O AUMENTO DE CRIMES CIBERNÉTICOS NA ERA DIGITAL E OS DESAFIOS LEGAIS

ABSTRACT Technological advancements and the expansion of internet usage have profoundly transformed social, commercial, and institutional relationships, providing numerous benefits while also exposing individuals and organizations to new risks. The digital environment has become a favorable space for criminal activities, ranging from financial fraud to system intrusions and identity theft. In this scenario, the legal system faces the challenge of keeping up with the evolution of these crimes and ensuring effective regulation for their prevention and repression. The central problem of this study lies in the difficulty of national legislation in keeping pace with the sophistication and rapid evolution of cybercrimes. The choice of this topic is justified by the exponential growth of such crimes, driven by the digitization of human interactions and technological advances that facilitate criminal activities in cyberspace.The methodology employed is qualitative and bibliographic, based on the analysis of legal provisions, case law, and academic studies on the subject. Doctrinal approaches addressing criminal liability in the digital environment will also be examined to understand the difficulties and limitations imposed by Brazilian legislation.The results indicate that, although Brazil has specific laws to combat cybercrimes, such as Law No. 12.737/2012 (Carolina Dieckmann Law), challenges remain in their enforcement, especially due to the transnational nature of these offenses and the need for more agile mechanisms for investigation and international cooperation. Keywords: Cybercrimes. Digital era. Legal challenges.