The risk of children becoming cybercriminals.

SGGP 05/06/2023 11:07

In a world driven by hyper-interconnected internet, cybersecurity has been a hot topic and a top concern. Euronews, in collaboration with cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, is producing a series on children being targeted by organized cybercriminals and how to address this, according to experts.

Staying up late online is one of the signs that children are involved in organized cybercrime. (Image: Kaspersky)

Personal aura

Barbara Gemen's son began getting involved in cybercrime at a very young age. “My son started at age 8 when he ordered a gun from Poland, delivered to our house in Bulgaria. When I opened the package, I was completely shocked.” Monitoring her son's behavior, Barbara discovered that “he would often wake up in the middle of the night to order things without paying. That’s when I found out he was working with an international hacking group.” She tried everything to inform the police, but was accused of “exaggerating.” She then decided to train herself in cybersecurity and is now a special volunteer for the Dutch police online.

According to Mike Jones, a former hacker, security researcher, and consultant, children have been identified as potential cybercriminals. Organized crime is increasingly targeting children who are avid gamers. “Gaming and online hacking are closely related; players try to figure out how to gain an advantage or identify vulnerabilities in the game to increase their power or resources. This is the main motivation for them to engage in cyberattacks (hacking),” the expert explained.

Dr. Kelli Dunlap, a clinical psychologist and game designer, notes that young hackers are easily lured into dangerous attacks because their brains are not yet fully developed. “Teenagers don’t think about the consequences of their actions. Their brains develop rapidly, learning new things, adapting, and solving problems, but they lack the parts that predict consequences because they haven’t had life experience.”

Meanwhile, Christian Funk, an expert at Global Cybersecurity Research and Analysis, argues that young people are easily influenced by films that portray hackers as heroes, leading them to engage in cybercrime to prove themselves to their peers.

Symptoms and treatment

The EU Kids Online 2020 study found that 62% of teenagers in Europe access the internet daily. The average time they spend online is 2 hours and 6 minutes per day, increasing to 3 hours and 16 minutes on weekends. While playing games and using apps, they face the risk of being lured into organized crime.

Mike Jones revealed: “Cybercrime organizations always identify children who have the potential and knowledge to become cybercriminals. Then, they will try to build a relationship with their target through games.” Once they have gained trust, they will lure the children into carrying out attacks ranging from simple to complex.

Cyber experts have summarized three of the most noticeable signs that a child is involved in cybercrime and how parents should handle it. First, children spend more time online than usual, even at night or during school hours. Try to monitor how much time your child spends online and make sure they aren't playing games. The next sign is they have multiple online accounts, as well as multiple gaming accounts. Young hackers may have multiple email addresses, IP addresses, and even bank accounts. The third sign is a change in language, using many obscure words.

Like most social activities, the world of hacking has its own language. If your child is involved in hacking, they may start using new slang terms you've never heard before, such as script kiddies, DDoS, doxing, ops, bots, etc., using coded messages to notify others to hide information when someone invades their space.

When your children or children you know exhibit all of the above signs, online experts advise parents to immediately contact authorities or professionals for advice to avoid or minimize negative consequences.

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