Finding the police jurisdiction for the cybercrime is the major reason why cybercriminals so often walk free. Does this make you wonder what’s so hard about setting up an international police unit that cracks down on cybercrime? Here are just a few of the steps required to crack down on cybercriminals.

1. Create an operation base.

To crack down on a cybercrime ring, law enforcement needs to get as many agencies together as necessary. That means that multiple agencies in many different countries might get involved with the crackdown. With so many agencies coordinating, law enforcement needs to find a single coordination center to create and communicate a plan of action.

Read More: OldFashioned Crime Goes Cyber in 2016

2. Exchange information internationally.

Each agency within the joined forces needs to be able to share information with every other agency. That means that they need to create a system that lets them exchange information and create protocols that ensure that each agency receives the same data.

3. Send out the ground forces.

While crimes take place online, criminals live in the real world. In addition to the coordinated headquarters, law enforcement needs to send out police in the countries where the crimes have been taking place. These on-the-ground officers ensure the agencies find more information on the hackers.

4. Find the bad guys.

Once they have a case against the cybercriminals, law enforcement needs to track them down in the real world. Just like with any other criminal, it’s now time for these agencies to knock on — and perhaps knock down — some doors.

As hard as it is to bust crime in the real world, it’s even harder to bust crime in the virtual world. That’s why you need to take measures to keep yourself safe. The best way to keep your information safe from cybercriminals isn’t to wait for the law to catch up. Instead, you need to protect yourself now.

With PSafe Total, you can keep your information safe. The software’s Antivirus feature scans your SD cards and phone files 24-hours a day so you can catch breaches quickly.

Extortion

Cyber extortion, which entails publically revealing private or embarrassing hacked information, is reaching an all-time high in 2016. Cybercriminals are profiting off targets by threatening to release private pictures, personal information, or embarrassing secrets if demands aren’t met. A high-profile example was the recent hack of Ashley Madison, a website that facilitates adulterous affairs between its users. In this case, criminals threatened to reveal names attached to Ashley Madison accounts unless users paid the hackers steep prices.

Holding Users Hostage

The proliferation of “ransomware” has transferred this old-fashioned criminal behavior into the digital sphere. 2016 has seen a marked spike in cybercriminals’ use of ransomware, which is the term used for programs designed to hold victims’ digital information hostage until a ransom has been paid.

Advanced ransomware is even capable of penetrating smart devices, like Internet connected cars, medical devices, and household appliances. Cybercriminals have the ability to hijack virtually any connected device, and request inordinate ransom prices from victims.

In the first three months of 2016, over $200 million in ransom money was paid to criminals holding data hostage. This amount is eight times as much as the total ransomware demands paid in all of 2015!

Read More: Cybersecurity Threats You Should Watch for in 2016

The Globalization of Cybercrime

Cybercrime networks are expanding, and becoming more advanced, with gangs of online criminals using cutting-edge tools to break into private connected devices, selling access to the highest bidder. Cybercriminals in developing countries, like Nigeria, are also becoming more sophisticated with their online attacks. Military conflicts throughout the world can cause an increase in cyber assaults, as extensive damage can be inflicted by hacking groups who don’t have any physical military force.

PSafe Security

It’s clear to see that it’s a dangerous world we’re living in when it comes to data security. Don’t put the data, and personal information on your Android phone at risk. If you’re concerned about your phone’s security, give it the added protection it needs with PSafe TOTAL. PSafe TOTAL’s antivirus software will help secure all of the private data on your Android phone, and ensure your connected devices are safe and sound.