Did you know that cybercrime worldwide is expected to add up to $10.5 trillion by 2025? Yes, that’s trillion with a “t” rather than billion with a “b.”
Another source notes that cybercriminals can gain access to 93% of company networks. As if that weren’t bad enough, another source states that companies experienced 50% more cyberattack attempts per week last year. So, the fight to stop cybercriminals is far from over.
You’ve no doubt heard stories about high-profile cyberattacks. Whether the attacks are about bringing attention to a cause, locking up computers and freeing them up only after ransoms are paid, or bringing fear to hundreds of millions of people, cybercriminals have been motivated. In a lot of instances, someone is held accountable. But many cases remain unsolved.
Keep on reading to learn about three of the most significant unsolved cybersecurity crimes ever committed.
1. The WANK Worm
The Wank Worm, one of the first cases of hacktivism, was unleashed on NASA in October of 1989.
Aerospace scientists who logged into their computers were greeted by a banner that read, “WORMS AGAINST NUCLEAR KILLERS; YOUR SYSTEM HAS BEEN OFFICIALLY WANKed.”
Anti-nuclear protestors wanted to halt the Galileo space probe bound for Jupiter. The problem? Galileo was fueled by radioactive plutonium.
The worm hit the agency in the pocket to the tune of around $500,000 in wasted resources and time.
Who was behind this hacktivist attack? While the cyberattack has never been solved, some believe that the culprits were hacktivists in Australia.
It wasn’t the biggest-ever crime in terms of dollar value–not by a long shot. But it put hacktivism on the map by attacking the independent government agency and thumbing its nose at the agency’s space program.
2. WannaCry Ransomware
The WannacCry ransomware attack started in 2017. This global cyberattack, initiated in North Korea, is still wreaking havoc.
While the point of origin is confirmed, the actual entity behind the ransomware that affects computers running Microsoft Windows is unconfirmed.
The ransomware encrypts data and then forces victims to pay ransom amounts in Bitcoin to regain access to their computers.
North of 200,000 computers in 150 nations have been affected, according to one report. And Symantec has estimated that the recovery cost is around $4 billion.
It’s not as prolific as it was back in 2017, but WannaCry is still making victims, well, want to cry.
3. Military Source Code Theft]
In December of 2000, a person or group got a hold of the source code that controls the U.S. missile guidance systems.
A hacker infiltrated a company under contract with the U.S. government, namely Exigent Software Technology, and stole two-thirds of the code for the company’s OS/COMET software used for satellite and missile guidance.
While the digital bread trail led investigators to Germany’s University of Kaiserslautern, that’s as far as they got.
No one was ever charged with the cybercrime. The idea of someone gaining unlawful access to the source code controlling the country’s missile guidance system is hard to fathom.
But knowing that whoever did it has not been held accountable is almost unfathomable.
While there are many examples of cybercrimes solved and unsolved, the three above demonstrate the lengths that cybercriminals are willing to go to unleash their mayhem.
When alleged offenders are caught, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act is the main statutory means for prosecuting cybercrime.
People who find themselves on the receiving end of cybercrime charges need the right legal counsel.
A cybercrime defense attorney familiar with the law and experienced in representing people charged with such crimes is the best option.
