First-ever cybercrime ranking defined by University of Oxford: Russia at the top

In the first-ever cybercrime ranking, Russia is far ahead of Ukraine, China, the United States, and Nigeria.

The authors of a study by the University of Oxford and the University of New South Wales in Canberra came to these conclusions, and Deutsche Welle reported the results on April 10.

The biggest cybercrime threat comes from a few countries

The biggest threat worldwide from cybercrime comes from a small number of countries, with Russia as its main center, followed by Ukraine, China, the United States, and Nigeria.

The authors of a study from the University of Oxford and the University of New South Wales in Canberra, who published the results on April 10, came to these conclusions.

Over the course of three years, the study assessed the most significant sources of cybercrime and, for the first time in history, ranked countries according to the World Cybercrime Index (WCI). The rankings were based on the opinions of 92 leading cybercrime experts from around the world.

The researchers asked them to identify the most significant sources of the five main types of cybercrime and to rate countries based on the results of cyberattacks, professionalism, and technical capabilities of the hackers operating in them.

Russia ranked first in cybercrime ranking

Russia, ranked first, received 58.39 points, followed by Ukraine (36.44 points), China (27.86 points), the United States (25.01 points), and Nigeria (21.28 points). Romania (14.83 points), North Korea (10.61 points), the United Kingdom (9.01 points), Brazil (8.93 points), and India (6.13 points) also made it to the top ten hotbeds of global cybercrime.

Iran, Belarus, Ghana, South Africa, Moldova, Israel, Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Latvia took the 11th to 20th positions, respectively. All of these countries’ WCI scores do not reach 5 points.

According to Miranda Bruce, co-author of the study, the research results will allow national cybersecurity agencies to focus their work on key hacker activity centers. It will “help to remove the veil of anonymity around cybercriminals” and more effectively combat the growing threat of online crime. 

Presenting the results of the study, the researchers emphasized that they hope to study the impact on cybercrime of various national characteristics, including education, GDP, and corruption.

Russian spying scandal in Austria

Recently, Austria has been hit by its biggest espionage scandal in decades, as the arrest of a former intelligence officer reveals evidence of extensive Russian spy infiltration.

The scandal erupted with the arrest on March 29 of former intelligence officer Egisto Ott, accused of, among other things, passing on the cell phone data of former high-ranking Austrian officials to the Russian secret services.

Spanish media alert over Russia’s hybrid war

Also, Spanish media outlet EL PAIS wrote that Russia’s hybrid war in Europe employs a variety of techniques, including espionage, misinformation and propaganda efforts, and influence activities, to cause havoc and destabilize Europe.

Two months before the vital European Parliament elections, the EU has cautioned in many confidential reports, which EL PAIS has seen, that the Kremlin is intensifying its campaigns. The latest coordinated investigation by multiple European intelligence agencies against a Kremlin influence network has raised anxieties.

Russian troll network disclosed in the US

The Kremlin intensifies its propaganda efforts not only in EU countries but also in the United States, with the same goal of undermining military aid to Ukraine. The Washington Post reports that Russia has established a vast network of “trolls” with the intention of weakening US support for Ukraine. 

The purpose of the Russian troll network is to incite anti-Ukrainian sentiment by manipulating political discussions in the US Congress and other platforms. Kremlin bot farms have produced thousands of fake news stories, posts, and social media comments supporting American isolationism, the media claimed.

A wide range of internal Kremlin documents obtained by a European intelligence agency and examined by The Washington Post disclose that Kremlin-linked political strategists and trolls have been writing thousands of fake news pieces that support American isolationism, incite fear over border security, and try to escalate U.S. economic tensions.