Towards a Conceptualisation of Cloud (Cyber) Crime

The term ‘Cloud’ is a misnomer that diverts attention from the level of conceptual clarification that is needed to understand the implications of cloud technologies upon criminal behavior, crime analysis and also law enforcement. Cloud technologies have increased computing power and storage capacity whilst reducing the cost of computing; all are qualities that have not been lost on criminals who have been using them to commit DDoS attacks, Data theft, mass spam attacks and other mass cyber-dependent crimes. This paper offers a framework for conceptualising cybercrimes in the cloud (cloud crimes) and for understanding how they drive offenders and affect victims. It also outlines the key challenges for law enforcement.