Household affairs - In Lower Saxony, the rate of cybercrime has reached a peak.
Lower Saxony witnessed an escalation in cybercrime incidents last year, with a total of 13,218 cases reported - a staggering increase of about 1,000 compared to the previous year. This alarming rise was confirmed by Interior Minister Daniela Behrens from the SPD, who had warned of a potential record-breaking year in 2023.
Over the past five years, cybercrime cases have swelled by around 40%. The authorities investigated nearly 3,400 suspects in 2023, a rise of roughly 200 compared to the number of suspects analyzed in 2022. Behrens underscored that digital criminals threatening private individuals, businesses, state institutions, and critical infrastructures via the internet and networks persistently pose a growing threat.
Cases of cybercrime encompass a range of scenarios, such as fraudulent email attempts that replace the traditional postal service. These attacks predominantly target computer systems and networks.
Victimized sectors
The insurance industry, healthcare sector, aviation, and food industry, as well as the transport sector, suffered the brunt of the cyberattacks in 2023. The sensitive infrastructures impacted have the potential of being upended at any moment, posing a persistent threat to our energy and healthcare supplies.
Ransomware attacks on the rise, but decrease in numbers
In the previous year, 81 cases of ransomware attacks were documented. However, these events pose a high risk, as they utilize malware to impede or obstruct access to data and computer systems. Criminals demand ransom in exchange for restoring access. Remarkably, there were 23 fewer ransomware attacks in 2023 than in 2022.
Online banking assaults on the rise, but damage reduced
Hackers maintained their laser focus on obtaining online banking data, leading to a promising 10% spike in such incidents from 2022 to 2023. A sum of roughly 2,800 cases were reported, causing a moderate uptick in damages from € 13.7 million in 2022 to € 14.4 million in 2023.
State Police President Axel Brockmann pressed the significance of reporting cybercrimes. "Since 2012, the population and corporate reports have more than tripled but still only account for around 24%. Unless we know about the crimes, the police are incapable of identifying criminals and implementing effective tactics and measures against them," he emphasized.
A noteworthy rise in child pornography
The Interior Ministry also disclosed data on child pornography in Lower Saxony, with a drastic increase of 2,150 cases in 2023 when compared to 2022. Ministry officials attributed the surge partly to enhanced public awareness and vigilance from network operators.
Minister Backs IP Address Retention for Prosecution
Behrens advocated for strategies to store IP addresses for extended periods, to facilitate effective proceedings against cybercrimes. IP stands for Internet Protocol address - a crucial detail that could potentially help in curbing these nefarious crimes. "It's completely unacceptable that we still need US tips to uncover these crimes, as the necessary information is inaccessible to us domestically," she lamented.
Data escalation calls for a more efficient analysis of content
More than half of the confiscated data now pertains to child and youth pornographic content, which intensifies the challenges faced by authorities in analyzing this inflated volume. The analysis and assessment of these increasing volumes of data require innovative strategies, the ministry hinted.
CDU Politician Advocates for AI Identification Support
CDU Parliamentary Group Leader Sebastian Lechner perceives a need to implement AI technologies more prominently in police operations to enhance the analysis of massive amounts of data. In 2023, a long-term nationwide testing phase of an AI-powered software was transitioned to regular usage.
Resource augmentation for the fight against cybercrime and child pornography
The Interior Ministry emphasized that dedicated resources had been committed to combating cybercrime and child pornography. About 600 personnel are currently working in specialized departments in pursuit of these cases.
In conclusion, cybercrime and child pornography have become two of the major threats posing an imminent danger, and addressing these issues will require a concerted global effort involving cutting-edge technology, policy changes, and public engagement.
Read also:
- In response to the escalating issue of cybercrime in Lower Saxony, the Ministry of the Interior has allocated additional resources to boost the capacity of the Police in addressing these crimes at the highest level.
- During a meeting at the Hanover City Hall, Interior Minister Daniela Behrens from the SPD pointed out the significance of domestic policy in combating cybercrime, emphasizing the urgent need for robust measures to protect healthcare in Lower Saxony.
- Recognizing the growing threat of cybercrime in various sectors, such as healthcare, the SPD has proposed stricter legislation to combat cybercriminals and ensure the highest level of security in Lower Saxony's digital infrastructure.
- In the wake of the revelations about cybercrime and child pornography, SPD parliamentarian Daniela Behrens called for a comprehensive review of the country's cybercrime policies, urging to strengthen the collaboration between the Ministry of the Interior and the SPD to develop a robust approach.
- In line with the SPD's focus on domestic policy, particularly cybercrime, the Hanover City Council has approved a series of measures aimed at bolstering the capacity of the Police and enhancing the cooperation between authorities and the private sector in the fight against cybercrime and child exploitation.
