Cybercrime.bg
- Bulgaria
- Start Date: 2007
The website cybercrime.bg, managed by the cybercrime division of the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime (GDCOC) with the Ministry of Interior in Bulgaria is an information and reporting platform aimed to acquaint stakeholders and general public with the main online threats, ways to prevent them and give them the opportunity to report on concrete cases. Already active for 10 years, the platform has proven as a long-term tool to make society aware of the main types of cybercrime and to receive tips and signals on various types of online criminal activity.
The website intends to give short, precise and clear explanations in an understandable language regarding online threats and ways to counter them. It aims to present the basic concepts and elements of cybercrime and other computer-related crime, online sexual exploitation of children, crimes against intellectual property and illicit gambling. The site also aims to give advice on how to protect computers and other devices used online and how to deal with compromised websites and e-mails. In addition, there is a complaint form, http://www.cybercrime.bg/bg/contacts, where each citizen may submit a complaint regarding an online threat.
The website is sustainable as it is fully operated by the cybercrime division of the General Directorate for Combating Organised Crime with the Ministry of the Interior and is thus fully institutionally supported.
The practice is transferable as it is entirely online based and could thus be easily adapted to other contexts.
No evaluations of the practice are publicly available. During the first week after its launch, the site was reported to have received 1500 signals.
The website proclaims its partnership with the State Gambling Commission in combating illegal gambling.
Regarding online threats against children, an active partnership is in place with the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre.
The International Cyber Investigation Training Academy is also an established partner of the website and the cybercrime division of the GDCOC, as the Academy’s events are often publicised on the division’s Facebook page and senior GDCOC officers are part of its management.
The website also declares that it has been designed and optimised by a private company, which shows a good working co-operation with (parts of) the private sector. The site has also received a web award, which is also evidence of support by the private sector.
Campaigning against financial mules has been done together with the Association of Banks in Bulgaria.
Medium, as it is both supported by the Ministry of Interior budget and seeks project funding, the most recent one indicated being for popularisation of the online platform under the Prevention and Fight against Crime Programme of the European Commission.
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The site was started with the objective of informing about the main types of cybercrime and providing an online reporting/complaint platform. As cybercrime continues to be on the rise and new and more complicated forms are constantly emerging, the objectives of the practice continue to be valid both for the stakeholders involved in cybercrime prevention and protection and for the general public. The website is being developed in a way consistent with its declared objectives and its intended impacts and effects – it continues to enrich the scope of cybercrimes, covered by its informational parts, and continues to offer citizens a platform to submit signals about online threats and illegal content. In addition, it has a news section, where a comprehensive picture of current threats and activities in the cybercrime field is built.
The website’s objectives are very likely to be achieved as it is very well popularised through the GDCOC’s various activities so it is widely recognised as a trusted information source. Moreover, it is listed by Europol - https://www.europol.europa.eu/report-a-crime/report-cybercrime-online - the No Hate Speech Movement and others as an official reporting channel for cybercrime activities, so it can safely be supposed that it is well known as a reporting/complaint tool as well.
The major factor contributing to achieving its objectives is the website’s targeted popularisation activities by the GDCOC’s cybercrime division and its partners, including with EU funding and via a dedicated Facebook page.
The activity of the website can be considered cost efficient as it is fully online based and is thus directed to achieve maximum outreach through the overall good Internet penetration – 58.5% of Bulgarian users. As the site allows signals on cybercrime to reach authorities instantly, it can be said that it achieves its objectives to inform citizens and allow for reporting of criminal activity/illegal content in a timely manner. Online reporting, especially of cybercrime activities, can be considered to have no feasible alternatives.
As a result of the activity of the website, citizens and cybercrime stakeholders alike have been provided with an online reporting platform long before such was provided on general criminal activity by the Ministry of Interior or the Prosecutor’s Office. Thus, significant difference was made to beneficiaries as they were provided at a relatively early stage with a tool to report on a fast evolving criminal activity. The positive impact of the website can be considered generally applicable to the whole Bulgarian (Internet-using) population.
Cybercrime.bg is continuously sustained through the effort and budget of GDCOC’s cybercrime division, plus EU and other project funding when it is available. Project funding is, however, available only sporadically, so, meanwhile, the website is sustained through the institution’s own budget. Nevertheless, sustainability is achieved so far due to the website’s being highly prioritised in the activities of the Ministry, General Directorate and its cybercrime division.
The design and implementation of the website was done by GDCOC’s cybercrime division, with support from the private sector. The very first version of the website was done as voluntary contribution by students from a computer secondary school. Throughout the activity of the website, many more stakeholders have been involved, such as a bank association and the Bulgarian Safer Internet Centre, which shows significant popularity of the website’s activity and its being considered as an appropriate platform for campaigning on key online threats such as child pornography and financial muling.