Hack Righter: Working together to make good things better

Notes:

- Rutger Leukfeldt discusses his background and how he became involved in cybersecurity research. - The importance of cybersecurity education and the new cybersecurity bachelor program at Leiden University. 

- The need for a multidisciplinary approach to cybersecurity, which includes not only technical skills but also social and legal aspects. 

- Hack_Right is a program designed for juvenile offenders in the Netherlands who have committed cyber-dependent crimes. The program aims to provide education and support to help young offenders turn away from cybercrime and develop positive skills and behaviors. Dr Leukfeldt  emphasizes that the program is not about Russian hackers or fraudsters who make millions, but rather about those kids who are experimenting and need help. He also mentions that the program was evaluated through a research study conducted by the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR), which found that the program was effective in reducing recidivism among young offenders who participated in the program. 

- Regarding interdisciplinary research, Dr Leukfeldt explains that it can be difficult because different disciplines have different traditions and expectations when it comes to research. For example, one discipline may prioritize publishing in academic journals, while another may prioritize presenting at conferences. This can create practical issues for a team that is trying to work together, as different members may have different timelines and goals. Additionally, traditional reviewers may not be familiar with other fields, which can make it challenging to defend interdisciplinary research against criticism. Rutger notes that these challenges can be overcome through effective communication and collaboration, but they do require effort and a willingness to work across disciplines.

- Rutger emphasizes the importance of being constructive and thoughtful in providing feedback. He suggests that reviewers should not only point out flaws in a paper but also offer suggestions for improvement. Additionally, he notes that good reviewers should try to approach a paper with an open mind and be willing to learn from it, even if they are not experts in the field. By doing so, reviewers can help to ensure that research is rigorous, relevant, and impactful. Rutger encourages everyone to strive to be that kind of reviewer who provides constructive feedback and helps to improve the quality of research.

About our Guest:

https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/staffmembers/rutger-leukfeldt#tab-1

https://nscr.nl/en/medewerker/dr-rutger-leukfeldt/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rutgerleukfeldt

Papers or resources mentioned in this episode:

J. A. M. Schiks, Susanne van ’t Hoff-de Goede & Rutger E. Leukfeldt (2023) An alternative intervention for juvenile hackers? A qualitative evaluation of the Hack_Right intervention, Journal of Crime and Justice, DOI: 10.1080/0735648X.2023.2252394

Loggen, J., Moneva, A., & Leukfeldt, R. (2024). A systematic narrative review of pathways into, desistance from, and risk factors of financial-economic cyber-enabled crime. Computer Law & Security Review, 52, 105858.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clsr.2023.105858

Other:

Dutch police send young hackers to intern at IT companies

https://nltimes.nl/2018/12/18/dutch-police-send-young-hackers-intern-companies

20 Companies Pledge Support for the Hack_Right Program

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/20-companies-pledge-support-for-the-hack-right-program/