The psyche of cybercriminals: A psycho-social perspective

Abstract

The onset of the widespread new technology of computers and networks has unfortunately attracted cybercriminals, whose actions are primarily destructive. It is important to understand the psychological mindset of the individuals so we may integrate key insights about human behavior along with technical solutions to develop superior mitigation techniques. This chapter focuses on the nature of the individuals who are drawn to commit cybercrimes. We will examine who is involved in criminal activity, why are they drawn to commit crimes, and how may we effectively reduce criminal behavior. The chapter is organized as follows. First, we will propose a model to classify the different types of cybercriminals, provide a taxonomy, and analyze the characteristics of two specific types of criminal behaviors. We will also state the limitations of the taxonomy. Second, we introduce two traditional theories of criminal behavior, namely, social learning theory and moral disengagement, and examine them in the context of cybercrimes. We will also analyze the influence of anonymity on cybercrimes. © 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.