Here is my ranking for the motives for cybercrime from least to most sensible:
- Monetary gain, This is the most consistent and powerful drive to commit criminal behavior and cybercrime is no exception.
- Various factors, many cybercriminals have complex motivation that can’t be reduced to one factor and knowing that it’s a combination of various factors makes a more nuanced explanation for cybercrime
- Political, some hacker groups are performing hacktivism with a specific political goal in mind or to get a certain message out there to a certain group
- Recognition, Some cybercriminals seek attention and acknowledgement for the crimes they commit.
- Revenge, can be a strong emotional drive and is a more personal motive than the other. Revenge porn is a common application of this motive.
- Boredom is less compelling but a lack of engagement can lead to harmful online behaviors
- Entertainment, is the lowest because while some criminals claim they do it for fun, it is often a cover up for their more serious and incriminating motives.
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