Cyber Threats, Police Technical Opportunities

The internet has developed at an explosive rate. The spread of a technical innovation in such a short period of time is almost unprecedented. Currently, it is estimated that the internet has 4.3 billion users. The web offers unique possibilities for communication and information handling, but there are groups that abuse these possibilities for criminal purposes. This study is based on the areas described in the annual Europol IOCTA report, which were studied more closely. Interviews were also conducted with members of the police force and the Swedish prosecution authority in order to obtain their views on cybercrime. Finally, a number of reported cybercrimes were followed up. The present report contains suggestions on how to address some areas of cybercrime, as well as ideas for future research.