An Advanced Model of Hacking

This paper reviews the literature on the motivations that encourage hacking, from the perspective of both informal observation and formal psychological theories. Both Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour and Beveren's lesser known Flow Theory model are examined in detail, and when jointly applied to the domain of computer hacking are found to explain many of the observed characteristics of early hacker activity. It is shown that flow theory provides a rationale for the development of hackers from new entrants to skilled hackers, and potentially on to cyber criminals. The Beveren model of hacker development is expanded to incorporate additional cyber actors existing in the cybercrime and information warfare fields. The implications of this model are discussed, and using results from the Theory of Planned Behaviour a number of significant control variables are identified. Police strategies for addressing cyber crime, and hacking in parti-cular, are considered and a comprehensive approach to proactively reducing the proclivity of teenagers to start hacking is proposed, as an important early step in addressing the more serious issue of computer crime.