Zuccato said online security and policing needs to deal with hundreds of thousands of small crimes that collectively add up to a large figure as opposed to one crime that nets a profit.

He said 19 percent is a positive figure, given the additional challenges the Internet provides law enforcement when it comes to prosecution.

"With this type of offence jurisdictionally and legislatively it is difficult to get the information and timeliness that we need and to be in a position to use the information as evidence," Zuccato said.

"We are not talking about just protecting Australia, but an environment that has been created that sits beside the real world.

"Now, high volume crime uses the Internet to propagate [their environment] and criminals now want stealth so they are using rootkits as the [latest] thing."