Cybercrime on the Rise: Belgian Businesses Targeted in Massive Scale

Alarming Rate of Cybercrime Victimization Among Belgian Businesses

Brussels, Belgium - A new study has uncovered the shocking rate at which Belgian businesses are falling victim to cybercrime. The research reveals that the prevalence of cybercrime victimization and incidence of cybercrime incidents among Belgian businesses is on the rise.

Key Findings

Nearly 39% of Belgian businesses reported being victims of cybercrime in the past 12 months.
A staggering 55% of businesses perceive a high risk of being targeted again in the next year.
An estimated 35% of businesses experienced losses or costs as a result of cybercrime.

Impact of Cybercrime

Cybercrime has caused harm not only to material support but also other interest dimensions, including:

Reputation: 60% of respondents reported experiencing catastrophic harm.
Communication: 55% of respondents reported experiencing significant disruption.
Functional integrity: 50% of respondents reported experiencing significant downtime.

Types of Cybercrime Affecting Belgian Businesses

The study identified five types of cybercrime affecting Belgian businesses:

Illegal access to IT systems
Corporate espionage
Data/ system interference
Cyber extortion
Internet fraud

Assessing the Impact

To assess the impact of these crimes, the study relied on Greenfield and Paoli’s harm assessment framework. This framework conceptualizes impact as a novel way by letting respondents assess the severity of the impact of different types of cybercrime they experienced.

Call to Action

The study highlights the urgent need for businesses to take proactive measures to protect themselves against cyber threats. “It is crucial that Belgian businesses prioritize cybersecurity and invest in strategies to prevent and respond to these crimes,” said [researcher’s name].

Full Study Available

The full study can be found at [insert link].