Abstract
This research used Nigeria as an exemplar to examine the social, economic, and cultural characteristics of cybercrime and the impact of technology on cybercrime development, investigation, and prevention. A review of academic sources relating to cybercrime and cyber-security around the world highlighted many gaps in understanding and this research was designed to start filling such gaps. An exploratory research approach was used which comprised 300 questionnaires completed by mainly middle-ranked employees in the public and private sectors affected by cybercrime. These were complemented by interviews with 15 professionals working in the area of cybercrime. The questionnaires concentrated on a proper understanding of cybercrime, cyber-security and how it contributed to the different sectors. The interviews with professionals highlighted five major themes that help establish and understand the relationship between cybercrime, cyber-security and the use of technology. These results were combined to give a holistic picture of cybercrime and cyber security management.The research highlighted poor use of technology to combat cybercrime. It also noted a lack of communication and cooperation in both the private and public sectors when it came to managing cybercrime. There was a serious deficiency in keeping cyber-security measures up to date, especially in the public sector, instead of continuing to rely on traditional cyber-security policies. The private sector showed some promise in trying to update its strategies but continued to give more attention to government policies instead of making its cyber-security strategies more efficient.
This research goes on to propose a socio-technical framework for combatting cybercrime. This framework is based on the premise that managing cyber-space should focus on understanding the relationship between cybercrime, cyber-security, and the use of technology. It provides proper management for the various aspects of cybercrime and the threats in Nigeria, taking into consideration the growth of new technologies around the world. This empirical research contributes to knowledge by presenting a comprehensive landscape to understand cybercrime and the use of technology in cyber-security.
| Date of Award | 5 Jan 2023 |
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| Original language | English |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisor | Victoria Wang (Supervisor), Christopher Gray Lewis (Supervisor) & Iain Reid (Supervisor) |