The continuing adoption of technologies by the general public coupled with the expanding reliance of critical infrastructures connected through the Internet has created unique opportunities for attacks by civilians and nation-states alike. Although governments are increasingly focusing on policies to deter nation-state level attacks, it is unclear what factors may affect citizens’ decisions to engage in politically motivated cyber crime attacks against either a foreign nation-state or their own homeland. Thus, this study will explore the factors that may affect individual willingness to use technology to attack critical infrastructure online or offline using an international sample of college students. The findings compare the correlates of physical and virtual attacks, including political outlook, group equality, and involvement in cyber deviance. The implications of this research on the relationship between on- and offline infrastructure attacks will be explored in depth for policy makers, governmental agencies, and law enforcement.
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