"GAO: State Should Fully Evaluate International Partners' Capacity to Combat Cybercrime"
Globally, cybercrime, including online identity theft, credit card fraud, and ransomware attacks, is increasing in number and scale. More than 840,000 cybercrime complaints were received by the FBI in 2021, with losses estimated to have reached $6.9 billion. In addition, the intelligence community observed a surge in ransomware attacks launched by transnational criminals in 2022, threatening critical systems worldwide. The Departments of State, Justice, and Homeland Security collaborate with foreign governments to combat these crimes driven by technology. Sharing information with foreign partners on current threats and providing cyber training to foreign law enforcement are examples of collaboration activities. According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Department of State, as the primary agency responsible for foreign assistance, has not adequately reviewed whether these efforts have been beneficial in helping foreign nations fight cybercrime. GAO's report highlighted that State Department, Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, as well as experts from international organizations, have identified six mutual challenges faced in building global capacity to combat cybercrime. Inconsistent definitions of cybercrime and a lack of dedicated resources have been cited as examples of these challenges. The expert group also cited challenges in working with the US government, such as difficulties in obtaining information, a lack of coordination, and the absence of dedicated financing streams. This article continues to discuss GAO's new report on global cybercrime and federal agency efforts to address international partners' capacity to combat cybercrime.