Cybercrime is a global problem that affects Victoria

Cybercrime does not respect national borders. Offenders and victims do not need to be in the same place. Cybercrime can strike anywhere, against anyone who is connected to the internet.

Industry estimates that cybercrime will cost the world USD$10.5 trillion annually by 2025.²

Victoria is not immune to the global threat of cybercrime. Victoria’s relative wealth, high saturation of digital connections and growing reliance on the internet make it an attractive target for cybercriminals.

Cybercrime is recognised nationally as a key facilitator of serious and organised crime, and is a national security concern.³

Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure or serious cyber security emergencies may result in significant harm for all or part of the Victorian community.

In extreme circumstances, these attacks may result in loss of life and extensive damage to property, infrastructure or the environment. For example, in 2019, ransomware disrupted health service providers and hospitals in Gippsland and south-west Victoria, delaying surgeries and other medical services.

Approximately a quarter of cyber security reports to the Australian Cyber Security Centre during the 2020–21 financial year were associated with Australia’s critical infrastructure or essential services.⁸

Criminals, including serious and organised crime groups in Victoria, use the anonymising features of cryptocurrency to facilitate a range of offending, such as drug trafficking and money laundering.

This creates additional challenges for Victoria Police’s ability to detect, investigate and prosecute such crimes.

There is significant growth in Victoria Police’s demand for digital forensic services to collect digital evidence, as technology is increasingly used to commit different crimes. 

While rapid growth in Internet and computer technology has enabled economic and social growth, an increasing reliance on the Internet has created more risks and vulnerabilities, and opened up new possibilities for criminal activity.

Our partners include:

• Academia
• Australian Cyber Security Centre
• Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation
• Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission
• Australian Government
• AUSTRAC
• Commonwealth and other state and territory law enforcement agencies
• Communities
• Industry
• International law enforcement partners
• Office of the eSafety Commissioner
• Support services
• Victorian Government

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^{2 CyberSecurity Ventures, 2020, Cybercrime to Cost the World $10. Trillion Annually by 2025, https://cybersecurityventures.com/hackerpocalypse-cybercrime-report-201…}

^{3 Department of Home Affairs, December 2020, Discussion Paper: National Plan to Combat Cybercrime; Victoria Police, October 2020, Crime Command Review: Technology-Enabled Crime Building Capability.}

^{4 Australian Cyber Security Centre, 2021, ACSC Annual Cyber Threat Report: 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021}

^{5 Australian Cyber Security Centre, 2021, ACSC Annual Cyber Threat Report: 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021}

^{6 ReportCyber}

^{7 ReportCyber}

^{8 Australian Cyber Security Centre, 2021, ACSC Annual Cyber Threat Report: 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021}

^{9 eSafety Commissioner, Children and Technology-Facilitated Abuse in Domestic and Family Violence Situations, https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/research/children-and-technology-fa…}

^{10 INTERPOL, 2017, Global Cybercrime Strategy: Summary, https://www.interpol.int/content/download/5586/file/Summary_CYBER_Strat…}