument oder Hauptziel sind. Diese Aktivitäten umfassen herkömmliche Straftaten (z. B. Betrug, Fälschung und Identitätsdiebstahl), inhaltsbezogene Straftaten (z. B. Verbreitung von kinderpornografischem Material im Internet, Anstachelung zum Rassismus) und Straftaten, die nur über Computer und Informationssysteme möglich sind (z. B. Angriffe auf Informationssysteme, Überlastungsangriffe und Schadprogramme).

[DK] Cyberkriminalitet: Forskellige kriminelle aktiviteter, hvor computere og IT-systemer enten er de primære værktøjer eller de primære mål. Der kan være tale om traditionelle forbrydelser (f.eks. svig, forfalskning og identitetstyveri), indholdsrelaterede forbrydelser (f.eks. onlinedistribution af børnepornografi eller tilskyndelse til racehad) og forbrydelser, der udelukkende vedrører computere og informationssystemer (f.eks. systemangreb, denial of service-angreb og malware).

[ES] Ciberdelincuencia: Distintas actividades delictivas en las que están implicados ordenadores y sistemas informáticos como herramienta u objetivo principal y que comprenden las siguientes: delitos tradicionales (por ejemplo, fraude, falsificación y usurpación de identidad), delitos relacionados con los contenidos (por ejemplo, distribución en línea de pornografía infantil o incitación al odio racial) y delitos exclusivos de ordenadores y sistemas de información (por ejemplo, ataques contra los sistemas de información, ataques de enegación de servicio o programas maliciosos).

[NE] Cybercriminaliteit: Verschillende criminele activiteiten met computers en IT-systemen als primaire tool of als primair doelwit. Het gaat hierbij onder meer om activiteiten als traditionele strafbare feiten (bijv. fraude, vervalsing en identiteitsdiefstal), met inhoud verband houdende strafbare feiten (bijv. de onlinedistributie van kinderporno of het aanzetten tot rassenhaat), en strafbare feiten die alleen voorkomen in verband met computers en informatiesystemen (bijv. aanvallen op informatiesystemen, denial of service-aanvallen en malware).

International Definitions

Interpol

‘Pure cybercrime’ refers to crimes against computers and information systems, where the aim is to gain unauthorized access to a device or deny access to a legitimate user.

National Definitions

Albania

Krim kibernetik – konsiderohet ndërhyrje e paautorizuar drejt dhe/ose përmes përdorimit të TIK, penalizimi për të cilin rregullohet në Kodin Penal të Republikës së Shqipërisë.

Australia

Cybercrime refers to crimes directed at computers, such as illegally modifying electronic data or seeking a ransom to unlock a computer affected by malicious software.

It also includes crimes where computers facilitate an existing offence, such as online fraud or online child sex offences.

Austria

Cyber crime is defined as computer offences under the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995 (Part 10.7) which involve the unauthorised access to, modification or impairment of electronic communications.

Cyberkriminalität umfasst rechtswidrige Angriffe aus dem Cyber Raum auf oder mittels IKTSystemen, die strafrechtlich oder verwaltungsstrafrechtlich normiert sind und umfasst somit jede Form von Straftaten, die mit Hilfe von Informationstechnologien und Kommunikationsnetzen begangen werden. Auch die Internetkriminalität zählt dazu.

Belize

Cybercrime: Is a crime that either uses services or applications in cyberspace are to carry out a crime or are themselves the targets of crime.

Bermuda

Cybercrime: criminal activity (such as fraud, theft, or distribution of child pornography) committed using a computer - especially to illegally access, transmit, or manipulate data.

Botswana

Cyber crime refers to crime that involves use of a computer and/or network. It could either be in an instance where a computer is used in the commission of crime or where the computer is the target of the crime.

Bulgaria

Кибер престъпление – престъпни цели (действия), които се определят в качеството на такива в националното и/или международното законодателство насочени към и/или използващи кибер пространството.

Cameroon (Cameroun)

Cybercriminalité: ensemble des infractions s’effectuant à travers le cyberspace par d’autres moyens que ceux habituellement mis en œuvre, et de manière complémentaire à la criminalité classique.

Canada

Cybercrime: A crime committed with the aid of, or directly involving, a data processing system or computer network. The computer or its data may be the target of the crime or the computer may be the tool with which the crime is committed.

Cybercrime: Délit commis à l'aide d'un système informatique ou d'un réseau d'ordinateurs ou les impliquant directement. L'ordinateur ou ses données peuvent être la cible du délit ou l'ordinateur peut être l'instrument de perpétration du délit.

Cybercrime is a crime committed with the aid of, or directly involving, a data processing system or computer network (ISO/IEC 2382-8: 1998). Cybercrime can include the destruction, disclosure or modification of data, the theft of physical or intellectual property, computer services, passwords or credit card numbers, a denial of service attack or fraud.

Délit commis à l’aide d’un système informatique ou d’un réseau d’ordinateurs ou les impliquant directement (ISO/CEI 2382-8:1998). Un crime cybernétique peut comprendre la destruction, la divulgation ou la modification de données, le vol de biens physiques, de propriété intellectuelle, de services d’ordinateur, de mots de passe ou de numéros de cartes de crédit, le déclenchement d’une attaque entraînant un refus de service ou la fraude.

Chile

Cibercrimen: son los actos delictuales donde el ciberespacio es el objeto del delito o su principal herramienta para cometer ilícitos contra individuos, organizaciones, empresas o gobiernos.

Colombia

Ciberdelincuencia: Acciones ilícitas que son cometidas mediante la utilización de un bien o servicio informático. (Ministerio de Defensa de Colombia).

Cibercrímen (delito cibernético): conjunto de actividades ilegales asociadas con el uso de las Tecnologías de la Información y las Comunicaciones, como fin o como medio.

Costa Rica

Ciberdelincuencia: Conjunto de personas y organizaciones que cometen delitos mediante la Internet o alguna red de computadoras.

Czech Republic

Počítačová kriminalita / Kybernetická kriminalita: Zločin spáchaný pomocí systému zpracování dat nebo počítačové sítě nebo přímo s nimi spojený.

Computer crime / Cyber crime: Crime committed using a data processing system or computer network or directly related to them.

Kybernetická kriminalita: Trestná činnost, v níž figuruje určitým způsobem počítač jako souhrn technického a programového vybavení (včetně dat), nebo pouze některá z jeho komponent, případně větší množství počítačů samostatných nebo propojených do počítačové sítě, a to buď jako předmět zájmu této trestné činnosti (s výjimkou té trestné činnosti, jejímž předmětem jsou popsaná zařízení jako věci movité) nebo jako prostředí (objekt) nebo jako nástroj trestné činnosti.

Cyber crime: Criminal activity in which a computer appears in some way as an aggregate of hardware and software (including data), or only some of its components may appear, or sometimes a larger number of computers either standalone or interconnected into a computer network appear, and this either as the object of interest of this criminal activity (with the exception of such criminal activity whose objects are the described devices considered as immovable property) or as the environment (object) or as the instrument of criminal activity.

Informační kriminalita: Trestná činnost, pro kterou je určující vztah k software, k datům, respektive uloženým informacím, respektive veškeré aktivity, které vedou k neautorizovanému čtení, nakládání, vymazání, zneužití, změně nebo jiné interpretaci dat.

Info-crime: Criminal activity with a determined relation to software, data, more precisely to stored information, more precisely all activities resulting in unauthorized reading, handling, erasing, abusing, changing or other data interpreting.

Eswatini

Cybercrime: Crimes that can only be committed through the use of ICT devices where the devices are both the tool for the crime and target of the crime and traditional crimes which can be increased in scale and reach by the use of computers, computer networks or any other forms of ICTs.

France

Cybercriminalité: Actes contrevenants aux traités internationaux ou aux lois nationales, utilisant les réseaux ou les systèmes d’information comme moyens de réalisation d’un délit ou d’un crime, ou les ayant pour cible.

Acts contravening international treaties and national laws, targeting networks or information systems, or using them to commit an offence or crime.

Germany

Cyberkriminelle: Die Motivation von Cyberkriminellen ist es, mithilfe der Informationstechnik auf illegalen Wegen Geld zu verdienen.

Guatemala

Cibercrimen: Es toda aquella actividad que involucra el uso de tecnologías de información y comunicaciones con la finalidad de cometer actos ilegales en contra de personas, instituciones o Estados. Fuente: OF 000600 CB/2520 16016355 Ministerio de la Defensa

Indonesia

Illegal contents/cyber crime: kejahatan ini dilakukan dengan memasukkan data atau informasi ke internet tentang sesuatu yangtidak benar, tidak etis dan dapat dianggap melanggar hukum atau mengganggu ketertiban umum.

Italy

CRIMINALITA` INFORMATICA: Reato introdotto con la Legge n.547/1993, attraverso l`estensione della nozione di violenza sulle cose (art. 392 c.p.) all`alterazione, modifica o cancellazione di un programma informatico.

Jamaica

Cybercrime – is a crime in which a computer is the object of the crime or is used as a tool to commit an offence.

Jordan

Cyber-dependent crime (crimes that can only be committed through the use of ICT devices, where the devices are both the tool for committing the crime and the target of the crime); or cyber–enabled crime (crimes that may be committed without ICT devices, like financial fraud, but are changed significantly by use of ICT in terms of scale and reach).

Kenya

‘Cybercrime’ according to the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), ‘cyber-crime’ refers to a harmful activity executed by an individual or a group, through computers, Information Technology (IT) systems and/or the internet and targeting the computers, IT infrastructure or internet presence of another entity.

Kuwait

اجلرمية االلكرتونية: هي �صلوك غري م�صروع، غري أخالقي أو غري مرخ�ص به، وهي امتداد للن�صاط الإجرامي العادي وترتكب عرب الف�صاء االلكرتوين با�صتخدام الو�صائل غري التقليدية ب�صورة مكملة للجرمية العادية، وللجرمية االلكرتونية

Electronic crime: illegal, unethical or unauthorized conduct, and is an extension of the normal criminal activity that conducted via cyberspace using non-traditional methods to complement the ordinary crime.

Cybercrime has several types including:

1. Cybercrime that targets individuals, aimed to obtain illegally on the electronic identity of individuals, such as email and password, or impersonation electronically, or drag photos and important files from victim’s device to threaten him and request orders.
2. Cybercrime that targets government and private agencies, destroying important files, data or proprietary software, by sending malware to the user’s computer and in a variety of ways like electronic mails.
3. Cybercrime that targets Governments, the pirate attacks government official websites and network systems aiming to damage the website, the infrastructure of the site, the network system or destroy all aforementioned. Or it may target military sites for some States to steal data relating to State security.
4. Other crimes such as fraud, theft, extortion, theft of electronic information and use them illegally, cursing and swearing, slander, and cyber terrorism.

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Lebanon

Cybercrime: Crimes that use computer networks or devices to advance other ends include: Fraud and identity theft (although this increasingly uses malware, hacking or phishing, making it an example of both "computer as target" and "computer as tool" crime) Information warfare.

Mexico

Ciberdelincuencia: ​Actividades que llevan a cabo individuo(s) realiza(n) que utilizan como​ ​medio​ ​o​ ​como​ ​fin​ ​a​ ​las​ ​Tecnologías​ ​de​ ​la​ ​información​ ​y​ ​comunicación.

Delitos cibernéticos o Ciberdelitos. ​Acciones delictivas que utilizan como medio o como fin a las tecnologías de la información y comunicación y que se encuentran tipificados​ ​en​ ​algún​ ​código​ ​penal​ ​u​ ​otro​ ​ordenamiento​ ​nacional.

Morocco

Cybercriminalité: Toutes les infractions pénales susceptibles de se commettre sur ou au moyen d’un système informatique généralement connecté à un réseau.

Cyberattacks: Malicious acts against a computer device, usually via a telecommunications network.

Netherlands

Cybercrime/cybercriminaliteit: Hierbij kan onderscheid worden gemaakt tussen cybercrime in enge zin (computer-focused) en cybercrime in ruime zin (computer-assisted en computer-enabled):
• Computer-focused crime: ICT is hierbij het doelwit van aanvallen met behulp van ICT, bijv. hacking, DDoS-aanvallen en ransomware.
• Computer-assisted crime: criminaliteit die voorheen analoog, maar nu hoofdzakelijk digitaal wordt gepleegd, bijv. CEO-fraude
• Computer-enabled crime: analoge criminaliteit die alleen maar in de fysieke wereld kan bestaan, maar waarvan delen van de modus operandi ondersteund worden door ICT. Zo kunnen drugs wel digitaal verhandeld worden, maar niet digitaal gesmokkeld of geconsumeerd. In toenemende mate zijn zo alle vormen van criminaliteit in zekere zin computer-enabled.
Alle vormen van cybercrime kunnen een meer of minder geavanceerd karakter hebben.

Cybercrime: vorm van criminaliteit gericht op ict of de informatie die een ict-systeem verwerkt.

Er zijn verschillende soorten cybercrime: (1) in enge zin, een vorm van criminaliteit met ict als doelwit (high tech crime); (2) een vorm van criminaliteit waarbij voor de uitvoering het gebruik van ict van overwegende betekenis is (cybercriminaliteit); (3) in brede zin, iedere vorm van (traditionele) criminaliteit waarbij gebruik wordt gemaakt van ict (gedigitaliseerde criminaliteit).

Computercriminaliteit: Het misbruik waarbij ICT specifiek als doel én als middel worden ingezet.

Computercriminaliteit is hightech crime in enge zin. Het betreft misdrijven die niet zonder tussenkomst of gebruik van computers of netwerken gepleegd kunnen worden (computervredebreuk, hacking, verspreiding van computervirussen).

New Zealand

Cybercrime: Crimes that are committed through the use of computer systems, and are directed at computer systems. Examples include producing malicious software, denial of service attacks, and phishing.

Cybercrime has two elements:
(1) A criminal act that can only be committed through the use of ICT or the Internet and where the computer or network is the target of the offence. This is regardless of what the criminal goal is – whether political or financial gain, espionage or any other reason. Examples of cybercrime include producing malicious software, network intrusions, denial of service attacks and phishing.
(2) Cyber-enabled crime is any criminal act that could be committed without ICT or the Internet, but is assisted, facilitated or escalated in scale by the use of technology. This includes a vast amount of serious and organised crime, such as cyber-enabled fraud or the distribution of child exploitation material.

Cyber crime (or computer crime) is any crime where information and communications technology is: (1) used as a tool in the commission of an offence, (2) the target of an offence, (3) a storage device in the commission of an offence.

Nicaragua

Cibercriminalidad o Cibercrimen: Capacidad de acceder sin previo consentimiento a información y datos que son propiedad de gobiernos, personas o empresas.

Nigeria

Cybercrime: Cybercrime is criminal activity undertaken using computers and the Internet.

North Macedonia

Сајбер криминал – опфаќа противправни активности кои се вршат во сајбер просторот, односно криминал кој може да се изврши само преку користење на ИКТ уреди и системи, каде што уредите и системите или се користат како средства за извршување на криминал, или се примарни цели на криминалните активности; или криминал овозможен од сајбер просторот, како што се традиционалните криминални активности и материјали за злоупотреба на деца, што се зголемува со сè поголемото користење на компјутерите, компјутерските мрежи или други форми на ИКТ.

Oman

Cyber Crimes: The crimes which are referred to in this law.

Papua New Guinea

Cybercrime is any criminal activity that involves a computer, networked device or a network. Cybercrime can include many different types of profit-driven criminal activity, including ransomware attacks, email and internet fraud and identity fraud, as well as attempts to steal financial account, credit card or other payment card information.

Philippines

Cybercrime - Criminal activities carried out through the use of information and communication networks, especially the internet.

Portugal

[Definição] Crime Informático – Atos criminosos cometidos cometidos on-line utilizando redes de comunicação eletrónicas e sistemas de informação.

Cibercrime: Factos correspondentes a crimes previstos na Lei do Cibercrime e ainda a outros ilícitos penais praticados com recurso a meios tecnológicos, nos quais estes meios sejam essenciais à prática do crime em causa.

Qatar

Cyber Crime: Misconduct or crime committed using technology.

الجريمة الاإلك�ت ونية - ي القانــو�ني للأنظمــة � ســوء الســلوك أو الجريمــة المرتكبــة باســتخدام تكنولوجيــا المعلومــات والاتصــالات. عــلى ســبيل المثــال، الوصــول غــ أو المعلومــات أو الاحتيــال أو سرقــة الهويــة أو الهجمــات المتعلقــة بالمحتــوى.

Examples of cyber crime may include illegal access to systems or information, fraud, identity theft, or content-related offenses such as spam.

Romania

Criminalitatea informatică - totalitatea faptelor prevăzute de legea penală sau de alte legi speciale care prezintă pericol social şi sunt săvârşite cu vinovăţie, prin intermediul ori asupra infrastructurilor cibernetice.

Senegal

Cybercriminalité: les actes contrevenants aux traités internationaux ou aux lois nationales, utilisant les réseaux ou les systèmes d’information comme moyens de réalisation d’un délit ou d’un crime, ou les ayant pour cible.

Singapore

Cybercrime: Refers to (a) offences where a computer system is the target of a criminal act; and (b) offences where traditional crimes are committed via the means of a computer system. The first category refers to offences under the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act (CMCA) and the second category refers to traditional crimes performed online such as online cheating, and cyber extortion. See “National Cybercrime Action Plan,” Ministry of Home Affairs, 20 July 2016.

South Africa

Cybercrime: Illegal acts committed through the use of Information and Communication Technology (National Cybersecurity Policy Framework South Africa).

Suriname

Cybercrime: criminele activiteiten waarbij gebruik wordt gemaakt van ICT.

De criminele activiteiten kunnen gericht zijn tegen personen, eigendommen en organisaties of tegen elektronische communicatienetwerken en informatiesystemen.

Switzerland

Cybercrime: Cybercrime in a narrower sense refers to criminal offences committed with the help of information and communication technologies (ICT) or that exploit the vulnerabilities of these technologies. These criminal activities are new and only possible because of these technologies.
Cybercrime in a broader sense uses the internet as a means of communication, abusing opportunities such as email traffic or the exchange or provision of files for harmful purposes.

Cyber-Kriminalität: Cyber-Kriminalität im engeren Sinn betrifft Straftaten, die mit Hilfe der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IKT) verübt werden oder sich Schwachstellen dieser Technologien zu Nutzen machen. Diese kriminellen Aktivitäten sind neu und werden durch diese Technologien erst möglich.
Cyber-Kriminalität im weiteren Sinn nutzt das Internet als Kommunikationsmittel, wobei die sich bietenden Möglichkeiten wie bspw. der E-Mail-Verkehr oder der Austausch respektive das Bereitstellen von Dateien für unlautere Zwecke missbraucht werden.

Cybercriminalité: Au sens strict, la cybercriminalité renvoie aux infractions qui sont commises à l’aide de technologies de l’information et de la communication ou qui exploitent les vulnérabilités de ces technologies. Ces activités criminelles sont nouvelles et ne sont possibles que depuis l’avènement de ces technologies.
La cybercriminalité au sens large utilise Internet comme moyen de communication en se servant à mauvais escient des possibilités offertes par cette technologie, par exemple les courriers électroniques ou l’échange et la mise à disposition de données à des fins malveillantes.

Cyber criminalità (Criminalità informatica): Cyber criminalità in senso stretto: riguarda i reati commessi con l’ausilio delle tecnologie dell’informazione e della comunicazione (TIC) o che sfruttano le vulnerabilità di queste tecnologie. Queste attività criminali sono nuove e possono essere compiute soltanto mediante le TIC.
Cyber criminalità in senso lato: utilizza Internet come mezzo di comunicazione, usando impropriamente le funzionalità disponibili come per esempio il traffico delle e-mail, lo scambio o la predisposizione di file per scopi illeciti.

Ukraine

кіберзлочин (комп’ютерний злочин) - суспільно небезпечне винне діяння у кіберпросторі та/або з його використанням, відповідальність за яке передбачена законом України про кримінальну відповідальність та/або яке визнано злочином міжнародними договорами України.

{machine translation} cybercrime (computer crime) - a socially dangerous offense in cyberspace and / or its use, liability for which is provided for by the law of Ukraine on criminal liability and / or recognized as a crime by international treaties of Ukraine.

United Kingdom (UK)

Cyber crime –
(1) cyber-dependent crime (crimes that can only be committed through the use of ICT devices, where the devices are both the tool for committing the crime and the target of the crime);
(2) cyber–enabled crime (crimes that may be committed without ICT devices, like financial fraud, but are changed significantly by use of ICT in terms of scale and reach).

Zimbabwe

Cybercrime means any offence under this [Cybercrime and Cybersecurity bill] Act

Regional Definitions

Isle of Man

Cybercrime – refers to a vast array of illegal activities that are implemented via IT systems, including mobile devices. A crime committed with the aid of, or directly involving, a data processing system or computer network. The computer or its data may be the target of the crime or the computer may be the tool with which the crime is committed.

Other Definitions

East-West Institute (Russia-US)

Киберпреступление: использование киберпространства, в преступных целях, которые определяются в качестве таковых национальным или международным законодательством

Cyber!Crime is the use of cyberspace for criminal purposes as defined by national or internationallaw.

Dictionary

Cybercriminaliteit Criminaliteit waarbij men een computersysteem aanvalt of misbruikt voor criminele activiteiten.
Er zijn 2 types:
1. Cybercriminaliteit in brede zin. Dit zijn alle strafbare activiteiten waarbij iemand een informatiesysteem of computer gebruikt. Denk aan diefstal en vervalsing van betaalpassen, oplichting, afpersing, kinderporno, racisme en belediging.
2. Cybercriminaliteit in enge zin. Hierbij gebruikt men informatiesystemen en computers niet alleen als middel, maar zijn ze ook een doel. Bijvoorbeeld computers beschadigen, spamaanvallen, DDoS-aanvallen, virussen verspreiden.

See also

• Cyber Security
• Cyber Terrorism