Review the articles linked with each individual motive in the presentation page or Slide #4. Rank the motives from 1 to 7 as the motives that you think make the most sense (being 1) to the least sense (being 7). Explain why you rank each motive the way you rank it.
Boredom 7
Ranking the common motives for cyber criminal activity, I have found that “Boredom” as a motivation for committing an offense as the least sensical motive. To be bored seems contradictory to motivation. To commit a crime (especially a cyber crime), it would usually take a well thought out plan or in the heat of passion.
Entertainment 6
Entertainment would be a slightly more convincing motive as an individual may want to experience a sense of power knowing that they could commit a crime if they wanted to. However, committing a cyber crime would take careful work and determination. Assuming the individual understands right from wrong, the consequences would not seem worthwhile to even attempt an offense.
Recognition 5
Recognition could also reward an individual with a sense of power and want may want to be recognized for their feat. I could not imagine recognition being a strong enough motivation as gaining recognition online can come from non illegal acts. I would also imagine that an individual who wants recognition would not want to be hidden as the internet grants easier anonymity.
Money 4
Financial motivation from cyber crime seems a lot more convincing as the reach, speed and anonymity the internet grants online scammers and thieves is unparalleled in comparison to traditional in-person crimes. Stealing money from someone online is a lot sneakier that doing it in person.
Revenge 3
Committing a cybercrime for revenge is convincing in that the internet maximizes some aspects. A cyber attack can cause damage to a victim’s reputation faster and to a wider audience. Crimes on the internet are also harder to detect the offender. Acts of revenge seem to be more in the heat of passion and impulsive.
Political 2
Political control is a sensical motivation as controlling politics can change how a nation operates. As we have seen in the past few years of hacktivists attacking political parties and nations they do not agree with, such as Ukrainian nuclear plants during the Russia-Ukraine war (Santora, 2022), and the Stuxnet attack by the US Government (Fruhlinger, 2022).
Multiple Reasons 1
I often dislike attributing any one event to a single cause. There are multiple factors that are likely a part of why an individual would commit an act that holds criminal charges. The internet grants an easier way to reach and expose victims from farther away and in large quantities. Someone who understands how to operate computers for malicious purposes at a higher level may be motivated by that power and try to reason utilizing it for selfish reasons; such as money or hurting someone’s reputation.
Citations
Santora, M. (2022, August 16). The operator of Ukraine’s nuclear plants says it faced an ambitious cyberattack. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/16/world/europe/the-operator-of-ukraines-nuclear-plants-says-it-faced-an-ambitious-cyberattack.html
Fruhlinger, J. (2022, August 31). Stuxnet explained: The first known cyberweapon. CSO Online. https://www.csoonline.com/article/562691/stuxnet-explained-the-first-known-cyberweapon.html#:~:text=Stuxnet%20is%20a%20powerful%20computer,about%20its%20design%20and%20purpose.