Cybercrime Definition

On this page

• Reporting cybercrime
• What is cybercrime?
• Other important cybercrime terms
• More resources

Reporting cybercrime

If you are a victim of cybercrime, please report it to:

• Your local police
• The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre using their Online Reporting System or by phone at 1-888-495-8501

Note

• If you didn't fall victim but experienced a cybercrime, fraud or scam, you should still report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre .
• Reporting is critical as it helps law enforcement combat cybercrime. It also helps identify connections across separately reported cybercrime incidents, such as links to organized crime.
• The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre are working on implementing a new national cybercrime and fraud reporting system for Canadians and businesses.
• For critical infrastructure organizations, government departments and agencies, and IT security practitioners it is also recommended that you report cyber incidents to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security defends Government of Canada cyber systems and is the primary point of contact on cyber security operational matters for external partners, including incident response and coordination. By reporting to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, you are helping them defend cyber systems of importance to Canada and develop cyber security advice, guidance, and services.
• For spam or information about other electronic threats, please submit reports to the Spam Reporting Centre. Reports help the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission to promote compliance with Canadian law, including Canada's anti-spam legislation.

What is cybercrime?

"Cybercrime" is a broad term used to describe any crime where a cyber element has a large role in a criminal offence.

The term “cybercrime” captures two categories of crime:

1. Crimes where technology is being targeted
2. Cases where technology is used to commit the crime

Crimes where technology like computers, networks and devices are targeted include:

• Ransomware
• Malware
• Hacking
• Denial of Service
• Supply chain compromise
• Botnet attacks
• Advanced persistent threat

These crimes are often committed for profit, to cause reputational damage, conduct espionage and/or to steal personal information to commit identity fraud or sell on the dark web. Many of these crimes are now offered as a service for hire by cyber criminals, implicating more than one person in the commission of a crime.

These types of crimes are the focus of the RCMP's Federal Policing Cybercrime Program and the National Cybercrime Coordination Centre.

Cases where technology is used to commit a crime, include a wide range of illegal activities like:

• Fraud
• Identity theft
• Intellectual property infringements
• Money laundering
• Drug trafficking
• Human trafficking
• Organized crime
• Terrorist activities
• Child sexual exploitation
• Cyber bullying

These types of crimes fall within a number of RCMP programs and services.

Other important cybercrime terms

MalwareMalicious software created to damage a computer, server, or network. It can cause damage to systems and/or allow a cyber threat actor to gain unauthorized access.RansomwareA type of malware that denies a victim's access to a system or data until a sum of money is paid. Due to its impact on an organization's ability to function, ransomware is almost certainly the most disruptive form of cybercrime facing Canadians.BotnetA robot network composed of malware-infected devices (bots) that carry out a cyber threat actor's command. From one central point, cyber threat actors remotely command every internet connected device on their botnet to carry out a coordinated criminal action.Distributed Denial of ServiceA network of compromised internet connected devices are used to target a victim. The flood of incoming messages forces the victim's system to shut down and denies service to legitimate users.Supply Chain CompromiseA tactic used to exploit the trusted ecosystems of suppliers and service providers that enable organizations to develop and deliver products and services. Supply chains provide an extended attack surface against Canadian organizations and an alternative for cyber threat actors to direct action against an organization's networks.Advanced persistent threatA cyberattack in which a person or group gains unauthorized access to a network and remains undetected for an extended period.

More resources

For more information on cybercrime and how to protect yourself, visit:

• Cybercrime: an overview of incidents and issues in Canada (RCMP report)
• Get Cyber Safe
• Canadian Centre for Cyber Security:
  • An Introduction to the Cyber Threat Environment
  • National Cyber Threat Assessment 2023-2024
  • Glossary
  • Ransomware
• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission:
  • Enforcing Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation
  • Protect yourself against spam and malware