Cybercrime Lawyer
With the growth and development of online transactions and active use of Internet services, the number of cybercrimes is also increasing, which makes having legal support in such cases extremely important. Understanding the complex legal aspects of cybercrimes is becoming key to protecting your interests and rights.
What is cybercrime?
Cybercrime is an offense committed using computer systems, networks, and internet technologies and electronic computing equipment. It can range from unauthorized access to devices to fraudulent online trading activities and the misuse of personal data. In the digital environment, cybercriminals use a variety of methods and means to carry out their criminal acts, which creates significant risks for users. Such crimes can affect both individuals and organizations, causing both financial losses and reputational damage. If you have been the victim of a cybercrime, it is important to know your rights and get help, as this can make the process of protecting your interests much easier.
What are the types of cybercrime?
There are many types of cybercrime, the most common of which are:
- Hacking: unauthorized access to computer systems or networks with the intent to steal information or damage public data from systems and computer networks;
- Phishing: using fake emails or websites to trick users into giving up their personal information or financial data through software;
- Identity theft: the unauthorized acquisition and use of personal information for financial gain or other malicious purposes. Copyright theft may also be committed.
- Internet fraud: for example, through fake offers that at first glance appear legitimate but are in fact fraudulent schemes. These are crimes that are part of criminal proceedings.
- Extortion: ransomware attacks, where attackers encrypt the victim’s data and demand a ransom to restore access to the information. These can also include DDOS attacks using automated systems and unauthorized interference in work.
- Cryptojacking is a type of cybercrime in which hackers illegally use the computing power of other people’s computers and networks to mine cryptocurrency.
- Credit fraud occurs when a criminal poses as an employee of a company and demands payment for goods or services that were not actually provided.
Financial cybercrime, in particular, is the main area that crypto crime lawyers work with. If financial losses occur due to such actions, it is necessary to consult with a lawyer to determine a defense strategy and measures to take.
Famous examples of cybercrime
According to Cybercrime Magazine, the estimated damage from cybercrime could reach $10.5 trillion per year by 2025. This highlights that cybercrime is becoming one of the most costly problems for companies, such as:
- The WannaCry ransomware attack affected hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide and caused huge financial losses. The criminals were found guilty and convicted under the Criminal Code for misuse of electronic computers.
- Cybercriminals hacked the personal information of Ferrari customers. Their main goal was to collect ransom. Ferrari informed its customers that it did not intend to negotiate with the hackers. The attackers were only able to access personal information not related to financial data, but were unable to find out credit card numbers or specific models of cars purchased by customers.
- An unknown group of cybercriminals hacked the servers of Western Digital, a well-known manufacturer of hard drives and other data storage devices. As a result of the attack, the company’s data was stolen and the company was forced to temporarily shut down its cloud service. Western Digital representatives reported that the attackers gained access to several internal systems.
- The attackers created a fake website, posing as a corporate resource, and tricked a Reddit employee. As a result, they stole his data and two-factor authentication tokens. This gave them access to corporate systems, from which they downloaded internal documents and source code.
These examples highlight the real threat posed by cybercrime and the need for professional assistance, which can be provided by a cybercrime attorney.
Legal Framework for Combating Cybercrime
National, regional and international laws can regulate behavior in cyberspace and regulate criminal justice issues related to cybercrime. These laws set out not only the rules for the production of computers and computer systems, expectations regarding behavior, but also the criminal procedures that must be followed in case of violation of such rules and non-compliance with expectations. However, differences in the development of national legislation in different countries regarding the main types of cybercrime make international cooperation in criminal proceedings and investigative actions difficult. At the international level, the main document is the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention). Legal acts can be applied in case of cyberattacks, data theft or fraud on the Internet.
Cybercrime legislation in Ukraine and the world:
- defines standards of acceptable behavior for users of information and communication technologies (ICT);
- establishes social and legal sanctions for cybercrime;
- protects ICT users in general and mitigates and/or prevents harm to people, data, systems, services and infrastructure in particular;
- protects human rights;
- enables the investigation and prosecution of crimes committed on the Internet (outside the real world);
- promotes cooperation between countries in cases involving cybercrime (UNODC, 2013, p. 57);
- provides rules and standards of conduct for the use of the Internet, computers and related digital technologies and for the actions of public, state and private organizations;
- promotes the development of the law of evidence, rules for the implementation of criminal proceedings and other criminal law issues related to cyberspace;
- develops provisions to reduce the risk of and/or mitigate harm caused to individuals, organizations and infrastructure in the event of a cybercrime.
Thus, cybercrime law includes substantive, procedural and preventive law. If you are faced with a situation where cyber crimes have affected your rights, it is recommended that you obtain legal assistance from an attorney to navigate the complex criminal code and protect your interests.
How can our cybercrime lawyers help you?
Our cybercrime lawyers provide a wide range of services to protect the interests of cybercrime victims and defendants. We can help with the following issues:
- Investigation: Conducting a detailed investigation of the incident to gather the necessary evidence and identify the perpetrators.
- Legal protection: Ensuring the protection of the rights of clients, whether victims or defendants, at all stages of the trial.
- Representation in court: We will provide representation of the client’s interests in court, protecting their rights and acting in their best interests.
Contacting professional cybercrime lawyers will help you effectively cope with the consequences of attacks, violations or fraud. Do not be left alone with this problem – consult with us for reliable legal assistance.
