Youth Hackers and Adult Hackers in South Korea: An Application of Cybercriminal Profiling

Abstract

Modern societies across the globe rely more on technology every day. While such advances have made some aspects of life easier, there is an increasing risk of cybercrime that can jeopardize national security and economic vitality. The purpose of this study is to build cybercriminal profiles in order to better predict future cyber-threats and create a more targeted prevention strategy for South Korea. The FBI's criminal profiling analysis is employed. Data were derived from court records and news media documents reporting computer hacking incidents in South Korea between 2010 and 2019. Our analysis shows that there are differences in motivations, attack methods, and accomplices in computer hacking incidents between youth and adult hackers. Policy implications are discussed.