One of the best tools we have for fighting cybercriminals is you. We need every Australian to understand different types of cybercrime and the simple steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim.
Commander Chris Goldsmid
AFP Cyber Command
About this crime type
About this crime
In Australia, the term 'cybercrime' is used to describe:
- crimes directed at computers or other information communications technologies (ICTs), such as computer intrusions and denial of service attacks
- crimes where computers or ICTs are an integral part of an offence, such as online fraud.
It's a constantly changing frontier of law enforcement. Cybercrime has also become an important issue for the global community.
Technological advances mean cybercriminal groups can target thousands of Australians at once from anywhere in the world. They share tools, information and techniques through dark web forums and marketplaces.
Cybercrime is often linked to:
Different forms of cybercrime include:
- malware, such as remote access trojans (RATs), keyloggers and ransomware, which inserts a file or code to infect, explore or steal information over a network
- phishing and spear (targeted) phishing, such as fake emails from a bank asking for login details
- man-in-the-middle attacks, where the attacker secretly relays and possibly alters communications between 2 parties who believe that they are directly communicating with each other
- SQL injection, a common web-hacking technique that adds malicious code to a database.
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) gives information on:
- types of cybercrime threats
- basic ways to protect yourself online.
Combating cybercrime is a key part of our efforts to stay ahead of serious criminal threats to Australia and Australians.
We work to disrupt anonymous cybercriminals who are using the dark web to evade detection.
AFP Cybercrime Series: Remote Access Trojans (RATs)
Watch our videos to learn more about cybercrime
Cybercrime is one of that fastest growing crime types in Australia with hundreds of millions of dollars lost each year.
We need your help in the fight against cybercrime.
Crime Interrupted
We provided exclusive access to our case vault and this podcast series provides a detailed insight into how the AFP interrupts the most serious of crimes.
