Fear of Sexual Victimization in Metaverse: A Comparison of Adolescent and Adult Female Users.

Metaverse platforms have gained worldwide popularity in recent years. This increase in popularity has also heightened safety concerns, as virtual sexual assault against children and the youth is on the rise. The issue of sexual abuse in the metaverse is becoming increasingly controversial due to the gaps in the current regulatory framework that result from the uncertain consequences of such virtual crimes. Drawing on an online survey of female users of Zepeto (n = 343), a metaverse social network platform where users interact with others while creating personalized avatars and virtual spaces, this study aims to explore how female users interpret the risk of sexual harassment in Zepeto, examining the triggers of emotional distress and behavioral change that result from such risk assessments by users. It investigates how these interpretations and responses vary depending on their sense of presence and engagement in the virtual environment and identification with their avatars and how all these processes differ between adolescent and adult female users. Overall, this study provides insights into the complex dynamics of virtual victimization. The findings could inform the development of regulatory frameworks that protect users from virtual sexual assault and create a safer environment for all users, especially the youngest generations.

Addressing Cyberscams and Acquired Brain Injury ("I Desperately Need to Know What to Do"): Qualitative Exploration of Clinicians' and Service Providers' Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: People with acquired brain injury (ABI) may be more susceptible to scams owing to postinjury cognitive and psychosocial consequences. Cyberscams result in financial loss and debilitating psychological impacts such as shame and mistrust, interference with neurorehabilitation, and reduced independence. Despite these significant consequences, there are no psychological treatments to support cyberscam survivors. There is limited evidence regarding how the current workforce is addressing post-ABI cyberscams. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand the perspectives and needs of clinicians and service providers in addressing post-ABI cyberscams. METHODS: Overall, 20 multidisciplinary clinicians and service providers were recruited through purposive sampling across Australia. Semistructured interviews explored post-ABI scam experiences and vulnerabilities, treatments and their efficacy, and recommendations for future cybersafety recovery interventions. Reflexive thematic analysis was used. RESULTS: In total, 8 themes encompassing a biopsychosocial understanding of scam vulnerabilities and impacts were identified: "genuine lack of awareness: cognitive-executive difficulties"; "not coping with the loss of it all"; "needing trust and connection"; "strong reactions of trusted others"; "nothing structured to do"; "financial stress and independence"; "cyberability"; and "scammer persuasion." Each theme informed clinical recommendations including the need to provide psychological and cognitive support, enhance financial and cybersafety skills, promote meaningful social engagement, and foster collaboration between families and clinical support teams. CONCLUSIONS: The multifaceted range of scam vulnerabilities and impacts highlighted the need for individualized, comprehensive, and targeted treatments using a biopsychosocial approach to enable cyberscam recovery among people with ABI. These findings will guide the development of a co-designed intervention.

Examining the Use of Offshore Online Gambling Sites in the United States via Routine Activities Theory: A SEM Analysis.

Despite the recent proliferation of legal online gambling in the Unites States, offshore gambling sites still remain prevalent, causing various problems in the U.S. Although numerous law violations occur in this domain, prior research has reported limited information about offshore gambling, mostly focusing on offshore gamblers' characteristics and motivations. Using routine activities theory, this study attempted to understand environmental and theoretical factors that affect the use of offshore sites by focusing on offshore gambling-generating contexts that involve offshore sites and online casino reviews. Major findings show that the online visibility of offshore sites may be a key predictor of the use of the sites by U.S. players. In addition, online casino reviews providing a blacklist of online gambling sites served as informal guardians, helping players avoid unreliable offshore gambling sites that pose a risk to their customers. Policy implications were suggested based on the findings and provided insights toward effective online gambling regulatory efforts.

Darkweb research: Past, present, and future trends and mapping to sustainable development goals.

The Darkweb, part of the deep web, can be accessed only through specialized computer software and used for illegal activities such as cybercrime, drug trafficking, and exploitation. Technological advancements like Tor, bitcoin, and cryptocurrencies allow criminals to carry out these activities anonymously, leading to increased use of the Darkweb. At the same time, computers have become an integral part of our daily lives, shaping our behavior, and influencing how we interact with each other and the world. This work carries out the bibliometric study on the research conducted on Darkweb over the last decade. The findings illustrate that most research on Darkweb can be clustered into four areas based on keyword co-occurrence analysis: (i) network security, malware, and cyber-attacks, (ii) cybercrime, data privacy, and cryptography, (iii) machine learning, social media, and artificial intelligence, and (iv) drug trafficking, cryptomarket. National Science Foundation from the United States is the top funder. Darkweb activities interfere with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) laid forth by the United Nations to promote peace and sustainability for current and future generations. SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) has the highest number of publications and citations but has an inverse relationship with Darkweb, as the latter undermines the former. This study highlights the need for further research in bitcoin, blockchain, IoT, NLP, cryptocurrencies, phishing and cybercrime, botnets and malware, digital forensics, and electronic crime countermeasures about the Darkweb. The study further elucidates the multi-dimensional nature of the Darkweb, emphasizing the intricate relationship between technology, psychology, and geopolitics. This comprehensive understanding serves as a cornerstone for evolving effective countermeasures and calls for an interdisciplinary research approach. The study also delves into the psychological motivations driving individuals towards illegal activities on the Darkweb, highlighting the urgency for targeted interventions to promote pro-social online behavior.

Parental Production of Child Sexual Abuse Material: A Critical Review.

The aim of this review is to summarize the available empirical research on parental production and to explore the discursive positioning of parental perpetrators within scholarship on child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Academic databases were searched using a combination of relevant terms, and the review was expanded as new terms were identified. The review identified 66 scholarly articles, papers, or books that referred to parental production of CSAM published since 1970. To explore how parental offenders have been positioned within this literature over time, the review is presented according to a chronological summary, drawing out key themes and empirical insights. The review showed that parental CSAM production is common, more likely to involve pre-pubescent victims, more severe abuse, female as well as male perpetrators, and produces high-demand illegal content with serious long-term sequelae. However, the review found that the focus of child trafficking and sexual exploitation scholarship on "commercial" and profit-driven abuse has marginalized and obscured parental CSAM production as a serious policy challenge. These findings warrant a reorientation of research, policy, and practice approaches to technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation, as well as a reflection on the resistance of researchers and policymakers to acknowledging the problem of family-based sexual exploitation.

In their own words: deception detection by victims and near victims of fraud.

Aim: Research on deception detection has usually been executed in experimental settings in the laboratory. In contrast, the present research investigates deception detection by actual victims and near victims of fraud, as reported in their own words. Materials and methods: Our study is based on a nationally representative survey of 11 types of (mostly) online fraud victimization (N = 2,864). We used qualitative information from actual victims and near victims on why they didn't fall for the fraud, or how, in hindsight, it could have been prevented. Results: The main detection strategies mentioned by near victims (N = 958) were 1) fraud knowledge (69%): these near victims clearly recognized fraud. Other strategies related to fraud knowledge were: noticing mistakes (27.9%), rules and principles about safe conduct (11.7%), and personal knowledge (7.1%). A second type of strategy was distrust (26.1%). A third strategy was 'wise through experience' (1.6%). Finally, a limited number of respondents (7.8%) searched for additional information: they contacted other people (5.5%), sought information online (4%), contacted the fraudster (2.9%), contacted their bank or credit card company (2.2%), or contacted the police (0.2%). Using knowledge as a strategy decreases the probability of victimization by a factor of 0.43. In contrast, all other strategies increased the likelihood of victimization by a factor of 1.6 or more. Strategies generally were uncorrelated, several strategies differed by type of fraud. About 40% of the actual victims (N = 243) believed that their victimization might have been prevented by: 1) seeking information (25.2%), 2) paying more attention (18.9%), 3) a third party doing something (16.2%), 4) following safety rules or principles, like using a safer way of paying or trading (14.4%), or by 5) 'simply not going along with it' (10.8%). Most of these strategies were associated with a higher, not lower, likelihood of victimization. Conclusion: Clearly, knowledge of fraud is the best strategy to avoid fraud victimization. Therefore, a more proactive approach is needed to inform the public about fraud and attackers' modus operandi, so that potential victims already have knowledge of fraud upon encountering it. Just providing information online will not suffice to protect online users.

The Trend of Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitations: A Profile of Online Sexual Offenders and Criminal Justice Response.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of technology-facilitated crimes against children worldwide has increased substantially and become one of the most serious crime problems. Due to these considerations, there is a lack of large-scale systematic reviews investigating Cybercrime in and of itself could be challenging to investigate in comparison to traditional ones due to the elusiveness of the cyber realm. Specifically, investigating internet crimes against children comes with specific challenges. These offenses target vulnerable children who are less likely to realize their victimization, lowering the probability of reporting to the proper authorities. With these obstacles in mind, this research study utilizes data information regarding the characteristics of online CSAM users and their practices to inform law enforcement, parents, and the public for preventative and strategic purposes. Furthermore, this study diagnoses the significant challenges of investigating technology-facilitated crimes against children by examining how the current criminal justice system responds to these incidents. The policy recommendations discussed offer a holistic lens for highlighting this critical issue and implementing practical and proactive training solutions for law enforcement and the public.

Response time concealed information test using fillers in cybercrime and concealed identity scenarios.

The Response Time Concealed Information Test (RT-CIT) can reveal that a person recognises a relevant item (e.g., a murder weapon) among other control items, based on slower responses to the former compared to the latter ones. To date, the RT-CIT has been predominantly examined only in the context of scenarios that are very unlikely in real life, while sporadic assessment has shown that it suffers from low diagnostic accuracy in more realistic scenarios. In our study, we validated the RT-CIT in the new, realistic, and very topical mock scenario of a cybercrime (Study 1, n = 614; Study 2; n = 553), finding significant though moderate effects. At the same time (and expanded with a concealed identity scenario; Study 3, n = 250), we assessed the validity and generalizability of the filler items presented in the RT-CIT: We found similar diagnostic accuracies when using specific, generic, and even nonverbal items. However, the relatively low diagnostic accuracy in case of the cybercrime scenario reemphasizes the importance of assessments in realistic scenarios as well as the need for further improving the RT-CIT.

The development of phishing during the COVID-19 pandemic: An analysis of over 1100 targeted domains.

To design preventive policy measures for email phishing, it is helpful to be aware of the phishing schemes and trends that are currently applied. How phishing schemes and patterns emerge and adapt is an ongoing field of study. Existing phishing works already reveal a rich set of phishing schemes, patterns, and trends that provide insight into the mechanisms used. However, there seems to be limited knowledge about how email phishing is affected in periods of social disturbance, such as COVID-19 in which phishing numbers have quadrupled. Therefore, we investigate how the COVID-19 pandemic influences the phishing emails sent during the first year of the pandemic. The email content (header data and html body, excl. attachments) is evaluated to assess how the pandemic influences the topics of phishing emails over time (peaks and trends), whether email campaigns correlate with momentous events and trends of the COVID-19 pandemic, and what hidden content revealed. This is studied through an in-depth analysis of the body of 500.000 phishing emails addressed to Dutch registered top-level domains collected during the start of the pandemic. The study reveals that most COVID-19 related phishing emails follow known patterns indicating that perpetrators are more likely to adapt than to reinvent their schemes.

"This group I felt like I was medicating myself from this cyberscam illness that was living with me." A qualitative evaluation of co-designing cybersafety training resources with and for people with acquired brain injury.

PURPOSE: Whilst anyone can be scammed, individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) may have unique risk factors to cyberscams for which tailored interventions are required. To address this, a co-design approach was utilised to develop cybersafety resources with people with living experience of ABI and scams. This study aimed to evaluate the co-design experience to inform future utilisation of co-design methods. METHOD: Semi-structured qualitative interviews explored perceived benefits and challenges, level of support and the co-design process for people with ABI (n= 7) and an attendant care worker (ACW) (n= 1). Transcripts were analysed using a six-stage reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Five themes were identified: "An Intervention Addressing Shame"; "Feeling Validated and Valued"; "Experiencing a 'Profound Change Amongst a Group of Peers'"; 'Gaining Stronger Scam Awareness'; and 'Taking Ownership'. Adjustments to support communication, memory impairments and fatigue in the co-design process were recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Participant reflections on the co-design process extended beyond resource design and highlighted therapeutic benefits of increased insight and emotional recovery from shame. Likely mechanisms underpinning these benefits were the peer group format and opportunities to make meaningful contributions. Despite identified challenges in facilitating co-design projects, the practical and emotional benefits reported by participants underscore the value of co-design with people with ABI. Implications for rehabilitationIndividuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) may be at increased risk of cyberscams due to cognitive impairments, for which tailored cyberscam interventions are required.Using a co-design approach maximises the relevance of training resources for individuals with ABI.Using a collaborative co-design approach to developing cybersafety training resources may facilitate scam awareness and peer support.Support for communication, memory impairments and fatigue may be necessary in co-design efforts with people with ABI.

The distribution of fake Australian vaccine digital certificates on an alt-tech platform.

This paper provides the first exploration of the online distribution of fake Australian COVID-19 vaccine certificates. Drawing on a collection of 2589 posts between five distributors and their community members on the alt-tech platform Gab, this study gathers key insights into the mechanics of illicit vaccine certificate distribution. The qualitative findings in this research demonstrate the various motivations and binding ideologies that underpinned this illicit distribution (e.g. anti-vaccine and anti-surveillance motivations); the unique cybercultural aspects of this online illicit network (e.g. 'crowdsourcing' the creation of fake vaccine passes); and how the online community was used to share information on the risks of engaging in this illicit service, setting the appropriate contexts of using fake vaccine passes, and the evasion of guardians in offline settings. Implications for future research in cybercrime, illicit networks, and organised crime in digital spaces are discussed.

Revisiting the Relationship between Cybercrime, Autistic Traits, and Autism.

Reports of cybercrime being committed by people on the autism spectrum often imply that autism may be more prevalent among cybercriminals than the general population, although this remains unproven. In an online survey of 302 participants, we found that autistic individuals (n = 25) were more likely to report engagement in cybercrime than non-autistic individuals, but this relationship was not mediated by advanced digital skills or deficits in theory of mind. Furthermore, independent of autism diagnosis, autistic traits were not significantly associated with self-reported cyber-criminality. We propose that there may be additional factors moderating the relationship between autism, autistic traits, and cybercrime, such as specific autistic characteristics, understanding of cybercrime, and willingness to disclose criminal activity.

"They just say how stupid I was for being conned". Cyberscams and acquired brain injury: A qualitative exploration of the lived experience of survivors and close others.

Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) may be vulnerable to cyberscams due to their cognitive and psychosocial impairments. However, the lived experiences of cyberscam survivors with ABI and their close others is not understood, and no effective intervention has been identified. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of cyberscam survivors with ABI (n = 7) and their close others (n = 6). Semi-structured interviews explored the scam experience, impacts, vulnerabilities and interventions. Reflexive thematic analysis of interview transcripts identified seven themes: "who is at the helm?: vulnerabilities," "the lure: scammer tactics," "scammers aboard: scam experience," "the discovery," "sinking in: impacts," "responding to the mayday: responses from others," and "lifesavers: suggestions for intervention." The journey towards scam victimisation was complex, and complicated by the ABI. Cyberscams contributed to substantial financial disadvantage, loss of trust and shame. ABI related impairments and social isolation reportedly increased scam vulnerability and interfered with intervention attempts by family and professionals. Confusion, denial and disbelief created further barriers to discovery. The practical and emotional impacts on both cyberscam survivors with ABI and their family members, and a lack of effective intervention, highlight the need for increased education and awareness in order to improve online safety for those with ABI.

Do we need to know about cyberscams in neurorehabilitation? A cross-sectional scoping survey of Australasian clinicians and service providers.

Cyberscams, such as romance scams, are prevalent and costly online hazards in the general community. People with Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) may be particularly vulnerable and have greater difficulty recovering from the resultant emotional and financial hardships. In order to build capacity in the neurorehabilitation sector, it is necessary to determine whether clinicians currently encounter this issue and what prevention and intervention approaches have been found effective. This scoping study aimed to explore clinicians' exposure to and experiences with cyberscams in their adult clients with ABI. METHOD: Participants were clinicians recruited from multidisciplinary networks across Australia and New Zealand. Eligible participants (n = 101) completed an online customised survey. RESULTS: More than half (53.46%) the participants had one or more clients affected by cyberscams, predominantly romance scams. Cognitive impairments and loneliness were reportedly associated with increased vulnerability. Cyberscams impacted treatment provision and were emotionally challenging for participants. No highly effective interventions were identified. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that cyberscams are a clinical issue relevant to neurorehabilitation providers, with prevalence studies now required. The lack of effective interventions identified underscores the need for the development of evidence-based prevention and treatment approaches to ultimately help people with ABI safely participate in online life.

An overview of cybersecurity in Zimbabwe's financial services sector.

Background: As nations, businesses, and individuals rely on the Internet for everyday use, so are cybercriminals manipulating systems to access information illegally and disrupting services for financial gain. The global cost of cybercrime eclipsed one trillion US Dollars in 2020, with Africa losing US $3.5 billion. Methods: A quantitative research methodology was adopted to investigate factors affecting cybercrime in Zimbabwean financial institutions. The study focused on the technical aspects of cybersecurity. Data were collected from July 2022 to October 2022, targeting technology experts in the financial services sector. Participants were recruited from 13 institutions to rank cybersecurity constructs, frameworks, and challenges associated with cybersecurity. Data was collected using a questionnaire distributed to participants. Descriptive statistics were used to extract meanings from the responses that measure mean and standard deviation. Results: Network and data security were the most highly ranked cybersecurity constructs, while physical security was the least. The top three barriers are increasing sophistication of threats, limited skills and emerging technologies, while lack of executive support was the least. The top frameworks used are the Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies (COBIT), while a fifth is yet to adopt cybercrime frameworks. Conclusions: The study proposes that financial institutions establish a cybersecurity culture to fight cybercrime, addressing cybersecurity barriers and following best practices. Financial institutions should invest in cybersecurity technologies, train security specialists, and employ a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The study's small sample may affect the generalisability of the results. Financial institutions should implement strategies to raise awareness and collaborate with institutions to train cybersecurity security specialists to close the skills gap.

Criminal clickbait: a panel data analysis on the attractiveness of online advertisements offering stolen data.

Introduction: Few studies have examined the sales of stolen account credentials on darkweb markets. In this study, we tested how advertisement characteristics affect the popularity of illicit online advertisements offering account credentials. Unlike previous criminological research, we take a novel approach by assessing the applicability of knowledge on regular consumer behaviours instead of theories explaining offender behaviour. Methods: We scraped 1,565 unique advertisements offering credentials on a darkweb market. We used this panel data set to predict the simultaneous effects of the asking price, endorsement cues and title elements on advertisement popularity by estimating several hybrid panel data models. Results: Most of our findings disconfirm our hypotheses. Asking price did not affect advertisement popularity. Endorsement cues, including vendor reputation and cumulative sales and views, had mixed and negative relationships, respectively, with advertisement popularity. Discussion: Our results might suggest that account credentials are not simply regular products, but high-risk commodities that, paradoxically, become less attractive as they gain popularity. This study highlights the necessity of a deeper understanding of illicit online market dynamics to improve theories on illicit consumer behaviours and assist cybersecurity experts in disrupting criminal business models more effectively. We propose several avenues for future experimental research to gain further insights into these illicit processes.

Did They Deserve It? Adolescents' Perception of Online Harassment in a Real-Case Scenario.

Online harassment, particularly cyberbullying and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is a widespread phenomenon among adolescents and young adults. Descriptive research was carried out to investigate any differences among Italian school classes in the perception of cybercrime through a real-case scenario. Following the Italian school system, the final sample of 1777 adolescents (Mage = 15.37, SD = 1.65; Male = 52%) was divided into three groups based on the school class attended: middle school (N = 562; Mage = 13.37, SD = 0.48); high school biennium (N = 728; Mage = 15.55, SD = 0.50), and triennium (N = 487, Mage = 17.40, SD = 0.71). Participants completed a self-report questionnaire investigating the use of the Internet and the perception of a real case scenario involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and cyberbullying received by the National Centre for Combating Child Pornography Online (NCPO). Results showed differences among the three groups' perceptions of the event's features, motivations underlying the offense, victim-blaming and harassment justification (e.g., cyberbullying, in particular non-consensual sharing of intimate images, is recognized as a crime as age increases). The findings provide significant insights for future research and age-specific factors to consider when developing prevention programs for online risks.

Advantageous comparison: using Twitter responses to understand similarities between cybercriminals ("Yahoo Boys") and politicians ("Yahoo men").

This article is about the manifestations of similarities between two seemingly distinct groups of Nigerians: cybercriminals and politicians. Which linguistic strategies do Twitter users use to express their opinions on cybercriminals and politicians? The study undertakes a qualitative analysis of 'engaged' tweets of an elite law enforcement agency in West Africa. We analyzed and coded over 100,000 'engaged' tweets based on a component of mechanisms of moral disengagement (i.e., advantageous comparison), a linguistic device. The results reveal how respondents defend the actions of online fraudsters ("the deviant group") by strategically comparing them to the wrongful acts of corrupt politicians ("the respectable group"). Similarly, the results show how respondents positioned this linguistic strategy to compare "the powerless group" (online fraudsters) and "the powerful group" (politicians) in society. Indeed, tweet responses suggest that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) generally looks downwards for culprits (i.e., online fraudsters) while ignoring fraudulent politicians. We conclude that the process by which some actions are interpreted as a crime compared to others is a moral enterprise.

Awareness of electronic crimes related to E-learning among students at the University of Jordan.

The spread of e-learning as an alternative to traditional or face-to-face education has faced many problems and challenges in general and ethical and legal challenges in particular. This study aims to measure students' awareness of the safe use of technology and its tools in e-learning that is consistent with ethical and legal standards. The study attempts to reveal the degree of awareness of students of the University of Jordan about electronic crimes related to e-learning and the legal procedures and penalties related to electronic crimes in e-learning. Quantitative research methods were used. A questionnaire was established and distributed to students enrolled in the following online courses: Ethics and Human Values, Communication Skills, and National Culture. Analysis of the data revealed that students had a high awareness about cybercrime due to the widespread use of the internet by students as it became an integral part of their daily lives. The degree of awareness of student about legal procedures and penalties related to electronic crimes in e-learning was medium. This indicates students' lack of awareness of the effectiveness of procedures and penalties for electronic crimes that can be applied in e-learning due to the rapid transition in the learning process at the University of Jordan from traditional learning to distance e-learning that was imposed during the Corona pandemic. Based on these findings, the study presented a set of recommendations that could be implemented to increase awareness and maximize the benefit of using e-learning.

Mobile Forensics: Repeatable and Non-Repeatable Technical Assessments.

This paper presents several scenarios where digital evidence can be collected from mobile devices, their legal value keeping untouched. The paper describes a robust methodology for mobile forensics developed through on-field experiences directly gained by the authors over the last 10 years and many real court cases. The results show that mobile forensics, digital analysis of smartphone Android or iOS can be obtained in two ways: on the one hand, data extraction must follow the best practice of the repeatability procedure; on the other hand, the extraction of the data must follow the best practice of the non-repeatability procedure. The laboratory study of the two methods for extracting digital data from mobile phones, for use as evidence in court trials, has shown that the same evidence can be obtained even when the procedure of unavailability of file mining activities has been adopted. Indeed, thanks to laboratory tests, the existence of multiple files frequently and continuously subjected to changes generated by the presence of several hashes found at forensic extractions conducted in very short moments of time (sometimes not exceeding 15 min) has been proven. If, on the other hand, the examination of a device is entrusted to a judicial police officer in order to conduct a forensic analysis to acquire data produced and managed by the user (such as images, audio, video, documents, SMS, MMS, chat conversations, address book content, etc.) we have sufficient grounds to believe that such examination can be organized according to the system of repeatable technical assessments.