Youth cybercrime radicalization driven by online platforms, NCA leader says

Online platforms were emphasized by the UK's National Crime Agency Director General Graeme Biggar to be central to the radicalization of teenagers into becoming cybercriminals and terrorists, according to Infosecurity Magazine.

Biggar said that it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between the different types of crime, adding that algorithms and "the same toxic online spaces" are contributing to the broader shift in how crime is changing.

"Technology is no longer simply a tool that criminals use. It is reshaping crime itself: accelerating it, globalizing it, and making it more harmful," said Biggar at the launch of the National Strategic Assessment.

Biggar provided examples of cyberattacks by nation governments and cybercrime organizations, as well as money laundering networks that serve hostile states, terrorists, and criminals. "We cannot keep treating it as many separate ones. As crime changes, so must we," he emphasized.

Biggar has already voiced his concern about the internet's corruptive impact on young people before. He also mentioned a rise in internet fraud, particularly financial fraud, as well as a concerning rise in "sextortion and sadistic exploitation."

Written by

Kelley Damore Chief Content Officer CyberRisk Alliance

Kelley Damore is Chief Content Officer at CyberRisk Alliance, where she leads content strategy across the company’s digital brands, research, communities and live events serving CISOs and security practitioners. At CyberRisk Alliance, she is focused on delivering 365-day engagement, trusted journalism and actionable insights to help security leaders navigate an increasingly complex threat landscape.