Entertainment (5) – Hacking for entertainment can give individuals a major feeling of adrenaline. Furthermore, these individuals may find it fun or interesting to test their skills and capabilities to the fullest extent. As long as they’re having fun while doing so, the repercussions associated with getting caught aren’t a top priority in the decision to commit crimes.

Political (6) – Politics is a subject that contains strong opinions and emotions. Individuals may disagree with certain goals, plans, and ideologies. These opinions and emotions may lead someone to commit some sort of cybercrime toward these politicians. There can be serious consequences depending on the politician that is targeted, so I believe it doesn’t make much sense to do so.

Revenge (3) – Social media has quickly become a place where people interact daily, whether positive or negative. That being said, many forms of revenge have developed over time including cyber harassment, cyberbullying, and hacking. In a place where anonymity thrives, it can be easy for individuals to go through with these different acts without being caught.

Boredom (7) – Hacking out of boredom makes the least sense compared to these other motives. I don’t understand committing serious crimes that have urgent consequences simply because one is bored and has nothing else to do. Additionally, there are ways to contribute positively by hacking, so choosing to do so in a negative manner does not make any sense.

Recognition (4) – Hackers who excel in what they do may want to show off their skills on a wide scale. By attacking major companies and succeeding, they will get plenty of recognition for being able to pull off such a task. Furthermore, they may increase in the ranks of “cybercriminals” by successfully attacking major corporations and companies.

Financial Gain (1) – I believe the majority of cybercriminals engage in deviant behavior online for the sole purpose of financial gain. A significant amount of money is being sent and received online daily, so if they have the means to intercept these transactions and potentially earn some of the money, why wouldn’t they?

Multiple Reasons (2) – When individuals commit crimes online, it can be due to several reasons. It is sometimes difficult to pinpoint a primary reason why an individual engaged in a particular behavior, usually because there are multiple contributing factors.