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CYBER CRIMINOLOGY:
IDENTITY
CONSTRUCTION AMONG
HACKERS

SUBMITTED BY: ALDIN BAYONETA SUBMITTED TO: JACKYLAINE D. MALAIT

 TABLE OF CONTENT:

- INTRODUCTION

- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

- DATA COLLECTION

- ANALYZE THE CASE

- REFERENCE
 INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The present study analyzes the ways in which hackers interpret their lives, behavior, and
beliefs, as well as their perceptions of how society treats them. The study examines hackers' life
stories that explain who they are and what they do, which provides a deeper, sharper picture on
the complexity of the phenomenon than a survey could (Lieblich, Tuval-Mashiach, & Zilber,
1998). The focus is on the social construction of deviant identity among hackers and on the
meanings that they assign to their reality (Charmaz, 2000). Computer related deviance has not
been sufficiently studied, especially from the perspective of the perpetrators themselves (Yar,
2005). The computer underground forms a worldwide subculture (Holt, 2007; Meyer & Thomas,
1990). Symbolic identity of the computer underground generales a rich and diverse culture
consisting of justifications, highly specialized skills, information-sharing networks, norms, status
hierarchies, language, and unifying symbolic meanings (Meyer & •Ihomas, 1990). Ihe hacker
label is often used to refer to the computer underground as a whole. Hackers have a distinct
image and imagined identity that binds them, even if they never meet each other (Jordan &
Taylor, 1998). There are also differences between subgroups, which are classified depending on
their expertise, areas of interest, and behavior patterns (Voiskounsky & Smyslova, 2003). The
perplexity surrounding the label hacker has to do with the fuzzy definition of the term and the
vague boundaries between computer experts and hackers (Jordan & Taylor, 1998) as well as
those characteristics that differentiate between various types of hackers. Hackers themselves
have suggested different terms and meanings to define hackers and hacking (Coleman & Golub,
2008; Holt, 2007). The best known members of the computer underground are hackers/crackers
(usually referring to those who break into computer systems), phreaks (those who use technology
or telephone credit card numbers to avoid long distance charges), and pirates (those who
distribute copyrighted software illegally). As there are differences in the meaning and practice Of
being a hacker, it is essential to examine if and how it is represented by differences in the
hackers' self-presentation. Ihis research outlines the differences between deviant and less deviant
computer hackers. (Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, 2011)

There are many positive uses of the Internet. However, it has become an area of the Wild
West. Many unscrupulous persons started using it for criminal purposes. Notably, the founding
fathers of the Internet did not envisage that it will become a medium of criminality or it will
create new forms of crime. Though, Internet is an international space, it is only governed by
American laws (Jaishankar, 2011a). This legal lacuna further created problems, as many of the
countries did not know how to manage cyber crimes in their jurisdictions. Initially, academics
also could not understand cyber crime as it is a new form of crime (Jaishankar, 2007a).
Especially, criminologists were very slow in researching cyber crimes (Jaishankar, 2007a),
though; their counterparts in the field of computer and internet science surpassed them and
created new fields such as information security and cyber forensics. This gap in the field of
criminology was well addressed by an Indian Criminologist, Professor K. Jaishankar and he
founded the academic discipline “Cyber Criminology” in the year 2007. This module will deal
with the history, evolution, contribution and impact of the field, cyber criminology.
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Though in recent years, a number of studies have been completed on hackers' personality
and communication traits by experts in the fields of psychology and criminology, a number of
questions regarding this population remain. Does Gottfredson and Hirschi's concept of low
self-control predict the unauthorized access of computer systems? Do computer hackers have
low levels of self-control, as has been found for other criminals in mainstream society? If low
self-control can predict the commission of computer hacking, this finding would seem to support
the generality argument of self-control theory and imply that computer hacking and other forms
of cybercrime are substantively similar to terrestrial crime. This chapter focuses on the results of
a study where we examined whether Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory of crime is
applicable to computer hacking in a college sample. (Bossler & Burrus, 2010)

Generally, cybercrime is on the rise. According to Accenture’s State of Cybersecurity

Resilience 2021 report, security attacks increased 31% from 2020 to 2021. The number of
attacks per company increased from 206 to 270 year on year. Attacks on companies affect
individuals too since many of them store sensitive data and personal information from customers.
A single attack – whether it’s a data breach, malware, ransomware or DDoS attack - costs
companies of all sizes an average of $200,000, and many affected companies go out of business
within six months of the attack, according to insurance company Hiscox. Javelin Strategy &
Research published an Identity Fraud Study in 2021 which found that identity fraud losses for
the year totalled $56 billion. For both individuals and companies, the impact of cybercrime can
be profound, primarily financial damage, but also loss of trust and reputational damage.
(Kaspersky Lab, 2022)
DATA COLLECTION

Cybercrime or computer crime costs United States companies over half a billion dollars
annually. Also, data breaches compromise millions of user accounts. In this research report, we
will take an in-depth look at cybercrime statistics and see how it impacts businesses and
consumers. Furthermore, we’ll explore cybercrime growth statistics, cybersecurity, projections,
and other cybercrime data. Being informed will make you aware that cybercrime can strike just
about anyone online. Hence, you must be knowledgeable in IT security software. Also,
cybercrime is a compelling reason for you to use backup tools and implement strict security
measures. This is especially because, as the COVID-19 pandemic has forced companies to lay
down work-from-home policies, many industries now rely on cloud use more than ever. As such,
it is pertinent to understand how to protect yourself from cybercrimes.

Data breach gets our attention when we read about billions of personal user information
stolen from large companies. In truth, a data breach can happen to companies big or small and
can involve data theft of thousands of records.

● In January 2019 alone, 1.76 billion records were leaked from various data breaches
around the world. (IT Governance, 2019)
● In the first three quarters of 2020, there were 2,953 reported breaches across the globe. It
was a 51% decrease compared to the same period in 2019. (RiskBased Security, 2020)
● However, a staggering 36 billion records were exposed by the end of September 2020,
making it the worst year on record in terms of data breaches. (RiskBased Security, 2020)
● 70% of workers said that remote work due to COVID-19 would increase the cost of a
data breach. (IBM, 2020)
● The average cost of a data breach on remote work is about $137,000 per attack. (IBM,
2020)
● Remote desktop protocol (RDP) attacks increased by 400% during the onset of the
COVID-19 pandemic from March to April of 2020. (Kaspersky, 2020)
● In 2020, it takes an average of 280 days to identify and contain a data breach. (IBM,
2020)
● 45% of breaches are done through hacking. (Verizon, 2020)
● It is followed by errors at 22%, social attacks at 22%, malware at 17%, misuse by
authorized users at 8%, and physical actions at 4%. (Verizon, 2020)
● 72% of data breach victims are large businesses. (Verizon, 2020)
● Additionally, 28% of victims are small enterprises. (Verizon, 2020)
● Often, external actors (70%) and organized criminal groups (55%) are behind the data
breaches. (Verizon, 2020)
● However, a small percentage of the perpetrators have involved business partners (1%)
and multiple attackers (4%). (Verizon, 2020)
● 98% of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices are unencrypted, which exposes confidential
data to attacks. (SecurityBrief, 2020)
● 51% of threats in the healthcare industry are coming from imaging devices.
(SecurityBrief, 2020)
● Additionally, 72% of virtual local area networks in the healthcare industry mix IT assets
and IoT devices, which allows malicious software to spread rapidly through various
end-user devices. (SecurityBrief, 2020)
● A large number of attacks use web applications at 43%. (Verizon, 2020)
ANALYZE THE CASE

A malware attack is where a computer system or network is infected with a computer

virus or other type of malware. A computer compromised by malware could be used by
cybercriminals for several purposes. These include stealing confidential data, using the computer
to carry out other criminal acts, or causing damage to data. A famous example of a malware
attack was the WannaCry ransomware attack, a global cybercrime committed in May 2017.
WannaCry is a type of ransomware, malware used to extort money by holding the victim’s data
or device to ransom. The ransomware targeted a vulnerability in computers running Microsoft
Windows. When the WannaCry ransomware attack hit, 230,000 computers were affected across
150 countries. Users were locked out of their files and sent a message demanding that they pay a
Bitcoin ransom to regain access. Worldwide, the WannaCry cybercrime is estimated to have
caused $4 billion in financial losses. To this day, the attack stands out for its sheer size and
impact. (Kaspersky Lab, 2022)

A phishing campaign is when spam emails, or other forms of communication, are sent
with the intention of tricking recipients into doing something that undermines their security.
Phishing campaign messages may contain infected attachments or links to malicious sites, or
they may ask the receiver to respond with confidential information. A famous example of a
phishing scam took place during the World Cup in 2018. According to our report, 2018 Fraud
World Cup , the World Cup phishing scam involved emails that were sent to football fans. These
spam emails tried to entice fans with fake free trips to Moscow, where the World Cup was being
hosted. People who opened and clicked on the links contained in these emails had their personal
data stolen. (Kaspersky Lab, 2022)

Distributed DoS attacks (DDoS) are a type of cybercrime attack that cybercriminals use
to bring down a system or network. Sometimes connected IoT (Internet of Things) devices are
used to launch DDoS attacks. A DDoS attack overwhelms a system by using one of the standard
communication protocols it uses to spam the system with connection requests. Cybercriminals
who are carrying out cyber extortion may use the threat of a DDoS attack to demand money.
Alternatively, a DDoS may be used as a distraction tactic while another type of cybercrime takes
place. A famous example of this type of attack is the 2017 DDoS attack on the UK National
Lottery website. This brought the lottery’s website and mobile app offline, preventing UK
citizens from playing. The reason behind the attack remains unknown, however, it is suspected
that the attack was an attempt to blackmail the National Lottery. (Kaspersky Lab, 2022)

Given its prevalence, you may be wondering how to stop cybercrime? Here are some
sensible tips to protect your computer and your personal data from cybercrime: (1)Keeping your
software and operating system up to date ensures that you benefit from the latest security patches
to protect your computer. (2)Using an anti-virus or a comprehensive internet security solution
like Kaspersky Total Security is a smart way to protect your system from attacks. Anti-virus
software allows you to scan, detect and remove threats before they become a problem. Having
this protection in place helps to protect your computer and your data from cybercrime, giving
you peace of mind. Keep your antivirus updated to receive the best level of protection. (3)Be
sure to use strong passwords that people will not guess and do not record them anywhere. Or use
a reputable password manager to generate strong passwords randomly to make this easier. (4)A
classic way that computers get infected by malware attacks and other forms of cybercrime is via
email attachments in spam emails. Never open an attachment from a sender you do not know.
(5)Another way people become victims of cybercrime is by clicking on links in spam emails or
other messages, or unfamiliar websites. Avoid doing this to stay safe online. (6)Never give out
personal data over the phone or via email unless you are completely sure the line or email is
secure. Make certain that you are speaking to the person you think you are. (7)If you are asked
for personal information or data from a company who has called you, hang up. Call them back
using the number on their official website to ensure you are speaking to them and not a
cybercriminal. Ideally, use a different phone because cybercriminals can hold the line open.
When you think you’ve re-dialed, they can pretend to be from the bank or other organization that
you think you are speaking to. (8)Keep an eye on the URLs you are clicking on. Do they look
legitimate? Avoid clicking on links with unfamiliar or URLs that look like spam. If your internet
security product includes functionality to secure online transactions, ensure it is enabled before
carrying out financial transactions online. (9)Spotting that you have become a victim of
cybercrime quickly is important. Keep an eye on your bank statements and query any unfamiliar
transactions with the bank. The bank can investigate whether they are fraudulent. (Kaspersky
Lab, 2022)
REFERENCES

Cyber Criminology: Exploring Internet Crimes and Criminal Behavior:

https://books.google.com.ph/books?id=cWOQWx4QPFYC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_g
e_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

(PDF) Cyber Criminology: Evolution, Contribution and Impact (researchgate.net):

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324388690_Cyber_Criminology_Evolution_Contributi
on_and_Impact

The General Theory of Crime and Computer Hacking: Low Self-Control Hackers? |
Request PDF (researchgate.net):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284870383_The_General_Theory_of_Crime_and_Com
puter_Hacking_Low_Self-Control_Hackers

What is Cybercrime? Cybercrime Prevention & Cybercrime Security (kaspersky.com):

https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/what-is-cybercrime

73 Important Cybercrime Statistics: 2021/2022 Data Analysis & Projections -

Financesonline.com: https://financesonline.com/cybercrime-statistics/