Cybercrime

Cryptojacking involves the covert and unauthorised use of the computing power of a computer, server, smartphone, virtual machine, or cloud environment to mine cryptocurrency. The essence of the phenomenon is not merely “mining” as such, but rather the exploitation of another party’s infrastructure as a production asset: processing capacity, electricity,…

Data theft constitutes one of the most consequential categories of business-related incidents in today’s economy because it strikes at the core of value creation: information. The concept extends well beyond “data” in a purely technical sense and encompasses knowledge assets and recorded materials that underpin competitive advantage, market position, bargaining…

Online fraud has evolved into an umbrella term for a wide range of behaviours in which digital means are used to obtain a financial advantage, or to induce another party to part with money, goods, or valuable data. The defining feature is rarely a single misleading message; more often, the…

Cyberstalking and digital intimidation concern conduct in which an individual is deliberately and repeatedly approached, monitored, pressured, or intruded upon through digital means. The digital nature of the conduct allows it to unfold across a wide range of channels, including social media, messaging applications, email, forums, review platforms, and online…

Identity theft is an umbrella concept covering conduct in which personal data are obtained against the data subject’s wishes and subsequently used to imitate another person, create a false reality, or gain access to financial or digital services. The phenomenon is characterised by the combination of data points which, viewed…

DDoS attacks constitute a distinct category of digital disruption incidents in which the primary objective is not covert intrusion or the theft of data, but rather the (temporary) unavailability or material destabilisation of a website, network, platform, or online service. The core mechanism involves artificially escalating the load placed on…

Malware is a dynamic and expansive umbrella term for software-based instruments that, whether overtly or covertly, are deployed to influence digital systems in a manner that conflicts with intended use, the reasonable expectations of the system owner or administrator, or the integrity and confidentiality of data processing. The spectrum ranges…

Phishing is an umbrella term for digital deception in which an attacker deliberately presents as a trusted party in order to induce a recipient to disclose confidential information or to perform an action that causes financial or operational harm. A defining feature is that the interaction is engineered to bypass…

Hacking concerns unauthorized intrusion into automated systems, networks, or digital environments, with the aim of obtaining access to information, functionalities, or privileges that have not been granted. In legal terms, the concept is less elastic than in public discourse. In everyday language, “hacking” is quickly invoked for almost any unwanted…