Lecture 1: concepts of cybercrime
The evolution of Cybercrime, 2004-2014 – Grabosky
Abstract
This article reviews developments in cybercrime in the ten years to 2014. It observes that in
the basic substance of cybercrime offences is essentially the same as in the past. However,
cybercrimes are now executed with greater sophistication, increasingly for purposes of
financial gain, and by an increased diversity of organizational structures, including
government agencies and state proxies. The article concludes with a discussion of
applications of digital technology that have emerged over the past decade, and their
potential for criminal exploitation.
Trends in cybercrime
- Sophistication
o From DDoS to botnets
o Evident in
Particular market segments, such as academics
Scareware
Obtaining unauthorized access to a legitimate user’s email address
book
Trojan horses
Tor anonymity
- Commercialization
o Routine activity theory
The greater the number of persons connected to the internet, and the
greater the volume of online commerce, the more theft will occur in
cyberspace.
o More hackers for hire
o Hacker tools are free to download or for sale/rent
o Code brokers
- Organization
o Many cybercriminals work alone, but a great deal of cybercrime is the work of
organizations (e.g., botnets)
Structures
- Dreamboard
o Exchanged illicit images of children under the age of twelve.
- Dark Market
o Exchange of stolen credit card and banking details, malicious software, and
related technology.
- Anonymous
o Collective of anarchists, based on a shared ethos of mischief and resentment
of authority hactivism
- Ukranian ZeuS Group
o ZeuS virus gains access to computers of individuals employed in a variety
of non-governmental organizations in the US.
The evolution of Cybercrime, 2004-2014 – Grabosky
Abstract
This article reviews developments in cybercrime in the ten years to 2014. It observes that in
the basic substance of cybercrime offences is essentially the same as in the past. However,
cybercrimes are now executed with greater sophistication, increasingly for purposes of
financial gain, and by an increased diversity of organizational structures, including
government agencies and state proxies. The article concludes with a discussion of
applications of digital technology that have emerged over the past decade, and their
potential for criminal exploitation.
Trends in cybercrime
- Sophistication
o From DDoS to botnets
o Evident in
Particular market segments, such as academics
Scareware
Obtaining unauthorized access to a legitimate user’s email address
book
Trojan horses
Tor anonymity
- Commercialization
o Routine activity theory
The greater the number of persons connected to the internet, and the
greater the volume of online commerce, the more theft will occur in
cyberspace.
o More hackers for hire
o Hacker tools are free to download or for sale/rent
o Code brokers
- Organization
o Many cybercriminals work alone, but a great deal of cybercrime is the work of
organizations (e.g., botnets)
Structures
- Dreamboard
o Exchanged illicit images of children under the age of twelve.
- Dark Market
o Exchange of stolen credit card and banking details, malicious software, and
related technology.
- Anonymous
o Collective of anarchists, based on a shared ethos of mischief and resentment
of authority hactivism
- Ukranian ZeuS Group
o ZeuS virus gains access to computers of individuals employed in a variety
of non-governmental organizations in the US.
