Russian Prosecutor General Proposes Unified System to Combat Cybercrime

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Russia has proposed new measures to fight cybercrime across the country. In an interview with TASS, the agency noted that IT-related crimes now make up one-fifth of all reported cases. In just the first six months of this year, law enforcement identified 225,500 such crimes—a 92% increase compared to the previous period.

Plastic Card Fraud on the Rise

The majority of these crimes involve the use of plastic cards. This year, 82,000 such cases have been registered, compared to 34,000 last year. Most thefts (69%) are linked to simple scams, where fraudsters trick unsuspecting citizens into revealing their credit card information through phone calls or other means, then transfer funds to their own accounts.

Cybercrimes Involving Inmates

Another significant issue is the involvement of inmates in prisons and detention centers, who participate in thefts via the internet or mobile networks. These crimes are often uncovered only after a considerable delay.

Need for a Unified Cybercrime System

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, Russia needs a unified system to combat cybercrime, which would allow authorities to detect offenses even before victims file complaints.

One proposed solution is to establish a single agreement for electronic information exchange between government agencies and services, in cooperation with banks, telecom operators, internet providers, and other participants in the information space. The National Coordination Center for Computer Incidents, created under the FSB, could serve as the main coordinating body in the fight against IT crime. Alternatively, a centralized interdepartmental body could be established, modeled after international examples, to coordinate activities around the clock. This body would have all necessary resources, including operational, investigative, and technical services, a research center, and an international cooperation center with representatives from all ministries and agencies.

Regional Differences in Legal Assessment

Currently, the Prosecutor General’s Office notes that even the legal assessment of related cybercrimes—such as online fraud, theft from electronic accounts, and the handling of databases with personal information—varies across different regions of the country.