The threat of systematic and organized cybercrime and information warfare

This study examines the probability that organized groups of cybercriminals carrying out coordinated attacks have a greater potential to inflict damage on the economy, national security, and national infrastructure than do lone perpetrators. As society's dependence on technology increases and systems become more automated, vulnerabilities multiply and the threat and damage of an attack intensifies. This paper examines many of the risks posed by cybercrime and the legal and international obstacles encountered by governments and law enforcement agencies in their efforts to quell these threats. A qualitative study compares variables for two cases of lone hackers and two cases of organized cybercriminals, showing the degree of damage caused from each act of cybercrime. The data collected and analyzed from the case study did indicate that organized groups of cybercriminals carrying out coordinated attacks have a higher potential to inflict damage than do lone perpetrators.