The Law Enforcement's Guide to Policing Crypto Cybercrimes

Cointelegraph found out what methods are used to combat the most sophisticated cryptocurrency cybercrimes at the international level and whether they produce positive results.

Agencies have taken up cryptocurrency crimes in earnest, establishing the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation to explore new techniques that are being increasingly used by cybercriminals.

Since cryptocurrency is not controlled by anyone, it quickly became an attractive tool for ransomware attackers.

Cryptojacking overtakes other crypto crimesAs law enforcement agencies found ways to detect cryptocurrency ransomware attacks, hackers found a new tool: cryptojacking, or hidden cryptocurrency mining.

How do government agencies fight cryptojacking and ransomware?Due to its pseudo-anonymity, cryptocurrency can be easily used by cybercriminals, but it also allows government organizations to track illicit transactions.

The uncovered crypto crimes demonstrate that law enforcement's success in catching cybercriminals primarily hinges on collaboration with cryptocurrency market players such as brokers, exchanges and internet security firms.

Being the most frequent target for attacks, more aboveboard cryptocurrency exchanges and platforms prioritize maintaining good relationships with the police and provide necessary records to law enforcement bodies to minimize the likelihood of dealing with such attacks in the future.

In 2014, the German and Austrian governments created joint research project BitCrime, aimed at developing effective and internationally applicable measures to reduce the number of cryptocurrency crimes committed by organized crime groups.

In 2015, the Interpol Global Complex for Innovation created its own cryptocurrency and simulation training game for employees to study scenarios of cryptocurrency use and misuse.

At the same time, according to him, the growing prices of cryptocurrencies and the demand for them does not affect the growth of such crimes.