Connolly, Lena Yuryna;
Borrion, Hervé;
Arief, Budi;
(2025)
Ransomware crime through the lens of neutralisation theory.
European Journal of Criminology
10.1177/14773708251320464.
(In press).
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Abstract
This study examines ransomware crime through the lens of neutralisation theory, and explores techniques used by alleged offenders to justify their involvement in ransomware attacks. This work focuses on highly organised ransomware groups that not only conduct attacks but also operate as Ransomware-as-a-Service businesses. The interview data (n = 9) used in this research were collected by several media and cyber security companies. Drawing on Kaptein and Van Helvoort model of neutralisation techniques, we discovered that interviewees – reported ransomware offenders – distorted the facts (n = 5) and negated societal norms (n = 8). Less common, some interviewees admitted breaking norms, but they rejected responsibility by blaming the circumstances (n = 8) or their own shortcomings (n = 3). These results offer new insights that can support the development of counter-narratives.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Ransomware crime through the lens of neutralisation theory |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1177/14773708251320464 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1177/14773708251320464 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits non-commercial use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/open-access-at-sage). |
| Keywords: | Cybercrime community, neutralisation theory, offender justifications, ransomware |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Security and Crime Science |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10207993 |
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