- Money – I feel as though this ranking is self-explanatory, as money is a major motivator for hackers all over the world. The article states that many cybercriminals spending habits are to increase their social status, whether it be with their peers or to show off to romantic interests. Put simply, it is their motivation, and it is not surprising to me at all, as these types of motivations have been shown throughout humanities history, it has now only evolved into its current form due to the technologies, with cybercriminals utilizing their intellectual capabilities to exploit newer systems. Reference: Sex, Drugs, and Toilet Rolls: How Cybercriminals Spend Their Money (infographic)
- Entertainment – my main reason for ranking entertainment this high is my personal assessment of human nature. To exemplify, the article states that a hacker compiled a database of around 7000 million LinkedIn users from all over the world and was selling those accounts for around $5,000 because he could. If one could do something with there being little to no consequences for their actions, why would they not commit the action? Additionally, this also relates to my number one ranking of money, as the hacker also committed this cybercrime for money. Reference: Man behind LinkedIn scraping said he grabbed 700M profiles ‘for fun’
- Recognition – The article states that a 22-year-old hacker self-confessed that they were “posing” as UGLegion, an account vaguely affiliated with Lizard Squad, to attract likes to his twitter site. This so far follows the order in which I have been ranking these motivations so far, as both money and entertainment show similarities to this individual, at least when it specifically relates to why an individual may be motivated to commit a cybercrime. In this instance, this individual’s motivation was social status. Reference: 8-month suspended sentence for script kiddie who DDoS’d Labour candidate in runup to 2019 UK general election
- Political – when individual(s) see what they perceive as injustices, they are going to be compelled to commit an action that gets their point across to the governing institutions that govern their society. However, it can also be stated that an individual wants to sow anarchy, and the easiest way to commit such an action is through the main tools, which in this instance is technology. If one takes a look at humanities history, they will see that these types of extremists have always been, and just like an individual who is motivated by money, their methods have only evolved with the introduction of new technologies. Reference: New generation of angry & youthful hackers join the ‘hacktivism’ wave, adding to cyber-security woes
- Revenge – While this specific motivation is low, I would like to state that understanding these motivations is very important. The motivation that revenge brings can carry an individual for a long time. When it relates to cybercrime, it is a matter that must be taken seriously, as the harm someone can cause to an individual they distain depends entirely on the method in which they want to ruin that individual’s social image. The article uses revenge porn as a pivotal example, as an individual could control who has access to one’s body. The victim can argue that the revenge porn is fake and is generated for nefarious purposes. Though, the internet and mainly cyberlaw’s do not truly provide an answer to prevent such tactics from being utilized. Reference: Revenge porn victims in Wales often feel ‘let down by the law’ as cybercrime slips through the net
- Boredom – As stated with revenge, this motivation may be low, however, understanding this motivation is very important, as there is an argument to where money, entertainment, recognition, and revenge can be seen within this motivation. The article states that the number of children being targeted for online grooming has increased. As parents are buying their children technological devices without supervising what they are interacting with online. This puts children at risk for being groomed by child predators, where a child’s boredom can cause them to fall victim to these types of manipulation tactics. Reference: Cyberbullying and Online Sexual Grooming Of Children ‘On The Increase’
- Multiple Reasons – There are multiple motivators that cause a cybercriminal to commit a cybercrime, and while money in this ranking is a top motivator, an individuals ego, as well as socioeconomic and psychological factors can cause an individual to commit a cybercrime. The article mentions that the accumulation of each of the given motivations can be the reason why these actions are committed. Understanding what motivates cybercriminals could serve to help them see the error in their actions, ultimately converting them from nefarious cybercriminals to white hat hackers. Though, the article states that some individuals are beyond hope, as some cybercriminals can believe the systems that they navigate is set up for them to fail altogether. Reference: What Drives Hackers to a Life of Cybercrime?