Opening the conference at Europol’s headquarters, Executive Director Catherine De Bolle told some 500 participants from around the world:Catherine de BolleEuropol Executive DirectorAt this year’s Cybercrime Conference, we are confronting one of the defining dilemmas of our time: data as both a driver of innovation and the lifeblood of modern criminality. When digital evidence remains out of reach, children go unidentified, terrorist plots advance undetected, and organised crime thrives in the shadows. Lawful access is not a legal abstraction — it is about ensuring that people are protected in their everyday lives.A keynote address was delivered by the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, who said:Magnus BrunnerEuropean Commissioner for Internal Affairs and MigrationCybercrime knows no borders. Drones threaten our critical infrastructure, cybercriminals exploit encryption and new technologies, and data has become a decisive battleground. To protect people and businesses in the EU, we must mainstream security into all our policies, strengthen Europol’s mandate, and ensure lawful access to data. This is not about new powers – it is about restoring balance in a changing world.Under the theme ‘Dissecting data challenges on the digital frontlines’, the two-day event focused on the fast-growing challenge of data in cybercrime investigations.Delegates discussed five pressing issues:Balancing access and privacy: how data is used in everyday life, from personal decisions to geopolitical strategy.Data in operations: the need for cross-border data availability and stronger public-private partnerships to track and disrupt cybercriminals.Data-driven legislation: the urgency of updating regulatory frameworks as technology evolves.Cyber diplomacy: ensuring collaboration between governments and industry to create resilient systems.Prevention: showcasing innovative approaches that are changing how cybercrime is tackled.Case studies presented during the conference included Europol-supported Operation Eastwood, which disrupted pro-Russian hacktivist activity targeting European infrastructure, and Operation Ratatouille, which saw the arrest of the alleged administrator of one of the world’s most influential Russian-speaking cybercrime platforms.The Cybercrime Conference was preceded by an annual workshop with national Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs), organised jointly between Europol and the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), underlining the importance of technical expertise and operational collaboration in building digital resilience. Together with other events on prevention, forensics and global cooperation, the week marked the launch of Europol’s Cyber Week – bringing together communities from across Europe and beyond to strengthen collective defences.Now in its fourth year, Europol’s Cybercrime Conference has become a key annual platform for operational, policy and industry experts to share insights and prepare the next steps in the fight against cybercrime.Europol also publishes the Internet Organised Crime Threat Assessment, outlining the emerging threats and key developments in the field of cybercrime over the last year. 

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