Dutch study finds teen cybercrime is mostly just a phase

Young threat actors may be rebels without a cause. These cybercriminals typically grow out of their offending ways by the time they turn 20, according to data published by the Dutch government.

In a report examining the social cost of adolescent crime, the Dutch House of Representatives cited various research papers to show that teenagers tend to explore their criminal tendencies at similar ages, regardless of the type of crime.

The report stated that cybercriminals tend to develop their skills at an early age – no shocks there – and do so through "hacking games." The number of teenage cyber offenders is similar to those involved in weapons or drug offenses; together they are the three least common offense types for adolescents. Property offenses such as theft were the most common.

Young cybercriminals reach peak criminality at around age 20, although this tends to fluctuate by a few years, depending on the ...