Interpol’s top official warns that digital tools used by military for cyberwarfare may eventually fall into the hands cybercriminals.

Jurgen Stock, the international police agency’s secretary general, said he’s concerned state-developed cyberweapons will become available on the darknet — a hidden part of the internet that can’t be accessed through search engines like Google — in a “couple of years.”

“That is a major concern in the physical world — weapons that are used on the battlefield and tomorrow will be used by organized crime groups,” Stock said during a CNBC-moderated panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Monday.

He added that the same is true for digital weapons, which may be used today by the military.

Cyberweapons come in many forms, with ransomware — where hackers lock down a company’s computer systems and demand a ransom payment to restore control — being a key one. While cyberwar was a long-standing concern of global governments, the topic has gained new attention with the Russia-Ukraine War.

Moscow is blamed for numerous cyberattacksThis occurred both before and after its invasion of Ukraine. These accusations have been repeatedly denied by the Kremlin. Ukraine continues to be a member of the NATO alliance. enlisted the help of volunteer hackersTo help Russia defend itself against Russian aggression, we invite allies from the entire world.

Stock appealed to business leaders for greater cooperation with government and law enforcement officials in order to improve cybercrime policing.

“On the one hand, we are aware of what’s going on — on the other hand, we need the data, which are in the private sector,” he said.

We need your help! [cyber breach] reports. Your reports are essential.

Stock claimed that cyberattacks continue to go unreported in a “huge” number. Stock stated, “That’s a gap that we must close together. Not just law enforcement. We need to build bridges among our silos, islands of information.”

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook report, cyberattacks have more than doubled worldwide in 2021. According to the report Ransomware is still the most common type of cyberattack, with companies being attacked on an average basis 270 times per year.

Executives and officials from government said cybersecurity incidents put critical energy infrastructure at risk and increase supply chain risks.

Robert Lee, CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity firm Dragos, urged businesses to focus on real-world scenarios — like the Russian state-backed attack on Ukraine’s power grid in 2015 — instead of more hypothetical risks. Ukraine fended off a similar attemptIn April, the country will be able to affect its energy infrastructure.

Lee stated that “our problem isn’t needing ‘next generation’ AI or blockchain.” “Our problem is usually just about rolling with the things that have been invested in.