Looking into the different theories surrounding criminal behavior in the cybersecurity space reminds me of criminology and the study of deviant behavior as a whole. However, I have not used the idea of determinism to study this behavior as of yet. Determinism is the idea that behavior is influenced or directly caused by previous events in an individuals life. (Duvall, 2024) This could be seen in many different instances. People may choose to hack because they feel it may be justified or the right thing to do. They may have been slighted by a company or corporation, and feel they are achieving some form of retribution. Perhaps they live under a regime which takes advantage of their technical ability, and forces them to partake in illegal online activity. Regardless, by using determinism we are able to see more than just the actions people commit. We are able to go deeper and understand exactly why individuals or groups do the things they do in the realm of cybersecurity. Combining determinism with other methods of study, we can paint a broader picture of cybercrime and understand how to prevent it.



Duvall, T. (2024). CYSE201S (Module 2). Principle of Social Sciences and Cybersecurity.

USLegal. (n.d.). Computer Hacking Law and Legal Definition. Retrieved from USLegal.com: https://definitions.uslegal.com/c/computer-hacking/