MOSCOW, July 7. /TASS/. Cybercrimes in Russia surged practically eight-fold over the past five years, climbing to 510,000 from 65,000 offenses, Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Oleg Khramov said on Wednesday, commenting on the country’s updated national security strategy. 

"Rapid digitalization is creating new IT security threats. In particular, the number of cybercrimes has grown substantially in the past five years, climbing from 65,000 to 510,000 offenses," the security official said.

These criminal offenses inflict damage on both businesses and individuals, Khramov pointed out. "Many of us were troubled by and witnessed calls by scammers, in particular, by those who allegedly spoke on behalf of bank security personnel," he noted.

The cybercrime statistics for 2020 suggest that theft and fraud accounted for the bulk of these offenses, with 173,000 and 210,000 such crimes committed last year, correspondingly, the Russian Security Council added.

At the same time, particularly detrimental cyberattacks, including attacks on Russia’s vital IT infrastructure facilities, soared by 250% last year, the security official said.

Russia’s updated national security strategy identifies IT security as a new strategic national priority, Khramov pointed out. "It is intended to provide a systematic basis for warding off existing and emerging IT threats," he explained.

The modern stage of socio-economic development patterns is characterized by the active introduction of IT technologies in all the spheres of everyday life, the security official pointed out.

"These processes substantially influence social and political stability in the country," he emphasized.