The current century has opportunities due to the introduction of new information technology for use in various activities. The possibilities contribute to the development of many opportunities which facilitate and encourage the use of technology in performing transactions. Technological innovations like plastic payment promote comfort and risks to customers who use them. With the increase in the use of technology across the globe, many criminal activities have enormously grown. The cutting-edge technologies and use of computers encourage criminals to commit sophisticated crimes than before.

In the current millennium, victims become aware of the criminal activities after a long duration in which it is impossible for them to track the criminals. Such criminals commit crimes without the awareness of the victim. The criminals in the new millennium steal the identities of people and impersonate them within the cyberspace where they commit crimes. The major crime in the new millennium is cybercrime.

Cybercrime is the stealing and destruction of data and information, fund, and resources through the use of computers and computer networks (Berlatsky, 2014). Cybercrime activities are international where E-mails with illegal contents pass in many countries when transmitting information from the sender to the recipient. Besides, cybercriminals can store illegal materials outside the country where they commit crimes. Cybercrime consists of crimes like copyright-related offenses, computer-related offenses, offenses affecting the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of systems and computer data, and offenses relating to contents. The cybercriminals aim at compromising the integrity, availability, and the privacy of information by developing coming up with new techniques to access data, programs, and networks without authorization.

Patterns and Trends Statistics

There is an increase in the trend and pattern of cybercrimes. Increase in cybercrimes results from the globe’s drive to use online transactions, and internet managed information, the use of social networks, use of big data, and automation processes which are performed by use of information technology systems. The increase in the use of technology poses high risks to the privacy of data and information security.

The number of cybercrime attacks increases each year trouncing the security put in place by big organizations hence affecting the security of information, the trust of customers, and the continuity of the companies. Thus the trends and patterns of cybercrime attacks are increasing in the world affecting the security of data and information.

Statistics for cybercrime shows the rapid growth of online criminality and an increase in digital crimes. There is an increase in breach of data privacy among the largest businesses and consumers threatening the confidentiality of data (Berlatsky, 2014). Besides, there is an increase in cyber activism where ultra-wealthy use private data to house money in other countries to avoid payment of taxes in home nations. The rise in cybercrime activities is a significant concern to internet users and cybersecurity professionals. The following are the trends of cybercrime statistics in the world.

Internet and mobile usage

There is an increase in the number of people using mobiles and the internet in the world (Berlatsky, 2014). The increase due to low internet and mobile services costs making it possible for many users to afford it. Internet facilities providers expand internet coverage and stick to competitive prices making access to the internet cheaper making it possible for many users to obtain internet services. Also, there is a switch from Window-system personal computers to tablets and mobile phones creating opportunities for cybercrimes. With the increase in the number of people using the internet means that there is an increase in the number of people exposed to cybercrimes.

Cloud-based solutions

Many companies adopt the use of information communication technology in storing information in the new millennium. Organizations save their costs by handling all or part of the technology systems and also to concentrate on the core activities of the company. The companies adopt cloud computing services like Oracle cloud, Google apps, and Amazon. The cloud-based solution trend gives rise to security concerns like loss of visibility to cybercrimes, and the traditional controls do not protect the critical systems of the business. Therefore, the increase in the use of the cloud-based solution in organizations increases the rate of cybercrimes in organizations.

Unemployment and poverty rates

The high unemployment rate in the world contributes significantly to cybercrime activities. The unemployed make use of the available technology to steal money from other people’s account to earn a living. The high rate of poverty in the globe encourages rogue employees in companies to come up with means of generating extra incomes making them make insider attacks. Organizations operate in surroundings that have high poverty and unemployment rates. Therefore, the cybercrime trend increases due to high rates of unemployment and poverty in the world.

The source of your pattern and trend statistics

The origins of the increasing pattern and trend of cybercrime statistics are from a compilation of the latest cybersecurity and cybercrime statistics. The collection is from reports, studies, and surveys from different parts of the world. The sources of data and statistic concerning the trend and pattern of the cybercrime activities show the nations which are least and most safe due to the advancement in the use of technology.

Price Water Coopers (PWC)

According to the Price Water Coopers survey, cybercrime was the second most crime reported in the world in 2016. According to the study, 49% of organizations across the globe reveal that they experience economic crimes regularly (O’driscoll, 2018). The other 51% are not aware of the existence of cybercrime. Therefore, the source shows the increasing trends and patterns of cybercrime activities in the world.

The National Crime Agency

According to the agency, cybercrime accounts for more than 50% of criminal activities in the United Kingdom when comparing to the sum of all crimes. The source reveals that the internet economy of the United is the strongest and most activities are carried out online thus cybercrime targets private individuals and businesses.

The University of Maryland

A study conducted by the University of Maryland reveals that hackers attack computers and networks at constant rates averaging to 39 seconds for every attack (O’driscoll, 2018). Attacks occur each time to almost all computers that have internet connections. For instance, the laptops under study had an average of 2,244 times of attacks per day.

Bloomberg source

According to Bloomberg, there is an increase in ransomware developers leading to a high demand for cryptocurrency bitcoins at present because of its enhanced privacy. According to their research, cryptocurrencies are becoming popular to cybercrimes in 2018 due to their privacy. Thus the Bloomberg survey implies an increasing trend and changing patterns of cybercrime activities across the world.

Symantec source

The Symantec source shows that cybercriminals target mobile platforms due to the shift of platforms from personal computers to mobile phones. According to Symantec, there is a 105% increase in malware detections in 2016 comparing to 2015 (O’driscoll, 2018). The high increase shows the changing trends and patterns of cybercrime activities.

RSA white paper source

According to the RSA concerning the present state of cybercrimes in the world, mobile phones facilitate the commission of cybercrime in the world. More than 60 percent of frauds carried online are through mobile phones through the use of mobile applications (O’driscoll, 2018). The increase in the mobile trend and cybercrime patterns in the use of mobile platforms is due to the vulnerability of the mobile phones to cybercriminals due to its popularity in e-commerce and mobile banking as more financial services are available through mobile applications.

Strengths of the data source for the statistics

Easy to analyze the data sources

The analysis of data from the sources for the statistics is easy since it takes a proportionate number of the interviewees and organizations when gathering the data. For instance, the sources use charts to analyze cybercrime threats each year from diverse institutions.

Generalization of the data sources

The data sources for the statistics can be generalized because there is a good design of the selection process and the sample of the organizations and individuals that represent the population.

Reliable, consistent, and precise data

The methods of collecting data for the statistics are dependable, and one way can produce the same results as the other hence data from the sources are secure to the study of cybercrime in the new millennium. Additionally, the reports, reviews, and researches are consistent each year hence showing the trend and pattern of technological crimes across the world.

Techniques for gathering the data for cybercrime activities

The use of various methods to research on the patterns and trends of cybercrime in the world show that the sources are reliable. The reliability is due to the use of multiple approaches to arrive at the same analysis on the rate of cybercrime in the world.

Weaknesses of the data sources for the statistics

Generalization of data sources

The findings from the origins of data concerning cybercriminal activities cannot be generalized to the population or organization of study or research. There is no generalization due to the fact there are many individuals and organizations who are not aware of the existence of the technological crimes in the world and they can take time to realize that there is tampering of information, data, or funds.

The sources from the statistics may not provide enough data

Data sources may not provide enough information to analyze and explain the complexity of cybercrimes. The report from the research may be weak as cybercrimes involve complex procedures before the criminals steal information and money.

The criminal justice foundation is to secure justice and keep order in the world. Cybercrimes cause adverse effects to individuals and to the economy affecting safety which is fundamental in the growth of a safe and healthy society. Despite an increase in cybercrime activities due to advancement in technology, there is room for improvement in the fight against the crime. Companies, governments, and individuals should take responsibility for ensuring data privacy and information safety. Governments should be ahead of cybercriminals in the application and control of technology to prevent cybercrimes. Therefore, coming together of various stakeholders will help in preventing crimes of the millennium like cybercrimes to ensure a safe society.

References

Berlatsky, N. (2014). Cybercrime. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning.

O’driscoll, A. (2018). 100+ Terrifying Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Statistics & Trends [2018 Edition]. Comparitech, 10(7), 2-13. doi: 10.9737/hist.2018.658

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