Russia, Ukraine Top World Cybercrime Index as Threat Levels Rise
The World Cybercrime Index (WCI), a pioneering research project, has identified Russia (58.39), Ukraine (36.44), and China (27.84) as the countries with the highest cybercrime threat levels. The WCI, developed by a joint partnership between the University of Oxford and the University of New South Wales, funded by CRIMGOV, is set to expand and update in the future to explore national character traits linked to cybercrime.
The WCI score, calculated based on impact, professionalism, and technical skill, characterizes the skill level of cybercriminals in the top 15 countries. Russia and Ukraine stand out as highly technical cybercrime hubs, while Nigeria's cybercriminals engage in less technical forms of cybercrime. The US (25.01) and Nigeria (21.28) also rank among the top five countries with the highest cybercrime threat levels. The WCI considers five types of financially driven cybercrime, including technical products/services, attacks and extortion, data/identity theft, scams, and cashing out/money laundering. Notably, countries near the center of the Technicality score, such as the US, Israel, Germany, and India, specialize in both high- and low-tech cybercrime forms, being among the top targeted and active countries in cybercrime involving sophisticated as well as basic attack methods.
The WCI is a result of a four-year research project by an international team of academic researchers who surveyed 92 leading cybercrime experts. It is expected to be updated and expanded in the future to determine if national character traits are associated with cybercrime.
The World Cybercrime Index, a comprehensive study on global cybercrime threat levels, has highlighted Russia, Ukraine, and China as the countries harboring the greatest cybercriminal threat. The US and Nigeria also rank high, with the index considering various types of financially driven cybercrime. As the WCI is set to expand and update, further insights into the relationship between national character traits and cybercrime are anticipated.
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