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A Dutch government-commissioned study found that most young cybercriminals reach the height of their illicit activity around age 20, with the vast majority ceasing such behavior soon after. Data from over 500,000 Dutch students showed that 76% of cybercrime actors peaked at this age, and only 4% continued to show increased odds of criminal activity later in life. The research highlights that hacking skills and technological curiosity are key factors for those who remain involved in cybercrime beyond their early twenties.
The study also revealed that cybercrime among adolescents is relatively rare compared to other offenses, such as property crimes, and that the risk of being caught is low. Most young offenders never enter the justice system, and a small percentage are only suspected once. The findings suggest that, similar to other forms of youth crime, cybercriminal activity is typically a transient phase, with only a small minority persisting due to ongoing interest and skill development in technology.
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A Dutch government report found that most young cybercriminals reach peak offending around age 20 and then desist soon after, with only a small minority continuing into adulthood. The study linked longer-term offending to greater technical skill and sustained technological curiosity, and noted that perceived risk of being caught is low.
Atlas Research conducted a study for the Dutch Research and Data Centre using a cohort of roughly 500,000 students who finished primary school between 2008 and 2011 to analyze how cybercrime offending develops over time among young people in the Netherlands.
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Noah Urban, a 20-year-old, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after stealing over $13 million in cryptocurrency through SIM swapping, a crime he began participating in at the age of 15. Urban's journey into cybercrime started in the online gaming community, specifically through Minecraft, where he was introduced to a crime group that paid him for each successful SIM swap. Unlike earlier generations of teenage hackers who were technically skilled and often reformed after being caught, Urban's success was rooted in his social engineering abilities rather than technical prowess. His upbringing, which emphasized manners and respect, ironically contributed to his effectiveness in deceiving victims. The evolution of the cybercrime landscape has made it easier for less technically skilled individuals to participate, as social engineering and access to ready-made criminal tools have lowered the barrier to entry. Urban's case is contrasted with the creators of the Mirai botnet, who, after being apprehended, were rehabilitated and now work in the cybersecurity industry. The article highlights the increasing violence and lucrativeness of cybercrime, as well as the need for governments to address the entire funnel that leads young people into these activities, rather than focusing solely on prosecution. The story also references the broader trend of youth involvement in high-profile cybercriminal groups such as Scattered Spider, which has been linked to major attacks in the U.S. and U.K. The Bloomberg profile of Urban underscores the personal and psychological factors that can drive young people toward cybercrime. The narrative suggests that the current environment, with its emphasis on social engineering and the availability of criminal infrastructure, is producing a new generation of cyber offenders. The article calls for a more comprehensive approach to prevention, including early intervention and disruption of recruitment channels. It also notes the role of online communities and gaming platforms as entry points for youth into cybercrime. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of early involvement in cybercrime and the challenges of rehabilitation. It raises questions about the effectiveness of current legal and social responses to juvenile cyber offenders. The case of Noah Urban exemplifies the shift in the cybercrime ecosystem, where technical skills are no longer a prerequisite for significant criminal impact. The article ultimately argues for a multi-faceted strategy to combat the growing problem of youth cybercrime, emphasizing prevention, education, and systemic disruption.
Jun 29, 2026
Recent reporting highlighted a multi-year shift in end-user security attitudes and behaviors, based on the National Cybersecurity Alliance and CybSafe’s *Oh, Behave! The Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviors Report: 2021–2025*, which surveyed more than **24,000** adults. The findings indicate people increasingly believe cybersecurity is “worth the effort” and more achievable, while also expecting more protection from apps and platforms—framing security as a **shared responsibility** between individuals and service providers. At the same time, the report notes growing feelings of confusion and overwhelm, suggesting a widening gap between awareness of risk and sustained adoption of protective behaviors. Separate analysis of **418** publicly announced law-enforcement actions (2021 to mid-2025), cited from Orange Cyberdefense’s *Security Navigator* and covered by *The Register*, found most arrested cybercrime suspects were **25–44** years old, with the **35–44** bracket the largest share. That demographic trend aligns with a shift toward more monetizable offenses (e.g., extortion and malware) among older cohorts. In a specific case illustrating extortion-driven cybercrime, a **22-year-old** Alabama man, **Jamarcus Mosley**, pleaded guilty to hacking and extorting hundreds of women by impersonating acquaintances to obtain account recovery codes and passwords, hijacking social-media accounts (including Snapchat and Instagram), and threatening to leak intimate content unless victims complied with demands for additional access, explicit material, or payments.
Jun 29, 2026
France’s **ANSSI/CERT-FR** published its *Panorama de la cybermenace 2025*, reporting continued blurring between **state-linked** and **cybercriminal** activity, including broader misuse of legitimate tools/services and evolving **social engineering** beyond traditional fake IT support. The report notes ongoing **opportunistic and targeted exploitation of vulnerabilities**, with **internet-exposed edge devices** and perimeter solutions often exploited rapidly, and highlights sustained state interest—particularly actors assessed as linked to **Russian and Chinese intelligence services**—in compromising **diplomatic networks** for strategic intelligence collection. Separately, analysis cited from Orange Cyberdefense’s *Security Navigator 2026* indicates that individuals identified in publicly disclosed cybercrime law-enforcement actions are frequently **mid-career adults**, challenging the stereotype of predominantly very young offenders. Based on 418 publicly announced actions (2021 to mid-2025) and age data for 193 offenders, the **35–44** cohort represented **37%** of identified offenders, followed by **25–34** (30%) and **18–24** (21%); the authors caution the dataset reflects disclosure and jurisdictional reporting biases rather than the full universe of cybercrime activity.
Jun 29, 2026