Cybercrime In Spain Has Risen By 300% During The Pandemic

Cybercrime In Spain Has Risen By 300% During The Pandemic.

Computer crimes have increased up to 300 per cent in Spain during the pandemic, as more transactions have to be made through digital banking and the purchase of products on the internet, according to a cybersecurity expert from the International University of La Rioja (UNIR) Juan José Nombela.

The director of the Area of ​​Computer Science and Technology at UNIR and a member of his research group Cyberseguritics Security Technologies has found that teleworking has also contributed to consumers being “more exposed” on the internet.

Users who were not used to buying through the internet or connecting to their digital banking system have had to do so in recent months “out of necessity”, which is why criminals have turned “digital” during confinement, as they were unable to carry out their crimes due to mobility restrictions and curfews.

He explained that computer cyberattacks began with private users, but have now been aimed at companies as cybercriminals soon realised that there was a very lucrative business with the installation of a “ransomware” virus.

The recommendation for ransomware is not to pay, since these cybercriminals do not usually send the key to decrypt the files and may claim even more money, because, he said, “whoever pays is an easy target and will pay many more times”.

In his opinion, the state security forces and bodies are well prepared and trained to combat cybercrime, but the problem is that these criminals “are always one step ahead” and justice acts “late” since many of these attacks come from other countries, such as Russia, Venezuela, China and the United States.

“It is difficult to locate the perpetrators of these cyberattacks and, later, charging them is even more complicated, because they act through the ‘deep web’ or deep internet and payments are made in ‘bitcoins’ or cryptocurrencies,” he added.

However, he recommends that companies and citizens “always report” these crimes, to prevent criminal gangs from harming other people.

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