Abstract:
The incidence of cyber threats is ever increasing. This increasing threat has led governments to create legislation to define cyber-crime and cyber threats, and subsequently regulate against it by allowing victims of such attacks to report to centralised agencies. In New Zealand, an agency by the name of NetSafe was created as a point of contact. In this thesis, 2850 NetSafe files obtained from February to December 2014 were analysed. The types of threats were classified according to NetSafe’s own internal classifications and a Multi-Dimensions Threat Classifications Model. Initial files were all created by telephone and email contact, so all files were heavily weighted in favour of humanistic issues. Each file contained a broad range of detail, from a simple report, to extensive detail of major cyber-crimes. Inclusion criteria and a cross sectional analysis were then conducted and narrowed to a usable quantitative and qualitative analyses of a randomly selected group of detailed files covering scams and cyberbullying or harassment. Reporting revealed a wide range of scams were prevalent in New Zealand. Scams analysed included scams, pornographic content, blackmail, sale of counterfeit products, sexual extortion, PC doctor scams, as well as dating scams, which were overrepresented in the case series. In addition to scams, numerous cases of cyberbullying and harassment were also noted. The results demonstrate, according to the NetSafe staff classification, 33% of all files were scams and 20% cyberbullying or harassment. Application of the Multi-Dimensions Threat Classifications Model deemed a significant 42% as unclassifiable when applying the Multi-Dimensions model. Of the remaining 58% an overwhelming 93% were humanistic entries, 91% malicious, and 93% intentional. The size of the NetSafe file was also found to be directly related to the degree of personal deceit towards the victim. In conclusion, the size and degree of detail unearthed in this investigation showed a potential bias and increase in degree of documentation related to personal issues and humanistic factors. The incidence of reporting scams appeared to be slightly more than that of cyberbullying. The findings of this analysis show that NetSafe deals primarily with human factors related to cyber security and does not demonstrate significant experience against technologic cyber-attack.