In The UK Cybercrime Has Overtaken Traditional Crime

In a notable sign of the times, cybercrime has now surpassed all other forms of crime in the United Kingdom, the nation’s National Crime Agency (NCA) warned in a new report. 

It remains unclear how closely the rest of the world tracks the UK’s experience, but the report reminds readers that the problem is likely far worse than the numbers suggest, noting that cybercrime is vastly under-reported by victims.

The NCA’s Cyber Crime Assessment 2016, released July 7, 2016, highlights the need for stronger law enforcement and business partnership to fight cybercrime. According to the NCA, cybercrime emerged as the largest proportion of total crime in the UK, with “cyber enabled fraud” making up 36 percent of all crime reported, and “computer misuse” accounting for 17 percent.

One explanation for the growth of cybercrime reports in the UK may be that the Brits are getting better at tracking it. The report notes that the UK Office of National Statistics only began including cybercrime for the first time last year in its annual Crime Survey for England and Wales.

“The ONS estimated that there were 2.46 million cyber incidents and 2.11 million victims of cyber-crime in the UK in 2015,” the report’s authors wrote. “These figures highlight the clear shortfall in established reporting, with only 16,349 cyber-dependent and approximately 700,000 cyber-enabled incidents reported to Action Fraud over the same period.”

The report also focuses on the increasing sophistication of organized cybercrime gangs that develop and deploy targeted, complex malicious software — such as Dridex and Dyre, which are aimed at emptying consumer and business bank accounts in the UK and elsewhere.

Avivah Litan, a fraud analyst with Gartner Inc., said cyber fraudsters in the UK bring their best game when targeting UK banks, which generally require far more stringent customer-facing security measures than US banks — including smart cards and one-time tokens.

“I’m definitely hearing more about advanced attacks on UK banks than in the US,” Litan said, adding that the anti-fraud measures put in place by UK banks have forced cybercriminals to focus more on social engineering UK retail and commercial banking customers.

Litan said if organized cybercrime gangs prefer to pick on UK banks, businesses and consumers, it may have more to do with convenience for the fraudsters than anything else. After all, she said, London is just two time zones behind Moscow, whereas the closest time zone in the US is 7 hours behind.

 “In most cases, the UK banks are pretty close to the fraudster’s own time zone, it’s a language the criminals can speak, and they’ve studied the banks’ systems up close and know how to get around security controls,” Litan said. “Just because you have more fraud controls doesn’t mean the fraudsters can’t beat them, it just forces the [crooks] to stay on top of their game. Why would you want to stay up all night doing online fraud against banks in the U.S. when you’d rather be out drinking with your buddies?”

The report observes that “despite the growth in scale and complexity of cyber-crime and intensifying attacks, visible damage and losses have not (yet) been large enough to impact long term on shareholder value. The UK has yet to experience a cyber-attack on business as damaging and publicly visible as the attack on the Target US retail chain.”

Although it would likely be difficult for a large, multinational European company to hide a breach similar in scope to that of the 2013 breach at Target, European nations generally have not had to adhere to the same data breach disclosure laws that are currently on the books in nearly every US state — laws which prompt multiple US companies each week to publicly acknowledge when they’ve suffered data breaches.

However, under the new European Union General Data Protection Regulation, companies that do business in Europe or with European customers will need to disclose “a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, personal data transmitted, stored or otherwise processed.”

It may be some time yet before UK and European businesses start coming forward about data breaches: For better or worse, the GDPR requirements don’t go into full effect for two more years.

KrebsOnSecurity

 

« Artificial Brains to Protect Against Cyberattacks
Cyberwar Against Islamic State Is Struggling »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

The PC Support Group

The PC Support Group

A partnership with The PC Support Group delivers improved productivity, reduced costs and protects your business through exceptional IT, telecoms and cybersecurity services.

Alvacomm

Alvacomm

Alvacomm offers holistic VIP cybersecurity services, providing comprehensive protection against cyber threats. Our solutions include risk assessment, threat detection, incident response.

Infosecurity Europe, 3-5 June 2025, ExCel London

Infosecurity Europe, 3-5 June 2025, ExCel London

This year, Infosecurity Europe marks 30 years of bringing the global cybersecurity community together to further our joint mission of Building a Safer Cyber World.

MIRACL

MIRACL

MIRACL provides the world’s only single step Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) which can replace passwords on 100% of mobiles, desktops or even Smart TVs.

Syxsense

Syxsense

Syxsense brings together endpoint management and security for greater efficiency and collaboration between IT management and security teams.

Intercede

Intercede

Intercede is a cybersecurity company specializing in digital identities, derived credentials and access control, enabling digital trust in a mobile world.

Cyber 2.0

Cyber 2.0

Cyber 2.0 is the only system in the world that blocks all forms of cyber attack within the organization, including new and unfamiliar attack methods.

Mission Secure (MSi)

Mission Secure (MSi)

MSi is a specialized provider of next generation cyber defense solutions protecting control systems and critical physical assets in energy, transportation and defense.

Niksun

Niksun

Niksun's forensics-based cyber security and network performance monitoring products provide customers with actionable insight into security threats, performance issues, and compliance risks.

PlainID

PlainID

PlainID provides IAM teams with a simple and intuitive means to control their organization’s entire authorization process.

Six Degrees

Six Degrees

Six Degrees is a leading secure, integrated cloud services provider. We protect UK organisations and help them thrive in the cloud by giving them secure platforms to innovate and grow.

National CyberWatch Center - USA

National CyberWatch Center - USA

National CyberWatch Center is a cybersecurity consortium working to advance cybersecurity education and strengthen the national workforce.

Fairfirst Insurance

Fairfirst Insurance

Fairfirst Cyber Insurance protects your business assets against the complexity of cyber threats.

Cutting Edge Technologies (CE Tech)

Cutting Edge Technologies (CE Tech)

CE Tech is a Next Generation Technology Partner providing advanced technology infrastructure solutions through partnerships with leading technology providers.

Gordian Networks

Gordian Networks

Gordian Networks offers complete managed IT services and IT support for small to large businesses.

LocateRisk

LocateRisk

LocateRisk provides more efficiency, transparency and comparability in IT security with automated, KPI-based IT risk analyses.

CoreStack

CoreStack

CoreStack helps enterprises overcome cloud challenges such as ever growing security risks, stringent regulatory compliance needs and operational complexities.

Technology Innovation Institute (TII)

Technology Innovation Institute (TII)

TII is a UAE-based research center that aims to lead global advances in AI, robotics, quantum computing, cryptography and secure communications and more.

Vana Solutions

Vana Solutions

Vana Solutions is an Information Technology Services company. We help commercial & federal organizations select, adapt, and integrate the right technology solution so you can move faster.

Security Solutions Services (S-3)

Security Solutions Services (S-3)

S-3 specialize in crafting tailored network design, security hardware, software, and storage solutions for businesses of all sizes.

Rankiteo

Rankiteo

At Rankiteo, we are pioneers in cybersecurity risk management. Our mission is to empower organizations with the tools they need to assess, enhance, and safeguard their digital landscapes.