RANKING CYBERCRIME MOTIVATIONS (OPINION)
As in non-cybercrime, cybercriminals are always motivated for a variety of reasons.
Why cybercriminals commit cybercrime, from most to least:
1. Multiple reasons – Cyber criminals are people. People are complex beings that are more motivated by more than one factor. A hacker may primarily create malware to steal identities to siphon money, but they also might enjoy the thrill of hacking and want to be recognized in their community as a skilled hacker.
2. Money – Just as financial gain is a major factor in committing non-cybercrime, money is a major motivator for committing cybercrime. Cybercrime is often times white-collar in nature, focusing on fraud and money laundering. The acquisition of money is very lucrative to cybercriminals because it helps fund their lifestyle, pay bills and debts.
3. Revenge – Revenge is a motivator for some criminals but not all, which is why it is further down the list. Although insider threats and disgruntled employees may commit crimes, there are still hackers and cybercriminals that operate independently, outside and far detached from their victims, and sometimes for very simple reasons such as boredom or entertainment.
4. Recognition – Cybercriminals may be motivated by recognition in their community or by news outlets through infamy, but due to the risk of being caught, most cybercriminals would rather prefer to remain anonymous. Gaining notoriety is therefore lower on the list because of this reason.
5. Political – Political cybercrimes are often committed to disrupt, damage opponent resources or send a message. Although political crime exists, much like the motivation through revenge and recognition, Political crime is very nuanced and specific, and often a secondary goal to power and financial motivations.
6. Entertainment and 7. Boredom – Entertainment and Boredom are the bottom of the list because they are often not the main reason to commit crime, and committing cybercrime solely for these reasons are often not valuable enough a risk for the average cybercriminal.