First of all, I’d like to point out that ranking motives from the most logical to least logical
might be objectively difficult as we all perceive these motives from a different point of
view. What may be completely illogical to me, may be considered the most logical to
you, and vice-versa. That being said, I’ll try to do my best and organize the list of
motives from most logical to least logical. However, do not come the following day
asking me to confirm the order, as it may easily change!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To quote Mark Twain: “The lack of money is the root of all evil”. I do not necessarily
agree with that statement, but we all know the importance of money in today’s society,
hence, the first on my list of the most logical motives is definitely money. Just a few
decades ago bank robbers were all the hype. Their motive? Money! Due to high
advances in technology and security measures, robbing a bank is no longer that
profitable. At least not in person. But in the cyber world? Well, there is a new window o
opportunity for cyber crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hacking for entertainment? I can totally relate to that. Why? Well, as a student of
Cybersecurity I am of curious mind. Learning through theory is great, but nothing can be
compared to practice and real world experience. Entertainment is the second on my list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Revenge is not something I can relate to, but I can understand why it’s happening.
Obviously a crime is a crime and it can not be justified. But jealousy among ex romantic
partners was always there. What was before the online world handled through
spreading rumors, stalking, or even sabotaging new relationships, was substituted by
what is known today as ‘Revenge Porn’. It is by no means justifiable, and acceptable.
But, the root of the crime is the same, except that the execution of it has evolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World of politics is a messy business. In the world of ‘left’ and ‘right’ there was never so
much division as we are witnessing it right now. Leftists are trying to undermine right
wingers, and vice-versa. And what is the best way to hurt a political party? By
undermining public trust in them. Cyber world is just a tool, and it has proven to be a
very useful one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Boredom gets a fifth place on my list of ‘sensible’ motives, though it might as well be on
the first place. Simply explained, people have access to a big pool of ‘potential victims’,
and that combined with too much free time on their plate very often ends up in creating
a cyber bully. It’s worth noting that people tend to behave completely differently behind
the keyboard compared to their normal behavior in person. As someone who plays
chess often, I can attest to the world of chess being extremely toxic in online setup,
while being super friendly in person. Most of the cyber bullies lack empathy and are
simply not aware of the consequences of their actions on the victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Money and fame are among the top two goals for young people. By executing
high-profile cyber attacks, young hackers are searching for status and respect in public
eyes. Adrian Lamo, known as the ‘homeless hacker’ often appeared in the media which
suggested that he enjoyed the ‘fame’ he got through his crimes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last but not least is the pursuit of power and ego. Outsmarting established systems and
professionals can bring a lot of satisfaction to individuals. Being able to hack into programs built
by experts, and at the same time modify them can bring a sense of pride and accomplishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First of all, I’d like to point out that ranking motives from the most logical to least logicalmight be objectively difficult as we all perceive these motives from a different point ofview. What may be completely illogical to me, may be considered the most logical toyou, and vice-versa. That being said, I’ll try to do… <\/p>\n
References
Lovejoy, B. (2021, July 19). LinkedIn scraping of 700M records was \u201cfor fun\u201d says
hacker – 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac.
https:\/\/9to5mac.com\/2021\/07\/19\/man-behind-linkedin-scraping\/
New generation of angry & youthful hackers join the \u201chacktivism\u201d wave, adding to
cyber-security woes. (2021, March 26). The Economic Times.
https:\/\/economictimes.indiatimes.com\/magazines\/panache\/new-generation-of-an
gry-youthful-hackers-join-the-hacktivism-wave-adding-to-cyber-security-woes\/arti
cleshow\/81707844.cms
Revenge porn victims in Wales often feel \u2018let down by the law\u2019 as cybercrime slips
through the net. (2019, July 11). News From Wales.
https:\/\/newsfromwales.co.uk\/revenge-porn-victims-in-wales-often-feel-let-down-b
y-the-law-as-cybercrime-slips-through-the-net\/
Sonjica, N. (2021, May 31). Cyberbullying and online sexual grooming of children ‘on
the increase’ HeraldLIVE.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"