Cybercrime Among Companies : Research into Cybercrime Victimisation Among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and One-Man Businesses in the Netherlands

The digitisation of society offers businesses opportunities, but also poses risks. However, scientific evidence on the extent to which businesses actually fall victim to cybercrime is scarce. This book contains the findings of a study into cybercrime victimisation among Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and One-Man Businesses (OMBs) in the Netherlands that was conducted from 2013 until 2015. Over 1,200 SMEs and more than 1,600 OMBs were surveyed. The report presents unique figures on the extent and impact of cybercrime amongst businesses. The results indicate that more than a quarter of Dutch businesses are confronted with cybercrime. Victims are self-reliant: they seldom contact law enforcement, but instead take action to prevent and solve cybercrime problems themselves. As a consequence, police lack insight into the nature and extent of cybercrime amongst SMEs and OMBs, which hampers the ability of law enforcement to contribute effectively to the fight against cybercrime.