04/10/2025
CYSE201S
Dylan McLaughlin
Article Review #2 Investigating the Intersection of AI and Cybercrime: Risks, Trends, and Countermeasures
Introduction
This journal was written with the use of the social principle of parsimony; while reading this article it was easy to read, and I was able to understand most of it since it was written in simpler terms. Now as for the actual topic and article itself it talks about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is improving and how there are more advancements being made in the field, is related to the development of the use of AI in the tools used by cyber criminals. With AI technology advancing and growing in complexity, it has become an enticing instrument for cybercriminals to exploit in their operations (Shetty, 2024). The researchers are also using the principle of objectivity to find countermeasures on how to combat these new advancements in cybercrime to help protect the public.
Research Questions
This journal expressed three questions that they were researching. The first question was looking into how malicious use of AI is being used on the dark and clear web, while also looking for how it can move between the two. Second is how the media affects the spread of information about AI assisted cybercrimes. The final question stated in the article is what are ways that individuals can practice cyber hygiene in a way to enhance their cyber safety from AI associated threats.
Research Methods
According to the journal the researchers used both qualitative and quantitative methods, so that they could thoroughly grasp the concepts that were being studied. Our quantitative research provided insights into AI-generated prompts and the discussions surrounding these prompts on online forums, while our qualitative research informed us on the legal, technical, and policy solutions needed to address the findings from the quantitative research (Shetty, 2024). With them obtaining information from these sources they were able to gain insights from the perspectives of the human side as well as the cyber side of the influence that AI has on cybercrime.
Data and Analysis
For their interview questions they based them on a hybrid theory, the base of this theory was the Routine Activities Theory (RAT) but adjusted it to incorporate cybercrime. RAT essentially has three requirements, first there must be an offender who is motivated to commit a crime. Next there also has to be a suitable victim for the offender to target. Finally, there must be a lack of competent guardians. Now when this is applied to the cyber world it makes it easier due to there being less competent guardians.
Results
From the online studies the online discussions showed a fear of AI, but in a different way there was a trend of many fearing it in regard to AI becoming part of the work force and take away jobs from humans. Another theme that was seen was a fear that humans would be seen as outdated when compared to AI counterparts. In addition, researchers found that when it comes to regulations and checks on AI systems, they are mostly unregulated on the clear web and even more unchecked on the dark web. Combating cybercrime is a Herculean task, primarily due to the anonymity it affords perpetrators, and the complex technologies involved (Shetty, 2024). This just shows that due to the lack of regulation and knowledge of these new types of cybercrimes, many offenders are able to get away with committing cybercrimes for now. This can put adolescents, along with the elderly more at risk since they generally do not practice good cyber hygiene while using social media, email, and the internet.
Conclusion
In conclusion through their research using quantitative and qualitative methods they were able to come up with a couple of great recommendations for how to compete against these new forms of cybercrimes. The first one that I liked was that instead of treating cyber security from a single approach to cover all ranges of users, they recommended that there should be more special versions of cybersecurity programs that are tailored more to age, gender, occupation, and cyber awareness. Another recommendation was there being more capable guardians online to help protect those that offenders deem a target. The last recommendation was that policy makers do what they can to put more checks on how AI programs can be used.
References
Shetty, S. , Choi, K. & Park, I. (2024). Investigating the Intersection of AI and Cybercrime: Risks, Trends, and Countermeasures . International Journal of Cybersecurity Intelligence & Cybercrime, 7(2), – . DOI: https://doi.org/10.52306/2578-3289.1187