What is ransomware?
Offenders, for decades, have committed different forms of cybercrime in order to extort ransom from organisations and individuals. However, over the past decade more complex forms of ransomware and related offences have emerged. These entail the encryption of computer data or systems, thus locking out users, followed by requests for ransom against the (promise of) access to be restored. Offenders may also threaten to release sensitive or personal information, in an attempt to more effectively extract payments from victims.
Council of Europe response to ransomware challenges
The Council of Europe is supporting action against ransomware through the tools of the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention) and its Protocols, and capacity building projects of the Cybercrime Programme Office (C-PROC), such as:
- Strengthening domestic criminal law
- Simulation exercises and workshops for practitioners (for example, workshops on ransomware and financial investigations)
- The development of materials and tools (such as the Guide for investigation of ransomware attacks)
This resource has information on:
- Forms, modi operandi, risks and challenges of ransomware offences
- Capacity building
- International legal standards and instruments
- Examples of responses, actions and initiatives
- Other resources and relevant developments
Read the T-CY's