Cybercriminal Profiles Dont Always Match Perceptions, Report Says

Dutch study of police data says there are many petty cybercriminals who act alone

The widespread perception that cybercriminals are generally technically skilled and highly organized may not be accurate, according to a new study.
According to a report published in the Dutch-language magazine
Second
(PDF), cybercrime follows a pattern similar to other crimes in that the majority are carried out by everyday individuals acting alone.
A
translated summary of the research published by Host Exploit
says that Dutch researchers used police data to come up with a cybercriminal profile that differs significantly from the popular perception.
The commonly held view of a cybercriminal being foreign, having high-tech skills, and operating in organized groups causing large scale problems has come mainly from the media, according to the translated summary. The researchers found that the evidence they looked at in the Dutch police files did not support that view. The evidence pointed to many small or petty crimes being committed by ordinary individuals operating on their own.
Cybercriminals can carry out attacks for financial gain, for revenge, or due to relationship or emotional problems, just as in offline crimes, the translated summary states. But cyberspace offers plenty of opportunity for these acts to be perpetrated.
The researchers emphasize that their cybercriminal profile does not suggest that organized cybercrime doesnt exist -- it only suggests that investigators should not begin with the assumption that an online attack has been committed by an organized, tech-savvy criminal.
Have a comment on this story? Please click Comment below. If youd like to contact
Dark Readings
editors directly,
send us a message
.

Last News
▸ ArcSight prepares for future at user conference post HP acquisition. ◂ Discovered: 07/01/2025 Category: security	▸ Samsung Epic 4G: First To Use Media Hub ◂ Discovered: 07/01/2025 Category: security	▸ Many third-party software fails security tests ◂ Discovered: 07/01/2025 Category: security

**Cyber Security Categories**
Google Dorks Database	Exploits Vulnerability	Exploit Shellcodes

CVE List

Tools/Apps

News/Aarticles

Phishing Database

Deepfake Detection

Trends/Statistics & Live Infos

Tags:
Cybercriminal Profiles Dont Always Match Perceptions, Report Says