Cybersecurity guide for developing countries II.1.3 Traditional crime and cybercrime Cybercrime is the natural extension of ordinary criminal activity. Today, criminal acts are committed across cyberspace, using non-conventional means in a manner that is complementary to ordinary crime. The internet not only provides ideal conditions for new illegal projects and activities, but also makes possible variations on fraud and other crimes by means of computer. The internet makes it easy to find and exploit new means of making money. This empowering feature is, naturally, not lost on the criminal world. By embracing IT, criminals hope to increase their winnings while minimizing their exposure to risk. II.1.4 Cybercrime, economic crime and money-laundering Economic crime via the internet is not limited to organized crime. Modern information and communication technologies allow isolated individuals to engage in economic crime, either working alone or in concert with groups of various sizes formed for the purpose. Criminals can organize themselves around the exchange of information, thanks to the use of IT. Networks can bring together individuals and expertise to organize a virtual criminal gang. Given the high degree of economic expertise and skills that economic crime requires, it is an obvious candidate for “improvement” by means of modern IT. The internet contributes to the acquisition of information and the knowledge of markets, laws, technology, etc. that are needed to commit economic crimes. It can also be used to prospect for victims. Economic crime is influenced by new technologies, which become part of the criminals’ repertoire and place information at the heart of their strategies and decision-making processes. New technologies can facilitate theft of all kinds, tampering, information sabotage and fraud. Blackmail, extortion, protection rackets and ransom demands have all made move leap to the internet. Information resources in effect become potential hostages of the cybercriminals. Blackmailers have shifted their operations to cyberspace, and anyone may suddenly find themselves the victim of attempted blackmail, disinformation or propaganda attempts. Furthermore, the explosion in identity theft since 2003 shows that the benefits of anonymity that the internet affords, and the use of false identities to avoid prosecution or criminal and terrorist responsibility, have not been lost on criminals. Identity theft, readily performed via the internet, is a factor in illicit activities. Like all criminals who exploit the existing technical infrastructures, money-launderers increasingly use the internet in order to take money that is generated by criminal activities such as drug trafficking, arms smuggling, corruption, prostitution, child abuse, tax fraud, etc. and move it into the domain of legality. Although it is greatly under-reported and frequently invisible, money-laundering via the internet is increasingly popular. The internet is an ideal vehicle, thanks to its virtual nature (anonymity, cyberspace, speed of transfer) and its freedom of territorial constraints (cross-border nature, conflicting competence and jurisdictions), which money-laundering agents have learned to exploit. The internet makes it possible to channel monies of criminal origin into legitimate economic circuits using money transfers, investment and capitalization. 32 Cybercrime