Public administrations, universities and medical practices are more often targeted by criminals, said BKA boss Münch. Such attacks could have massive economic and social consequences.
Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting public administrations, universities and medical practices in Germany, BKA boss Holger Münch warned. “The threat of cybercrime has been increasing for years and is sometimes causing massive economic and social damage,” Münch told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
Such attacks could have massive consequences. As a result, for example, administrations could be unable to work for weeks. Even more: In many cases, systems could be encrypted and even sensitive data could be tapped.
Comparatively low hurdles for cybercriminals
If the technical hurdles are also low, Münch says it “quickly becomes attractive to criminals and is subsequently lucrative”.
Prosecution, on the other hand, is much more difficult. It is lengthy and is made even more difficult because the perpetrators are usually abroad.
Prosecution also has successes
But the law enforcement authorities have also been successful recently, for example against illegal online marketplaces such as “Hydra Market” or the money laundering service “ChipMixer”.
“In total, we confiscated over a hundred million euros in these two cases and thus took away their money, their customers and their tools from the criminal scene,” said Münch.