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Datasets for Analysis of Cybercrime

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The Palgrave Handbook of International Cybercrime and Cyberdeviance

Abstract

In this chapter, we document various sources of cybercrime data to help guide future research endeavors. We focus most of our attention on datasets associated with hacking, and to a lesser degree online fraud. Rather than a catalog of sources, we also describe what research has accomplished with these data on specific crimes and discuss the strengths and limitations of their use. The data discussed throughout the chapter are gathered from a variety of sources including the FBI, Cambridge Cybercrime Centre, Zone-H, various cybersecurity companies, and several other websites and platforms. These data allow researchers the opportunity to assess cybercrime correlates of engagement, victimization patterns, and macro-level trends. However, they share one major flaw; they do not allow for the assessment of causation. We conclude by suggesting that criminologists should prioritize longitudinal data collection that allows for causal assessment.

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Correspondence to George W. Burruss .

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Howell, C.J., Burruss, G.W. (2020). Datasets for Analysis of Cybercrime. In: The Palgrave Handbook of International Cybercrime and Cyberdeviance. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90307-1_15-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-90307-1_15-1

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