Some economists predict that we could soon face a global recession. Looking at history, this does not bode well for levels of cybercrime. However, there is some evidence that macroeconomic conditions can impact cybercrime. In times of economic downturn, for example, cybercrime may increase as people turn to illegal activities to make money. During the 2008–2009 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and subsequent recession, researchers noted that cybercrime rates increased dramatically. Their report focused exclusively on financial cybercrime, including identity theft. It attributed the rise to the proliferation of new technologies in regions around the world, with many more people than ever before possessing IT skills.
