Cybercrime: A National Security Issue?

Cyberspace, an offshoot of the development of computer and digital communications technologies, has in recent decades become part and parcel of our lives. The implications of cyberspace crime for national security derive from the way technology is used by hostile elements. This article proposes a policy directed examination of the meaning of cyberspace crime and its impact on national security, without focusing on the widespread monetary assessments of the damage caused by cybercrime. It includes a pro le of cooperation among criminals, organized crime, and hostile organizations, and discusses the commercialization of cyber reconnaissance and cyber attack capabilities, made possible by ever-developing technologies and the growth of a black market in IT services. Currently, cybercrime is hardly signi cant beyond the realms of IT risk management and law enforcement. However, this article identi es two separate conditions where cybercrime could become a substantial threat to national security