Moscow helping cybercriminals operate with "near impunity": Canadian Cyber Centre

A new federal report predicts Russian intelligence services and police will help cybercriminals operate with "near impunity" against their targets — including Canadians — in coming months.

The assessment says Russia, and to a lesser extent Iran, very likely act as cybercrime safe havens from which digital criminals based within their borders can operate against Western targets.

The cybercrime forecast is the latest assessment from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, with support from the RCMP. 

It says ransomware — malware that holds vital digital information hostage for payment — is likely the most disruptive form of cybercrime facing Canada because it is pervasive and can have a serious effect on an organization’s ability to function.