Cybercrime as a Threat to Democracy and Economic Development

Nikolai Kaigorodov

Bachelor's thesis

Abstract:

Cybercrime represents an escalating threat to democratic systems and economic progress, influencing governance, financial resilience, and public trust. This thesis investigates the main types, risks, and outcomes of cybercrime through a structured theoretical model and an empirical assessment. The theoretical section classifies cybercrime into fraud, unauthorized access, malware, and various online schemes, emphasizing their connection to financial offenses, data breaches, and systemic vulnerabilities. It examines how cybercrime undermines democratic processes through disinformation, digital monitoring, and interference with electoral mechanisms, while also outlining its economic impact and cybersecurity difficulties. The practical part evaluates cyber threats using statistical techniques without focusing on specific years. A comparative review of IT and banking organizations examines how cyber risks are presented in financial documentation through keyword analysis related to cybersecurity, democratic issues, and economic factors. The results highlight industry-dependent patterns in cyber risk reporting and stress the importance of improved policies and regulatory oversight.

Keywords

cybercrime, big companies, democracy, cybersecurity, cybercrime impact

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 23. 3. 2026

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Ivan Hrbek
• Reader: Jared Daniel Jacques

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Economics and Management

Bachelor programme:
Informatics