Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime
Bringing together expertise in cybercrime and economic crime
The Centre for Cybercrime and Economic Crime (CCEC) was founded in 2022 to bring together our extensive knowledge in these areas, and to enhance research, teaching and innovation in these fields.
Our aim is to harness, coordinate and develop the cybercrime and economic crime expertise across the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the wider University, including the School of Computing, the Department of Psychology, and the Faculty of Business and Law.
CCEC also enables greater multidisciplinary working and cooperation between the many other pockets of interest related to cybercrime and economic crime across the University and beyond.
As one the largest groups of active researchers in these areas in the UK, our members are at the forefront of researching and understanding the challenges posed by cybercrime and economic crime. Their work contributes to solutions that address these risks and enhance societal and organisational security and resilience.
CCEC incorporates and builds upon the work of the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies, and includes our Cybercrime Awareness Clinic.
CCEC research focuses upon these broad areas:
- Fraud
- Corruption
- Intellectual property crime
- Financial regulation
- Economic and industrial espionage
- Money laundering
- Cybercrime
- Cybersecurity
- Digital forensics
- Forensic accounting
- Prevention, detection, investigation and punishment for cybercrimes and economic crimes
- Environmental crime
- Victimology
Research groups
CCEC is built upon four smaller research groups focusing on specific areas of cybercrime and economic crime.
Cybercrime and Cybersecurity Group
We're researching how crime takes place using technology, such as cyber fraud, hacking, online abuse, and its impact on individuals and society.
Economic Crime Group
We're researching the scale, impact and cost of economic crimes — such as fraud, corruption and money laundering.
Victimology and Ecological Justice Group
We're researching victims and victimisation, inequality, domestic and online abuse, ecological justice, wildlife crime and climate change.
Cyber security
We're working to improve the security of the systems used to access assets, and to make the way people access them more secure.
Cybercrime Awareness Clinic
Part of CCEC, the clinic provides cybercrime awareness advice to individuals, community groups, schools, colleges and small and medium organisations, and conducts research into cybercrime awareness and prevention.
Events
CCEC hosts a series of events relating to cybercrime and economic crime.
Every June, the Centre hosts a two-day international conference in person and online, featuring dozens of presentations on a wide range of subjects. In January, we host an online Winter Symposium focusing on specific issues of economic crime. The Centre also hosts a series of seminars on relevant topics throughout the academic year, both online and in person.
Our members have also developed links with Korean academics to jointly study issues in cybercrime and economic crime.
CCEC news
New report finds scammers are repeatedly targeting older people
World first Interpol backed course launched at University of Portsmouth
New study into the safety and regulations of autonomous vehicles
New research highlights the role of TikTok in spreading videos that encourage violence against women
New research exposes the dark side of social media influencers: facilitating counterfeit trade
CCEC blogs and podcasts
Pyramid schemes are on the rise – but do those who join up deserve prosecution or compensation?
Why we need to talk about porn when we talk about Andrew Tate
Fraud Falling Under the Radar ft. Professor Mark Button
Levelling up: How UK freeports risk harbouring international crime
Research publications
See all CCEC research outputs on PURE
You can also view a list of books, articles and reports by CCEC members on their staff profiles.
Our members' most recent work related to cybercrime and economic crime is below.
Featured publications
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Understanding the rise of fraud in England and Wales through field theory: blip or flip?
Button, M., Hock, B., Shepherd, D., & Gilmour, P. (2023). Journal of Economic Criminology, 1, 100012.
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The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women
Sugiura, L. (2021) "The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women", Emerald Publishing
The Journal of Economic Criminology
Our members are at the forefront of developing the sub-discipline of ‘economic criminology’, and have been involved in setting up the Journal of Economic Criminology.
Explore our courses in cybercrime and economic crime
The University of Portsmouth offers a wide range of courses related to cybercrime and economic crime, from undergraduate to Doctorate level. We also offer campus based and distance learning options for some courses. Many of our general criminology degrees also offer cybercrime and economic crime modules.
We can also provide bespoke courses and accreditation, please contact us for further information.
Postgraduate research degrees, Professional Doctorates and PhDs
Professional Doctorate in Security Risk Management
The Professional Doctorate in Security Risk Management (D.SyRM) is a structured, four-year, part-time programme targeted towards security professionals in the UK and overseas, delivered through a small number of workshops in Portsmouth for the first two years and then two years of supervised research leading to a thesis.
Start date: October 2024
Criminology postgraduate research degrees
Explore our pre-approved Criminology PhD projects, learn more about our MPhil and other research degrees, and find out how to join the thriving research community at the University of Portsmouth.
PhD
Discover why you should do your PhD at the University of Portsmouth – and explore the subject areas you can study in, how to fund your PhD, and how to apply.
Postgraduate taught courses
Undergraduate courses
- Counter Terrorism, Intelligence and Cybercrime (Dual Degree) BSc (Hons)
- Criminology and Criminal Justice BSc (Hons)
- Criminology and Criminal Justice (Distance Learning) BSc (Hons)
- Criminology and Cybercrime BSc (Hons)
- Criminology with Environmental Justice BSc (Hons)
- Cyber Security and Forensic Computing BSc (Hons)
- Risk and Security Management (Distance Learning) BSc (Hons)
Short courses
- Certificate in Intellectual Property Crime and Illicit Trade (CIPCIT)
- Certificate in Prevention of Bribery and Corruption
