A typology of cybercriminal networks: from low-tech all-rounders to high-tech specialists

Case studies show that there are at least two types of groups involved in phishing: low-tech all-rounders and high-tech specialists. However, empirical criminological research into cybercriminal networks is scarce. This article presents a taxonomy of cybercriminal phishing networks, based on analysi...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Leukfeldt, E. R. (Author)
Contributors: Kleemans, Edward R. ; Stol, Wouter
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2017
In: Crime, law and social change
Year: 2017, Volume: 67, Issue: 1, Pages: 21-37
Online Access: Presumably Free Access
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Keywords:
Criminal networks
Cybercrime
Malware
Organized Crime
Phishing
Theory
Description
Summary:Case studies show that there are at least two types of groups involved in phishing: low-tech all-rounders and high-tech specialists. However, empirical criminological research into cybercriminal networks is scarce. This article presents a taxonomy of cybercriminal phishing networks, based on analysis of 18 Dutch police investigations into phishing and banking malware networks. There appears to be greater variety than shown by previous studies. The analyzed networks cannot easily be divided into two sharply defined categories. However, characteristics such as technology use and offender-victim interaction can be used to construct a typology with four overlapping categories: from low-tech attacks with a high degree of direct offender-victim interaction to high-tech attacks without such interaction. Furthermore, clear differences can be distinguished between networks carrying out low-tech attacks and high-tech attacks. Low-tech networks, for example, make no victims in other countries and core members and facilitators generally operate from the same country. High-tech networks, on the contrary, have more international components. Finally, networks with specialists focusing on one type of crime are present in both low-tech and high-tech networks. These specialist networks have more often a local than an international focus.
Item Description:Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 37
Physical Description:Illustrationen
ISSN:1573-0751
DOI:10.1007/s10611-016-9662-2