Cybercrime is a new and one of the rapidly developing forms of transnational crime. The Internet has become an almost indispensable means of daily communication and information exchange worldwide, and criminals cannot fail to exploit this.

Cybercrime is a new and one of the rapidly developing forms of transnational crime. The Internet has become an almost indispensable means of daily communication and information exchange worldwide, and criminals cannot fail to exploit this. Two billion Internet users worldwide create an ideal environment for committing crimes, where one can act anonymously and gain access to any personal information that we, whether we want to or not, post online. In recent years, Internet security has been subjected to more serious threats, and over 431 million adult users suffer from crimes in the global cyberspace.

What is Cybercrime

Currently, a range of terms are used to describe computer crimes: "information crime," "cybercrime," "crime in the sphere of computer information," "high-tech crime," "virtual crime."

According to the current legislation of the Republic of Belarus, the concept of "computer crime" includes:

1) crimes against information security (modification of computer information, unauthorized access to computer information, computer sabotage, unlawful appropriation of computer information, development, use or distribution of malicious programs, violation of computer system or network operation rules, etc.);

2) theft using computer technology;

3) production and distribution of pornographic materials or objects of a pornographic nature, including those depicting minors;

4) other offences in any way related to the use of computer technology: incitement to suicide through systematic humiliation of personal dignity by disseminating any information on the Internet; disclosure of medical secrets; unlawful collection or dissemination of information about private life; slander; insult; dissemination of false information about goods and services; knowingly false report of danger; espionage; wilful or negligent disclosure of state secrets; wilful disclosure of official secrets, etc.

Thus, computer crimes include offences where computer technology is used as a tool for committing a crime or as the object of a criminal offence.

Cybercrime takes various forms, most often as offences related to personal data. These can be committed through "phishing" (deceiving Internet users to make them disclose their personal data), malware (software installed without the user's knowledge that collects personal data), and hacking (unlawfully gaining remote access to someone else's computer). As a rule, such methods are used by fraudsters to steal credit card details and funds. In addition, crimes related to copyright and intellectual property infringement, as well as the dissemination of child pornography and scenes of violence, are increasingly committed via the Internet.

How not to become a victim of cybercrime?

1. Never, to anyone, and under any circumstances, disclose your bank account and bank card details, including to individuals who claim to be bank or law enforcement officers, if there is no possibility to reliably verify that these individuals are who they claim to be.

If you receive a call "from a bank employee," you must ascertain their surname and phone number, then end the conversation and call the bank yourself.

It should be taken into account that a real bank employee knows the following information: the cardholder's surname, passport details, which cards are issued, and the account balance.

Do not disclose over the phone (even to a bank employee), or via social media communication: the full card number, its expiry date, the CVC/CVV code (located on the back of the card), internet banking login and password, passport details, or the code word (numeric code) from SMS messages.

If a "bank employee" informs you during a conversation that unauthorized transactions are occurring with your card, you should state that you will visit the bank in person – all such issues must be resolved at the bank branch, not over the phone.

ATTENTION: please remember that bank employees never use messengers (Viber, Telegram, WhatsApp) to contact clients.

2. For online payments, only use trusted payment services, always checking the domain name of the resource in your browser's address bar.

3. Do not store bank cards, their photos, or details in places accessible to unauthorised individuals; this also applies to photos and other forms of confidential information.

4. Refrain from making online payments involving pre-payments and deposits for goods and services, charitable and sponsorship contributions to organisations and individuals if there is no reliable data confirming that these entities are who they claim to be.

5. Do not transfer funds to electronic wallets, bank payment card accounts, or SIM card accounts at the request of internet users.

6. To access remote banking services (internet banking, mobile banking), email accounts, social media accounts, and other resources, use complex passwords that cannot be easily guessed. Avoid using passwords such as: dates of birth, names, surnames – i.e., those that can be easily deduced from publicly available information sources (e.g., social media).

7. When filling out payment documents, it is important to verify the payment details of the recipient of funds.

8. If you receive messages on social media from individuals listed as "friends" requesting bank payment card details, do not reply to such messages; instead, contact these users directly through other means of communication.

9. If a social media account has been compromised, it is necessary to immediately restore access to it with the help of the support service or block it, and also to warn persons with whom communication was conducted through these social networks about this fact.

10. Do not open files received from unfamiliar email addresses and messenger accounts; do not follow links in messages about prizes and winnings.

11. It is necessary to use licensed software, regularly update software and the operating system; install antivirus software not only on a personal computer, but also on a smartphone and tablet, and update it regularly.

12. You should familiarize your relatives and acquaintances with the listed security rules, who, due to their age or insufficient financial literacy, may be particularly vulnerable to the actions of cybercriminals.

Department of Law and Order Protection and Prevention of the Lepel District Department of Internal Affairs