Technological Advancements in Cybercrime and Fraud

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Aims
Objectives
Why is This Research Worth Doing?
Previous Work
Design and Methods
Ethical Considerations
Timetable
Resources & Costs
References

Introduction

Advancements in technology hinder numerous aspects in their essence, possessing both positive and negative influence on the sphere of cyberspace. Various modern developments offer substantial advantages to the authorities and specialised agencies in designing robust strategies and tools directed at combating the issue of cybercrime. However, high computer misuse and fraud rates can be connected to the information technology improvements that serve as a ‘fertile ground’ for the crimes (Chawki, Darwish, Khan, & Tyagi, 2015, p. 4). Consequently, it is critical to investigate the issue of the ongoing expansion of digital platforms and tools and its relation to the emergence of electronic crimes in the UK. Statistical analysis of the data provided by the Office for National Statistics, the assessment of existing literature and designing of surveys with the authorities’ members can provide the foundation for the research.

Aims

To investigate the connection between rapid technological development and high rates of cybercrime and fraud in the UK.
To investigate the potential influence of technology advancements on the possibility to implement additional and more sophisticated security measures to decrease the level of cybercrime and fraud.

Objectives

To conduct a substantial literature review on the topic of cybercrime and fraud rates in the UK.
To analyse statistical data provided by the Office for National Statistics and set aside the trends in cybercrime and fraud within the last year.
To assess current protection, safety, and security measures undertaken by the authorities in the attempts to combat cybercrime and fraud.
To address the reasons behind high rates of cybercrime and fraudulent activities.

Why is This Research Worth Doing?

Technological developments rapidly enter numerous aspects of individuals’ lives and business operations, which creates a substantial ground for the emergence of related crimes. The active integration of information technology offers multiple advantages but, at the same time, hinders potential threats for the safety and trustworthiness of information and individuals. Technological proliferation has shaped the way individuals live and, as of 2013, there were more than 35 million Internet users in the UK (Holt, Bossler, & Seigried-Spellar, 2015). This number implicates the potential target audience for computer abuse. The global expansion of technological integration led “to the digitalisation of sensitive financial and government information,” as well as private data and the creation of massive databases (Holt & Bossler, 2015). In such a way, a foundation with numerous opportunities for both digital misuse growth and the implementation of new security measures exists in the field.

Another significant factor that points out the necessity of this research is the seriousness of potential cybercrime dangers. Digital space offers various possibilities for the commitment of electronic abuses, which highlights the need for “regulatory measures and policing in national strategies” (Lavorgna & Sergi, 2016, p. 171). It implies how severe the incidents can be and how much harm they can bring to society. Thus, cybercrime and fraud represent a critical issue and require careful assessment and the search for new ways to battle the problem.

Previous Work

Modern technology advancements help countries around the globe to enhance their network and communication exchange and utilise new ways of operations and strategies. Simultaneously, the innovations can be considered to be a trigger to the emergence of electronic crimes. According to Chawki et al. (2015), “the growth of global connectivity is inseparably tied to the development of contemporary cybercrime,” which can generate numerous violations within this sphere (p. 3). Moreover, data breaches and fraudulent activities have substantial costs for the victims and authorities. In such a way, e-commerce fraud and card and banking violations’ losses are increasing (Levi, Doig, Gundur, Wall, & Williams, 2015). This fact emphasises the connection between technological progress and the occurrence of distinctive types of computer misuse and fraud. Curiously, the virtual world with passwords and codes as a protection measure does not possess the same borders as the physical one (Viano, 2017). Thus, it increases the chances of criminal pervasion into the private or corporate space.

Moreover, the scholars highlight different opportunities offered by the convenience of various advancements. The British government has doubled spending on cybersecurity in attempts to combat the growing problem (McMurdie, 2016). The high expenditures imply the fact that the technological process facilitates computer misuse and fraud and needs more rigid attention. Besides, the reach of developments led to the growth of “avenues for engaging in criminal behaviour” (Willits & Nowacki, 2016, p. 105). It is possible to state that the improvements in the availability and expansion of services provided by technology have an impact on the increasing numbers of cybercrime.

Another significant aspect to cover is the adoption of advancements to fight electronic crimes and prevent fraudulent activities. In contrast to the fact that technology growth is directly related to criminal cases, different analytical and preventive tools and systems are designed with the help of developments. One of the instruments is the integration of advanced analytics technology that can point out what happened, why such behaviours are occurring and what it is doing to the operations (De Oliveira & Stickings, 2016). Moreover, it is crucial to understand the stages that the investigation and, as a result, the protection process should include. Such phases, as initiation, outcome, cybercrime execution stack, and law enforcement constitute the foundation for the integration of tools and strategies (Sun, Shih, & Hwang, 2015). Hence, incorporating progressive measures can build a defensive mechanism against illegal infiltration and help to manage the threats at different levels.

Thus, it is also essential to go through the policies and actions generated with the help of information technology and used to protect the online space from cybercrime. Digital developments made it possible to access the data using such tools as GPRS and EDGE (Gillespie, 2016). Consequently, it is vital to integrate legislation and specially-designed guarding procedures. The creation of the National Cyber Security Centre, which serves as “the centre of government expertise on cyber,” represents the attempt to respond to the emerging issue and tackle it (Saunders, 2017, p. 5). As a result, the authorities are concentrating their forces and professionals to come up with the most powerful strategies that will provide guidance, advice, and support for the computer misuse and fraud threat. Moreover, particular measures include the implementation of such standards as DMARC and DNS RPZ filtering (Saunders, 2017). Those provisions represent active utilisation of technology advancements aiming to protect the cyberspace from the attacks.

Design and Methods

This research will apply the combination of primary and secondary data as the foundation for the assessment, with the more significant part of work based on secondary sources. It is crucial to obtain the statistics on fraud and cybercrime provided by the Office for National Statistics. This source of information reflects the figures from the Crime Survey for England and Wales and Home Office police recorded crime incidents (Office for National Statistics, 2019). It will be possible to examine this information with the help of SPSS, R, and Microsoft Excel analytical tools. Each of that software can provide useful data and generate its graphical representation. Thus, an analysis of the rates of computer misuse and fraud in different areas and based on distinctive types of online abuse within the nation will be carried.

Besides, the research will undertake an assortment of secondary sources, such as scholarly journal articles and books related to the sphere of cybercrime, security, and legislation. The platforms for collecting the information will be Google Scholar, EBSCO, and JSTOR to ensure the reliability of the used resources. The used keywords will include ‘cybercrime,’ ‘fraud,’ ‘information technology’ and ‘UK.’ Additional search will also use such keys as ‘measures,’ ‘security,’ ‘digital crime’ and ‘criminal law.’ Through the investigation of those resources, in combination with the findings from statistical analysis, it will be possible to meet the study’s aims and objectives.

Another part of the research will implement a collection of primary data if obtaining permission. Generating a survey aimed at questioning national agencies on the strategies that they utilise and on their view on information technology can offer additional information. It is crucial to gain informed consent with the participants of the survey and ensure the protection of anonymity and confidentiality if requested. Linking the findings from the questionnaire to the secondary data can provide a greater picture of cybercrime and fraud, its connection to the modern developments, and the existing and potential safety, security, and protection measures. The use of the mentioned resources implies the exploitation of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Statistical analysis will generate numerical data, while an investigation of secondary information will deliver descriptive details on the issue. It is crucial to remember research limitations while doing a thorough findings’ assessment.

Ethical Considerations

The research will be undertaken in compliance with the British Society of Criminology’s (BSC) Code of Ethics. It is vital to use it as a foundation because it supports “reflective and responsible ethical practice in criminological research,” which is essential to the study (British Society of Criminology, 2015, p. 2). The primary focus of this work is gathering secondary data available in print or online versions, which implicates that the researchers will be mindful with information protection aspect. Besides, the BSC requires the citation of others’ ideas, regardless of the material’s status, and the check of reliability (British Society of Criminology, 2015). Personal facts will not be disclosed, all the information will be cited appropriately, and the study will employ only reliable sources. It is also critical to establish suitable relationships with the research’s sponsors. Maintaining good connections and seeking to clarify the obligations of those involved in the research is essential (Scott, 2018). Thus, considering all possible implication of the study is critical for compliance with ethical requirements.

The utilisation of primary data emphasises careful understanding of ethical considerations as well. The research should keep in mind that the study aims to eliminate any risk to the surveys’ participants. In such a way, based on the BSC’s Code of Ethics, the study will minimise any physical or psychological harm, or the devaluation of personal worth among the contributors (British Society of Criminology, 2015). Consequently, it is significant to ensure the sensitivity to all the ethical deliberations. A detailed analysis of those can be found in Appendix A. Besides, the research will be conducted objectively and without prejudices, where its discussion and conclusion are based on ethical standards.

Timetable

The research will be conducted on a part-time basis for six months and will include three primary stages.

First and second months:
- Collecting the information from the Office for National Statistics;
- Evaluating the statistical data with the help of analytical software;
- Generating the proper questions for the survey for further distribution among the participants;
- Ensuring the presence of all the ethical considerations for the collection of primary data.
Third and fourth months:
- Searching for reliable sources;
- Determining information that is most suitable to the research topic among the allocated resources;
- Sending out the surveys to the participants.
Fifth and sixth months:
- Analysing the findings from the surveys;
- Compounding the results of the statistical analysis with the outcomes of the secondary data assessment;
- Combining the discoveries from the primary sources with the information from secondary sources;
- Outlining the limitations of the study;
- Linking all the findings together and presenting them in a report form.

Resources & Costs

The greater part of the research will involve gathering the information that is available in print version or via the Internet. The Office for National Statistics provides statistical data at no cost. The utilisation of analytical software is also integrating free programs such as R and Microsoft Excel, and access to SPSS can be obtained with the help of the university. Hence, the collection of secondary data and an assessment of statistics do not imply any costs. Still, it is crucial to consider possible fees to gain access to the paid materials and to hire a specialist in a statistical evaluation for a more precise data evaluation. Thus, miscellaneous costs of £300 will be accounted for this part of the research.

The collection of primary data involves the costs for the design of necessary documents, such as informed consent, which may require a discussion with a lawyer to ensure the credibility and reliability of all aspects. Therefore, the required funding for this part of the study might need around £700 to hire the professionals who will design everything needed without the gaps. Consequently, the overall cost of the research will be £1000.

References

British Society of Criminology. (2015).Statement of ethics for researches.Web.

Chawki, M., Darwish, A., Khan, M. A., & Tyagi, S. (2015). Cybercrime, digital forensics and jurisdiction. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

De Oliveira, I. S., & Stickings, A. (2016). Financial institutions and cybercrime: Threats, challenges and opportunities. RUSI News brief: Cybercrime, 36(4), 17-19.

Gillespie, A. A. (2016). Cybercrime: Key issues and debates. New York, NY: Routledge.

Holt, T. J., & Bossler, A. M. (2015). Cybercrime in progress: Theory and prevention of technology-enabled offences. New York, NY: Routledge.

Holt, T. J., Bossler, A. M., & Seigfried-Spellar, K. C. (2015). Cybercrime and digital forensics: An introduction. New York, NY: Routledge.

Lavorgna, A., & Sergi, A. (2016). Serious, therefore organised? A critique of the emerging “cyber-organised crime” rhetoric in the United Kingdom. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 10(2), 170-187.

Levi, M., Doig, A., Gundur, R., Wall, D., & Williams, M. (2015). The implications of economic cybercrime for policing.Web.

McMurdie, C. (2016). The cybercrime landscape and our policing response. Journal of Cyber Policy, 1(1), 85-93.

Office for National statistics. (2019). Crime in England and Wales: Additional tables on fraud and cybercrime. Web.

Saunders, J. (2017). Tackling cybercrime–the UK response. Journal of Cyber Policy, 2(1), 4-15.

Scott, D. (2018). The politics and ethics of criminological research. In P. Davies & P. Francies (Eds.), Doing criminological research (pp. 137-160). London, UK: SAGE.

Sun, J. R., Shih, M. L., & Hwang, M. S. (2015). A Survey of digital evidences forensic and cybercrime investigation procedure. IJ Network Security, 17(5), 497-509.

Viano, E. C. (2017). Cybercrime: Definition, typology and criminalisation. In E. C. Viano (Ed.), Cybercrime, organised crime, and societal responses: International Approaches (pp. 3-22). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

Willits, D., & Nowacki, J. (2016). The use of specialised cybercrime policing units: An organisational analysis. Criminal justice studies, 29(2), 105-124.

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