'Cybercrime costs 490 billion euros per year'

santa clara - Digital crime costs the world more and more. The worldwide damage is 600 billion dollars per year, almost 490 billion euros, or nearly 1 percent of the world economy. This is shown by a study by the security guard McAfee and the research bureau CSIS.

In 2014, the damage was 445 billion dollars (more than 360 billion euros). According to the researchers, criminals are becoming more and more sophisticated. The threshold to become a criminal is also becoming lower and lower. 'Crime is more efficient, less risky, more profitable and has never been easier,' says McAfee.

Banks are the favorite targets, governments the most dangerous perpetrators. According to the researchers, Russia is the world leader. 'That shows how good their hackers are and how they despise Western justice,' said CSIS. North Korea is second. The country is regularly accused of stealing virtual money to finance the government. Brazil, India and Vietnam are on the rise, according to McAfee and CSIS.