Cybercriminals are going to jail in South Africa

While it may sometimes seem hopeless to report cybercrime to law enforcement in South Africa, excellent work is being done locally to bring key figures in international criminal syndicates to justice.

That is the message from Dominic White, Orange Cyberdefense South African MD, who explained that several breakthroughs were happening behind the scenes through collaboration between law enforcement and cybersecurity professionals.

White recently hosted a discussion with international law enforcement, who provided some details on recent successes they’ve had thanks to their local partnership.

This included helping to freeze funds being transferred out of South Africa after a multi-million rand business email compromise, and substantial jail sentences being handed down on kingpins involved in everything from phishing to human trafficking.

These arrests and prosecutions are made possible thanks to joint international cooperation between law enforcement worldwide — including South Africa’s Hawks, SAPS Crime Intelligence, and Interpol.

White argued that helping to put criminals in jail is something cybersecurity professionals should help with.

Besides bringing justice for victims, there is evidence to suggest that there is an overall reduction in cyberattacks after a major law enforcement operation.

In one case, a bust of a dozen or so cybercriminals in South Africa led to domestic phishing attacks dropping significantly — preventing thousands of victims from being scammed.

Another major success story in this regard was Operation Jackal — an international crackdown on members of the notorious Black Axe gang in 2022 that was coordinated by Interpol.

The joint law enforcement effort mobilised agencies in 21 countries across the world in a targeted strike against Black Axe and related West-African organised crime groups.

It was the first time Interpol coordinated a global operation specifically against Black Axe, a group that is rapidly becoming a major global security threat.

Members of the group not only engage in online scams but also more serious crimes like human trafficking and the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.

According to Interpol, Black Axe and associated groups are responsible for the majority of the world’s cyber-enabled financial fraud.

Only two suspects were arrested in South Africa. However, these were high-level figures in the organisation who were wanted for online scams that extracted $1.8 million (R32.7 million) from victims.

Globally, there were 75 arrests, 49 property searches, and millions intercepted in bank accounts.

To improve cybercrime enforcement in South Africa and even better protect their clients from losses due to such attacks, cybersecurity professionals and law enforcement officials need to develop a shared understanding of each other’s roles, processes, and terminology.

For instance, cybersecurity professionals can benefit from training on the types of evidence that are admissible in court and how to package information for law enforcement.

Clear and consistent communication channels between the two groups are crucial for timely information sharing.

Because resources are limited, it is necessary to prioritise collaboration on high-impact cases, such as those involving large financial losses or organised crime syndicates.

Cybersecurity professionals should focus on providing law enforcement with actionable intelligence, including specific details such as IP addresses, port numbers, and timestamps.

This targeted approach will allow law enforcement agencies to allocate resources effectively and pursue cases with a higher likelihood of successful prosecution.

To build trust and relationships in the sector, it will be necessary to foster ongoing dialogue and collaboration through joint task forces, workshops, and training exercises.

Regular interaction between cybersecurity professionals and law enforcement officials will help build trust and understanding, breaking down barriers to effective collaboration.

Personal relationships and open communication can expedite information exchange and problem-solving in time-sensitive situations.