Ideological Motivated Cybercriminals: a Systematic Review

• In Event: EXTR8 Extremism in times of uncertainty

Abstract

Background: As online extremism increasingly spills into offline violence, a critical gap in scholarly research pertains to the systematic examination of ideological cybercrime. This scoping review aims to address this lack by synthesising the literature relating to the topic.

Methods: I inclusively considered peer-reviewed papers published in English, without imposing date restrictions. Adhering to the PRISMA protocol, I based eligibility criteria on publication type, evidence quality, and topical relevance. After screening 2321 articles, 518 met eligibility criteria, and ultimately, I included 170 in the review. I carried out the search between October and November 2023.

Results: The academic literature identified four main threat agents in relation to ideological cybercrime. Right-wing extremists were the most discussed across the literature. The majority of the paper centres on the Internet’s role in propaganda and recruitment.

Conclusions: This scoping review highlights the evolving landscape of ideological cybercrime, emphasizing the need for future research to broaden its scope and incorporate a more diverse sample.

Author

• Sara Rubini, University College London