Children as Young as Seven Involved in Cybercrime Amid Growing Concerns
In Britain, children as young as seven are increasingly being referred to Cyber Choices, the national cybercrime intervention programme, with the average referral age being 15 during this financial year. At least 105 referrals have been recorded so far, marking a rising trend predominantly involving gamers aged 10 to 16. Cyber Choices primarily handles entry-level cybercrime cases.
The growing prevalence of youth hacking coincides with a significant rise in insurance payouts to UK businesses due to cyberattacks, which have increased by approximately 230%. Major companies have been affected by multimillion-pound cyberattacks, including Marks & Spencer, which faced a £136 million loss; the Co-op, where 6.5 million customer data were stolen; Jaguar Land Rover, which suffered disruptions with an estimated £1.9 billion impact; Transport for London; and attacks linked to Kido ransomware. Teenagers and young adults are among those suspected in these incidents.
Two former hackers, Ricky Handschumacher, 32, and Joseph Harris, 28, have shared their experiences of entering hacking through gaming platforms like Club Penguin. Both were involved in multi-million-dollar cryptocurrency thefts, receiving sentences of four years (of which Handschumacher served eight months) and 16 months (of which Harris served eight months), respectively.
Cybercrime groups such as The Community, Shiny Hunters, Lapsus$, and Scattered Spider have been implicated in these activities. The Scattered Lapsus$ Hunters is described as a fluid, loosely connected network recruiting via platforms like Telegram and the dark web, with members ranging from those using real names to anonymous participants.
Gaming serves as a major pathway into cybercrime, with 97% of 8 to 17-year-olds engaged in gaming. The appeal to teens lies in the social identity and sense of belonging offered by hacking communities. There is also a noted association with neurodiversity: about 17% of Cyber Prevent/Pursue referrals between 2017 and 2020 were autistic or showed autistic-like traits.
Efforts are underway to redirect youth toward legitimate cyber careers. Initiatives include The Hacking Games (THG), which promotes non-traditional recruitment methods emphasizing gaming performance and CV-like programs, as well as Cyber Choices conducting school visits and workshops. Upcoming plans include hacking eSports tournaments to channel young talents legally.
Bug-bounty programs are being recommended as legitimate alternatives for unqualified hackers. High-profile payouts, such as $2,500 for a critical vulnerability, highlight calls for better compensation in these schemes. The global demand for cybersecurity professionals remains unmet, requiring approximately four million workers worldwide, with about two-thirds of this need yet to be fulfilled.
