Crime-As-A-Service Business Model Essay

Online Visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor (Online child sexual abuse and child pornography) is one of the problems that came as direct result of the dramatic changes brought by information and communication technology (Wolak, Finkelhor, & Mitchell, 2005). The use of information communication technology provides a plane field for individuals to create, access, distribute child pornography conveniently and without incurring expenses. Before the advent of the internet producing and reproducing child pornography was risky, difficult and costly. Pedophiles did not have a platform to interact and connect with one another. But with the internet child pornography is readily available in virtually every internet space. Pedophiles can connect and share content in

Pedophiles use this platform for easy communication and unrestricted sharing of content, pedophiles find it easier to create online communities for offenders, normalizing their interests and desensitizing themselves to the damages inflicted on child victims.

Sophisticated criminal syndicates are taking advantage of the internet to create new business models that facilitate criminal activities on the internet. One of these is the 'Crime-as-a-Service' business model identified by iOCTA, this is a service-based criminal industry, in which specialists in the virtual underground economy develop products and services for use by other criminals (Manky, 2013). The iOCTA report highlights that, as a consequence, entry barriers into cybercrime are being lowered, allowing those lacking technical expertise - including traditional organized crime groups - to venture into cybercrime by purchasing the skills and tools they lack (iOCTA, 2016) .Organized criminal syndicates make a lot of money illegally and they have to find ways to make it appear legit and eject it into the economy without drawing attention to themselves. These criminals are focusing on the internet to do