About us
The Regional Cyber Crime Unit investigate cyber dependent crimes affecting organisations across the West Midlands Region. We also help organisations become more cyber resilient through guidance and workshops, and deter people from engaging in cyber crime.
What is cyber crime?
Dependent vs. Enabled
Law enforcement splits cyber crime into two categories – cyber dependent and cyber enabled.
Cyber enabled crimes are traditional crimes which can be increased in their reach by using computers e.g. online fraud or sextortion.
Cyber dependent crimes are those offences which can only be committed using a computer or network. These are the crimes that we deal with – examples include:
> Gaining unauthorised access into someone’s computer network
> Stealing, modifying or deleting information
> Attacking an online service to make it unavailable (also known as ‘Denial of Service’ (DoS) attack.
> Creating, supplying or obtaining malicious software or ‘malware’.
Why is this important?
When organisations fall victim to cyber attacks, there can be considerable financial implications, but it’s more than just money at stake.
We’ve seen people suffer damage to their reputation.
We’ve seen people forced to deal with heavy emotional strain.
We’ve seen people lose their livelihoods.
Behind the figures, the effects of cyber crime often go unseen, especially to those who are responsible for committing offences.
Please, if you have fallen victim to a cyber crime, it’s important to report it to Action Fraud.
It’s also vital to make sure that you know how to stay protected by using the resources mentioned on this site, and by sharing the advice with others.
