Computer-supported cooperative crime

Vaibhav Garg; Sadia Afroz; Rebekah Overdorf; Rachel Greenstadt

doi:10.1007/978-3-662-47854-7_3

Computer-supported cooperative crime

Vaibhav Garg, Sadia Afroz, Rebekah Overdorf, Rachel Greenstadt

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

This work addresses fundamental questions about the nature of cybercriminal organization. We investigate the organization of three underground forums: BlackhatWorld, Carders and L33tCrew to understand the nature of distinct communities within a forum, the structure of organization and the impact of enforcement, in particular banning members, on the structure of these forums. We find that each forum is divided into separate competing communities. Smaller communities are limited to 100–230 members, have a two-tiered hierarchy akin to a gang, and focus on a subset of cybercrime activities. Larger communities may have thousands of members and a complex organization with a distributed multi-tiered hierarchy more akin to a mob; such communities also have a more diverse cybercrime portfolio compared to smaller cohorts. Finally, despite differences in size and cybercrime portfolios, members on a single forum have similar operational practices, for example, they use the same electronic currency.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Financial Cryptography and Data Security - 19th International Conference, FC 2015, Revised Selected Papers
Editors	Tatsuaki Okamoto, Rainer Bohme
Publisher	Springer Verlag
Pages	32-43
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Print)	9783662478530
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47854-7_3
State	Published - 2015
Event	19th International Conference on Financial Cryptography and Data Security, FC 2015 - San Juan, Puerto Rico Duration: Jan 26 2015 → Jan 30 2015

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume	8975
ISSN (Print)	0302-9743
ISSN (Electronic)	1611-3349

Conference

Conference	19th International Conference on Financial Cryptography and Data Security, FC 2015
Country/Territory	Puerto Rico
City	San Juan
Period	1/26/15 → 1/30/15

Keywords

Cybercrime
Dunbar number
Economics
Social network analysis

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Theoretical Computer Science
Computer Science(all)

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-662-47854-7_3

Cite this

Garg, V., Afroz, S., Overdorf, R., & Greenstadt, R. (2015). Computer-supported cooperative crime. In T. Okamoto, & R. Bohme (Eds.), Financial Cryptography and Data Security - 19th International Conference, FC 2015, Revised Selected Papers (pp. 32-43). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 8975). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47854-7_3

Computer-supported cooperative crime. / Garg, Vaibhav; Afroz, Sadia; Overdorf, Rebekah et al.
Financial Cryptography and Data Security - 19th International Conference, FC 2015, Revised Selected Papers. ed. / Tatsuaki Okamoto; Rainer Bohme. Springer Verlag, 2015. p. 32-43 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 8975).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Garg, V, Afroz, S, Overdorf, R & Greenstadt, R 2015, Computer-supported cooperative crime. in T Okamoto & R Bohme (eds), Financial Cryptography and Data Security - 19th International Conference, FC 2015, Revised Selected Papers. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), vol. 8975, Springer Verlag, pp. 32-43, 19th International Conference on Financial Cryptography and Data Security, FC 2015, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1/26/15. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-47854-7_3

Garg V, Afroz S, Overdorf R, Greenstadt R. Computer-supported cooperative crime. In Okamoto T, Bohme R, editors, Financial Cryptography and Data Security - 19th International Conference, FC 2015, Revised Selected Papers. Springer Verlag. 2015. p. 32-43. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)). doi: 10.1007/978-3-662-47854-7_3

Garg, Vaibhav ; Afroz, Sadia ; Overdorf, Rebekah et al. / Computer-supported cooperative crime. Financial Cryptography and Data Security - 19th International Conference, FC 2015, Revised Selected Papers. editor / Tatsuaki Okamoto ; Rainer Bohme. Springer Verlag, 2015. pp. 32-43 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)).

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AB - This work addresses fundamental questions about the nature of cybercriminal organization. We investigate the organization of three underground forums: BlackhatWorld, Carders and L33tCrew to understand the nature of distinct communities within a forum, the structure of organization and the impact of enforcement, in particular banning members, on the structure of these forums. We find that each forum is divided into separate competing communities. Smaller communities are limited to 100–230 members, have a two-tiered hierarchy akin to a gang, and focus on a subset of cybercrime activities. Larger communities may have thousands of members and a complex organization with a distributed multi-tiered hierarchy more akin to a mob; such communities also have a more diverse cybercrime portfolio compared to smaller cohorts. Finally, despite differences in size and cybercrime portfolios, members on a single forum have similar operational practices, for example, they use the same electronic currency.

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Computer-supported cooperative crime

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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Cite this