Cybercrime
Home Department
Chi Onwurah (Newcastle upon Tyne Central, Labour)
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what definition her Department uses for cybercrime.
James Brokenshire (Old Bexley and Sidcup, Conservative)
The Government's Cyber Security Strategy made it clear that there are crimes which only exist in the digital world, in particular those that target the integrity of computer networks and online systems. However, the internet is also used to commit crimes such as theft and fraud, often on an industrial scale.
The internet has provided new opportunities for those who seek to exploit children and the vulnerable.
There is no offence of cybercrime in law. Offences involving illegal access to computer systems may be prosecuted under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, but many other offences committed online would be prosecuted under legislation dealing with the substantive offence, such as fraud.