I think Routine Activity Theory does a good job of explaining cybercrime. The theory says that crime is more likely to happen when there is a motivated offender, a suitable target, and a lack of capable guardianship (Cohen & Felson, 1979). I think this applies to cybercrime because attackers often look for opportunities to take advantage of people or systems that are not well protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Phishing is a good example of how this theory can apply. The attacker would be the motivated offender, while the person or account being targeted would be the suitable target. If someone has a weak password, no multifactor authentication, or does not recognize a phishing attempt, there may not be enough protection in place to stop the attacker. Security measures like multifactor authentication, security awareness training, and keeping software updated can help reduce those opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What I like about Routine Activity Theory is that it does not only focus on why someone wants to commit a crime. It also looks at the opportunity that allows the crime to happen. We may not be able to stop everyone who wants to commit cybercrime, but better security can make it more difficult for an attacker to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
References<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cohen, L. E., & Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review, 44<\/em>(4), 588\u2013608.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I think Routine Activity Theory does a good job of explaining cybercrime. The theory says that crime is more likely to happen when there is a motivated offender, a suitable target, and a lack of capable guardianship (Cohen & Felson, 1979). I think this applies to cybercrime because attackers often look for opportunities to take… <\/p>\n