The cyber world, or emerging internet technologies, has been a welcome development, but it is not without flaws. Simply put, cyber refers to anything related to the internet. Internet technologies have created a world beyond the physical. 

Of course, developments brought with them overwhelming and plausible benefits, which can be summarized as an easier and better life. Just as crimes are committed in the physical world, similar crimes can now be committed in cyberspace and through the use of internet technology. This became known as cybercrime. Thus, cybercrime encompasses all types of crimes that can be committed or facilitated through the use of a computer network.

This includes stealing, fraud, stalking, cybersex with a child, child pornography, hacking for any reason, spamming, embezzlement, sex trafficking, kidnapping, cyberbullying, identity theft, phishing, money laundering, impersonation, intellectual property theft, and so on. When one hears the term “cybercrime,” fraud and theft are usually the first things that come to mind. 

This is to bring to your attention that cybercrime encompasses a wide range of wrongful acts, not just fraud and theft. Cybercrime has emerged as a major threat to both the internet and the physical world, and it has spread throughout the world.

Cybercrime is a new type of crime that has spread throughout society. As you may have noticed, most countries are only recently enacting new laws to combat cybercrime. Prior to the recent enactments, no laws existed to that effect. After providing an overview of the current state of cybercrime worldwide, we will now focus on the top performing nations.

Here are the countries with the highest rate of cybercrime:

1. China: China is topping the list if the countries with the highest rate of cybercrime. China is the number 3 on the list of the most breached country in the world. China has been a long time developed country. When it comes to technology, China has been at the top. China’s cyberspace has long been invented and advanced. This has given rise to the incidental cause which is cybercrime.

Cybercrime started to become highly notorious in China from 2017 and about 40% of the cases recorded were issues of online fraud. Since then, the rate has been on a continued increase at an estimated rate of 30% every year. In 2021, China recorded up to 5,000 cases of online gambling alone out of an estimated total of 65,000 cases relating to cybercrime in the same year.

The major targets are usually defense field, communications and technologies industries. The government of China has however not relented in fighting against cybercrimes. Cybercrimes in China is principally regulated by the Cybersecurity Law of the People’s Republic of China.

2. Russia: When it comes to hacking, malicious wares attack and phishing, leave it for the Russians. In 2021, Russia recorded over 500,000 crimes being fostered and committed with the aid of the internet space and telecommunication devices.

Russia is one country that has lost too many trillions from cyber attacks. This affects both publicly and privately owned companies and enterprises. Russia uses their sophisticated technologies to their benefits using cyber attacks for destructions at wartimes. Their target is usually the European countries.

3. India: India is the second most populated country in the world. It is equally a country with high information and technological advancement and an incidentally high rate of cyber crime. In 2012, it was just a record of about 3,000.

The rate of cybercrime in India has been on a massive increase from 2018. In 2021, India recorded cases of cybercrimes of over 52,000; a figure which increased by 6% from the previous year. Cybercrimes in India is principally regulated by the Information and Technology Act of 2000 and then the Indian Penal Code of 1860.

4. Brazil: Brazil is another top country with a high rate of cybercrime in the world. Within the first half months of 2020, Brazil recorded over 320,000 incidents of cybercrime. The country has always at the top of all rankings. Specifically, the country ranks 5th in cybercrime target countries.

Their areas of notoriety include financial malware and banking related frauds. This high rate of cybercrime in Brazil has cost the country’s economy a lot to losses accruing in multi-billions. Brazil in its combat against internet insecurity has enacted The Brazilian Internet Law of 2014.

5. Iran: Iran is a country to be feared when it comes to cyber wrongs. Iran is a very sophisticated and unchallengeable independent and interdependent country, owing to its synergy with other developed countries. Iran is a threat even to the United States when it comes to cyber security.

The country has the means, the technology and the man power. It is a country that you can bank on, on its defense strategy using internet and other technologies. Cybercrimes in Iran is regulated by the Computer Crimes: Law No. 71063.

6. nigeria: Report shows that Nigeria looses over 0.8% of its Gross Domestic Product to internet fraud per annum. According to the FBI ranking, Nigeria is ranked 16th on victims of cybercrimes in the world. Cyber security has been a battle between attackers and the institutions including private individuals.

This rapid emergence of cyber issues came to the spotlight in early 2000 owing to the emergence of social media and other network technological advancements. Cybercrime in Nigeria is regulated by the Cybercrime (Prohibition and Prevention) Act of 2015 and other laws such as Data Protection Act, Advanced Fee Fraud Act and EFCC Act.

7. Germany: Cybercrime has been on the rise in Germany thereby being at the top of the list. The digital advancement of the country has been an advantage to the perpetuation of cybercrimes. In 2019, Germany recorded and handled over 300, 000 cases of cybercrimes.

The following year, records showed an 8% increase of the incidences of cybercrime. Germany looses up to 0.7% of its Gross Domestic Product to cyber frauds yearly.

8. Vietnam: Vietnam has been in a constant and persistent battle against cybercrimes in the country. The Vietnam National Security Centre has noted a cyber attack of over 1,300 attacks in January 2022 alone, a statistics which is at 10% increase as against the previous year, and of course series of numerous attacks in the previous years.

It was in 2019 that the Cybersecurity Law came into force in Vietnam, a law which is targeted at creating a safe cyber space in the country and beyond.

9. Poland: A country as small as Poland is big in tech, and it is one of the largest exporters of electronics. Poland is another country notable for high rate of cybercrime. 2021 record shows a very high rate of phishing and other interment related hacks, fraud and malware attacks. 2020 survey shows that 29% of businesses in Poland are victims of cyber attack.

Numerous incidences of cyber attack had its spike in Poland from 2017 and have continued to be at increase. The country is a party to the Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime in addition to other domestic laws targeted at curbing cybercrimes.

10. United States: The United States is another country where cybercrimes thrive, and of course not without liabilities. The country records the highest rate of breaches, and within the space of half of 2022, over 50 million citizens of the United States have been affected by cyber crimes. The United States seems to be the most exposed to cyber crimes.
11. Lithuania: The Resolution No. 818 of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania on the 13th August, 2018 approved the National Cyber Security Strategy of Lithuania to ward off cybercrims affecting 1 out of a thousand people in the country. The purpose behind the regulation is to give the Lithuanian nation the valuable chance to investigate the capability of ICT by recognizing cyber incidents and giving a convenient and successful method of preventing cyber incidents, their recurrence, and managing cyber security breaches.

The strategy is made up of five target areas:

1. A) Development of cyber defense capabilities and strengthening the cyber security of the country.
2. B) To strengthen the corporation between private and public sectors to better enhance international corporation.
3. C) To provide the fulfilment of international obligations in the field of cyber security.
4. D) To strengthen the control and prevention of cybercrimes, and
5. E) To develop the capabilities of the country in combating cyber crimes.

The Law on Cyber Security in 2014 establishes a clear framework for cyber security in Lithuania. It establishes the scope, key notions, and the arrangement of the management and control and organization of cyber security. Lithuania impliments EU policies on the area of cyber security.

12. France: Cybercrime is thriving also in France. Though the National Cyber Security Index (NCSI) ranks France in the list of top ten countries ready to fight off cyber attacks, there are still a lot of ongoing attacks.

Notable amongst them are ransomware. Below are other cyber security attacks that the French face that and the percentage of people and organizations affected by them:

1. A) 73% of French companies, organizations and individuals have experienced ransomware attacks in 2023:

A survey from 5,600 IT professionals working in mid-sized organizations in 31 different countries worldwide state that 73% of French organizations have experienced ransomware attacks.

73% of French businesses have experienced ransomware attacks, according to a survey of 5,600 IT professionals working in mid-sized organizations in 31 countries.

1. B) One in two internet users in France are phishing targets: According to a Cybersecurity Business School report on cybercrime in Europe and France, nearly half of internet users in France have been the target of a phishing email or phone call. In addition, due to an increase in remote work positions and a lack of employee awareness of cyber threats, nearly half of these phishing attacks (47%) occurred at home.
2. C) The fifth most spammed nation in the world is France: Kaspersky statest that The United States of America and China, which had been “the leaders of spam” in previous years, dropped to third and fourth, respectively, with 10.47 percent and 6.21 percent of all spam reaching these two nations. Russia to 21.27%; and with 10.97%, Germany came in second, followed by France with 5.97%. The Netherlands came in second with 4%, followed by Spain (2.66%), Japan (2.14%), and Poland (2.05%).
3. D) France ranks fourth in stalkerware usage in Europe: The prevalence of stalkerware in various nations around the world was the subject of another Kaspersky study. With 410 such incidents recorded in 2021 alone, France ranked fourth in terms of the number of stalkerware incidents, according to the study.

Conclusion

Cybercrimes have become an issue of international concern. There is no country that can boast of not being affected, although the degree of impact may differ. The combat against cybercrimes is a continuing one, hence, the purpose of cyber-security can be said to be incapable of being wholesomely attained. From the look of things, all hands have been placed on deck towards the fight, for cyber attacks do not have territorial limitations.