Cybercrime is Industrialised – Even in Games

In the Cyber City Tycoon game, the core mechanics revolve around factories. This isn’t a coincidence; it’s a fitting metaphor for cybercrime, which also relies on industrial-scale operations.

Phishing emails, for example, are sent out in massive quantities because their success rate is generally extremely low. The same goes for scam messages—very few people fall for them, so criminals need to send them in six- or even seven-figure numbers. The sheer volume of messages increases the likelihood that they’ll reach the inboxes of people who are less knowledgeable about cybersecurity or less protected by technical measures.

High volumes also enhance the chances of favourable coincidences for criminals. For instance, if someone is expecting a package, a phishing email about parcel collection might be mistaken for a legitimate notification.

A key enabler behind these attacks are the different automation tools that help criminals send out vast quantities of emails and tweak them to avoid being caught by email filters and security software. Recently, AI-based translators have become increasingly sophisticated, allowing for more convincing phishing attempts also in languages the attackers would not otherwise be able to utilise.

Another enabler are the supply chains in cybercrime, which have also reached an industrial scale. As an example, cybercriminals sending phishing messages don’t typically gather the contact information for their targets themselves, but rather just purchase large volumes of email addresses and other data cheaply online.

To reflect this hars reality, when a player runs factories in Cyber City Tycoon, they gain an understanding of how a significant portion of cybercrime operates. This awareness helps them better recognize fraudulent attempts also in real life and enables them to guide others to stay vigilant. Every scam detected and avoided saves people from distress and contributes to making the digital world – and our daily lives – a bit safer.

Follow our project’s progress on LinkedIn @Cyber Citizen. The next blog will be out next week.

Janne Riiheläinen, Cybersecurity Specialist

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“Everybody is having their weak moments and I promise: I´ll be there!”

“Everybody is having their weak moments and I promise: I´ll be there!”