Exploring Deviant Hacker Networks (DHM) on Social Media Platforms

Online Social Networks (OSNs) have grown exponentially over the past decade. The initial use of social media for benign purposes (e.g., to socialize with friends, browse pictures and photographs, and communicate with family members overseas) has now transitioned to include malicious activities (e.g., cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and cyberwarfare). These nefarious uses of OSNs poses a significant threat to society, and thus requires research attention. In this exploratory work, we study activities of one deviant groups: hacker groups on social media, which we term Deviant Hacker Networks (DHN). We investigated the connection between different DHNs on Twitter: how they are connected, identified the powerful nodes, which nodes sourced information, and which nodes act as bridges between different network components. From this, we were able to identify and articulate specific examples of DHNs communicating with each other, with the goal of committing some form of deviant act online. In our work, we also attempted to bridge the gap between the empirical study of OSNs and cyber forensics, as the growth of OSNs is now bringing these two domains together, due to OSNs continuously generating vast amounts of evidentiary data

Exploring Deviant Hacker Networks (DHN) On Social Media Platforms

Online Social Networks (OSNs) have grown exponentially over the past decade. The initial use of social media for benign purposes (e.g., to socialize with friends, browse pictures and photographs, and communicate with family members overseas) has now transitioned to include malicious activities (e.g., cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and cyberwarfare). These nefarious uses of OSNs poses a signi_cant threat to society, and thus requires research attention. In this exploratory work, we study activities of one deviant groups: hacker groups on social media, which we term Deviant Hacker Networks (DHN). We investigated the connection between different DHNs on Twitter: how they are connected, identified the powerful nodes, which nodes sourced information, and which nodes act as “bridges” between different network components. From this, we were able to identify and articulate specific examples of DHNs communicating with each other, with the goal of committing some form of deviant act online. In our work, we also attempted to bridge the gap between the empirical study of OSNs and cyber forensics, as the growth of OSNs is now bringing these two domains together, due to OSNs continuously generating vast amounts of evidentiary data

Personal Denial of Service (PDOS) Attacks: A Discussion and Exploration of a New Category of Cyber Crime

The growth of the Internet has created a corresponding growth in Internet-based crimes and online misbehavior, particularly among younger computer-savvy people. Younger generations have grown up in a world where internet access, social networking, e-commerce and smartphones are commonplace. Given this fact, they have learned how to use, and how to abuse, technology. This leads us to define a new category of cybercrime called a Personal Denial of Service attack (PDOS). A PDOS is a cyber-crime in which an individual deliberately prevents the access of another individual or small group to online services such as email or banking. Due to the nature of a PDOS, these acts can be overlooked by law enforcement and organizations that operate Internet infrastructure, such as universities. Our motivation for this work is twofold: to stress the need for cyber ethics education at the university level, and to illustrate how a previously uncategorized type of cyber crime is easily perpetrated in such an environment. To achieve these goals, we define a PDOS attack and discuss how it differs from other categories of attacks. We also examine the motivation for a PDOS attack in the context of the Routine Activities Theory of criminal justice. We further discuss a proof of concept survey administered at four different universities to ascertain their attitudes towards online account breaches as related to a PDOS attack. The survey provides initial evidence that account breaches, which are an integral part of a PDOS attack, are a worrisome threat on university campuses and further points to a need for cyber ethics training

Research Trends in Cybercrime and Cybersecurity: A Review Based on Web of Science Core Collection Database

Studies on cybercrime and cybersecurity have expanded in both scope and breadth in recent years. This study offers a bibliometric review of research trends in cybercrime and cybersecurity over the past 26 years (1995-2021) based on Web of Science core collection database. Specifically, we examine the growth of scholarship and the expanded scope of subject categories and relevant journals. We also analyze the research collaboration network based on authors’ affiliated institutions and countries. Finally, we identify major topics within the fields, how each topic relates to – and diverges from – one another, and their evolution over time. Overall, we illustrate the scientific landscape of cybercrime and cybersecurity scholarship by quantitatively synthesizing major components of existing literature. This study offers actionable insights to help researchers identify key research resources, establish/expand collaboration networks, and investigate emerging research topics in this increasingly important domain in criminology and criminal justice

Security Awareness Strategies Used in the Prevention of Cybercrimes by Cybercriminals

Cybercrime is a growing phenomenon that impacts many lives worldwide. Businesses, organizations, and governments continue to search for ways to protect their data and intellectual property from cybercrimes. Grounded in the routine activity theory, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to explore strategies information security officers used to prevent cybercrimes. The participants included seven information security officers listed on social media who manage information security within organizations located in the northeast geographic region of the United States. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, the National Institute of Standards and Technology documentations and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four key themes emerged from the analysis: policies to prevent cybercrimes, cybersecurity response plan, cybersecurity awareness as a culture, and train end-users/employees. The key recommendation is that IT professionals work closely with other IT professionals, experts, and engineers to create relevant cybersecurity policies through compliance, develop efficient cybersecurity response plans, develop a culture of cybersecurity awareness, and implement cybersecurity training programs. The implications for positive social change include the potential for cybercrime crime reduction and a change of people’s perceptions and knowledge of cybercrime threats in their communities, neighborhoods, and organizations

Advances in Cybercrime Prediction: A Survey of Machine, Deep, Transfer, and Adaptive Learning Techniques

Cybercrime is a growing threat to organizations and individuals worldwide, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated techniques to breach security systems and steal sensitive data. In recent years, machine learning, deep learning, and transfer learning techniques have emerged as promising tools for predicting cybercrime and preventing it before it occurs. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive survey of the latest advancements in cybercrime prediction using above mentioned techniques, highlighting the latest research related to each approach. For this purpose, we reviewed more than 150 research articles and discussed around 50 most recent and relevant research articles. We start the review by discussing some common methods used by cyber criminals and then focus on the latest machine learning techniques and deep learning techniques, such as recurrent and convolutional neural networks, which were effective in detecting anomalous behavior and identifying potential threats. We also discuss transfer learning, which allows models trained on one dataset to be adapted for use on another dataset, and then focus on active and reinforcement Learning as part of early-stage algorithmic research in cybercrime prediction. Finally, we discuss critical innovations, research gaps, and future research opportunities in Cybercrime prediction. Overall, this paper presents a holistic view of cutting-edge developments in cybercrime prediction, shedding light on the strengths and limitations of each method and equipping researchers and practitioners with essential insights, publicly available datasets, and resources necessary to develop efficient cybercrime prediction systems.Comment: 27 Pages, 6 Figures, 4 Table

The Rise of iWar: Identity, Information, and the Individualization of Modern Warfare

During a decade of global counterterrorism operations and two extended counterinsurgency campaigns, the United States was confronted with a new kind of adversary. Without uniforms, flags, and formations, the task of identifying and targeting these combatants represented an unprecedented operational challenge for which Cold War era doctrinal methods were largely unsuited. This monograph examines the doctrinal, technical, and bureaucratic innovations that evolved in response to these new operational challenges. It discusses the transition from a conventionally focused, Cold War-era targeting process to one optimized for combating networks and conducting identity-based targeting. It analyzes the policy decisions and strategic choices that were the catalysts of this change and concludes with an in depth examination of emerging technologies that are likely to shape how this mode of warfare will be waged in the future.https://press.armywarcollege.edu/monographs/1436/thumbnail.jp