The Dark Web and Cybercrime: A Gangster's Paradise?



Overview

Explore cyberspace’s criminal underworld, examining both hacking and cyber security, to understand the tangled chaos of the dark web.

Discover the origins of the dark web, and learn how the network was designed for anonymity and how this anonymity enables modern day illegality. We will discuss how cybercrime evolved from being driven by individual innovators of the 1980s to being controlled by today’s multi-national criminal enterprises. 

We will also survey the different types of cybercrime and examine prominent case studies. You will examine how crypto-currencies are driving seismic changes in criminal playbooks and enabling ransomware, a pernicious threat to the world’s digital ecosystem that threatens global disruption.

Throughout this course, we will analyse how governments are countering cybercrime, not only be advising defensive security improvements to potential victims, but by deploying offensive hacking techniques and psychological operations.

This course is part of The Oxford Experience summer school, held at Christ Church.

Programme details

Daily schedule

Seminars meet each weekday morning after breakfast.

After lunch, afternoons are free for individual study or exploring the many places of interest in and around the city. Optional plenary excursions and social activities including walking tours will also be available.

The course fee includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), lunches Sunday-Friday, and three-course dinners Sunday-Thursday. All meals are taken in Christ Church’s spectacular dining hall. 

On Friday, there will be a special four-course gala dinner to celebrate the closing of the week.

Seminars

Monday

Anatomy of Hacking

This lecture dissects how attackers breach networks and achieve their objectives (eg disruption, data theft). We explore the 'Cyber Kill Chain', a conceptual model of the hacking process. Taking each step in turn, we detail the considerations that hackers must make to avoid detection and infiltrate target networks. At the end of this lecture, you will have a conceptual understanding of the foundations of hacking.

Tuesday

Hackers: An Origin Story

This lecture charts the genesis of hackers, from their mid-twentieth century origins to present incarnations. Our exploration starts in the 1950s at MIT where the earliest hackers originated, we follow the movement through 1970s phone-phreakers, 1990s cypherpunks, and hacktivists who emerged at the millennium's turn. Finally, we explore the diverse community of hackers today.

Wednesday 

Dark Web: A Gangster’s Paradise?

Explores the Dark Web’s mechanics, and how the cyber underworld collaborates. We analyse the history and architecture of the Dark Web (Tor), before considering its uses, ranging from protecting the privacy of individual's legal browsing to enabling the uncensored browsing of dissidents within autocratic countries. Finally, we take a tour of a criminal marketplace to understand how it functions and creates trust amongst users. At the conclusion of this lecture, you will have a foundational understanding of the Dark Web and its history.

Thursday

Cybercrime: Illegality in the Digital World

This lecture considers how criminals use hacking for financial gain. First, we explore the primary attack types of data theft, extortion and fraud. We will then study how some nation-states use hacking to help finance their governments, before we examine the Dark Web ecosystem, a critical enabler for global cybercrime. Finally, we consider some of the options for countering criminal hackers.

Friday

Ransomware: Disrupting Critical National Infrastructure

This lecture starts by travelling back to the 1980s, to study the origins of Ransomware. We trace its evolution through to the early 2010s and analyse the catalysts that turned it from a niche technical problem to an endemic threat to critical national infrastructure. We examine the tradecraft attackers employ, before considering the scale and impacts of the problem. Then, we assess the variables in deciding whether to capitulate to a ransom demand. Finally, we explore available countermeasures. 

Certification

Certificate of Attendance

At the end of the course you will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Digital badge

You will also be issued with an official digital badge of attendance. After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download this. You will be able to share this on social media and add to your email signature if you wish to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee option 1 (single en suite accom and meals per person) £2380.00
Fee option 2 (single standard accom and meals per person) £2270.00
Fee option 3 (double en suite accom and meals per person) £2260.00
Fee option 4 (twin en suite accom and meals per person) £2260.00
Fee option 5 (twin set standard accom and meals per person) £2260.00
Fee option 6 (no accom; incl lunch and dinner per person) £1660.00

Funding

Please note there are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for the Oxford Experience programme.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Course change administration fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the programme administrator, up to the 1 May 2026. In accordance with our Terms and Conditions, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.

Supplementary costs

  • Any excursions listed in the 'programme details' above are included in the course fees and do not require a separate payment.
  • If your course includes a day-long excursion, you may need to make your own lunch arrangements.
  • Any optional, plenary excursions/social activities not detailed in the 'programme details' above may incur an additional cost. A social programme outlining these options will be sent to you in advance of the course start date.

Payment terms

  • If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking.
  • If submitting an enrolment form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date.

Cancellations and refunds

Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check the terms and conditions carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Tutor

Dr Craig Jarvis - Tutor

Craig is an independent academic specialising in national security and technology. He lectures at Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College London, and Royal Holloway.

His next book, ‘Cyber Terrorism: Extremism & Hacking’ will be published in 2026. Previous works include CryptoWars: The Fight for Privacy in the Digital Age and contributions to Next Generation Enterprise Security. His research also appears in peer-reviewed journals, including 'Intelligence and National Security'.

Craig holds a PhD in cybersecurity and history and has earned master’s degrees in international security, information security, and classical music, studying at Oxford, King’s College London, and Royal Holloway.

With extensive industry experience, his last permanent role was Chief Technology Officer at DXC Security, then the world’s largest security services provider. At DXC, he founded DXC Security Labs, spearheading advancements in cybersecurity research and development. 

Craig remains deeply engaged with the private sector, particularly in finance, where he advises major banks and private equity firms on security strategy, architecture, and cyber due diligence.

As a member of the Offensive Cyber Working Group's College of Experts, he contributes to research and policy development in offensive cybersecurity. He is also the founding chair of the Geopolitics-Cyber Community of London Experts (GeoCyclone), an organisation bringing together business leaders, academics, and policy makers to share knowledge on national security and digital technologies.

He is currently studying Mandarin (HSK4). Craig is active on LinkedIn, often posting details of upcoming courses and ongoing research.

Teaching methods

Participants will be taught in seminar groups of up to 12 people. The teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions

Application

Enrolment deadline: registration closes at midnight on 1 May 2026. 

Most courses fill quickly so early registration is strongly recommended. If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.

Please note, the programme is only open to those over the age of 18.

Online enrolment (single person accommodation and non-residential)

Single accommodation and non-residential places should be booked online by clicking on the 'Book now' button at the top of this page.

Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.

Single bedroom options:

  • Single en suite (private bathroom facilities – shower, washbasin and toilet)

  • Single standard rooms (includes a washbasin and shaver point only, with bathroom facilities shared with other rooms)

Enrolment form (multi-occupancy or accessible accommodation)

Double and twin bedrooms

Double and twin bedrooms are only available for two participants that apply to the programme together. They are charged per person and cannot be booked by individuals. If you wish to book a twin or double room for two people, each person should complete an enrolment form.

Shared bedroom options:

  • Double en suite (private bathroom facilities – shower, washbasin and toilet)
  • Twin en suite (private bathroom facilities – shower, washbasin and toilet)
  • ‘Twin set’ standard (comprising two separate single standard rooms, each with a washbasin and shaver point only, opening onto a private sitting room, with bathroom facilities shared with other rooms)

Ground/lower floor accommodation

Christ Church rooms do not have lift access, and the higher rooms can be located up a few flights of stairs. If you need a room on a ground or lower floor please complete an enrolment form indicate your requirements, or contact the programme administrator directly at oxfordexperience@conted.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible before 1 June 2026. 

Enrolment form

The enrolment form is an editable PDF and can be competed electronically, so you should not need to print and scan it. 

Completed forms should be sent:

  • by email to oxfordexperience@conted.ox.ac.uk, or

  • by post to The Oxford Experience, Oxford Lifelong Learning, University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

Level and demands

The Oxford Experience is aimed at non-specialists: no prior knowledge is required, and classes are pitched at an introductory level. The courses are designed for an international audience aged 18 and over.

There are no assessments for this course.

Accommodation

During your course you can stay in typical Oxford student accommodation at Christ Church, in buildings which range from the 18th to the 20th century. Please note that bedrooms are modestly-furnished and do not have air-conditioning.

The course fee includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), lunches Sunday-Friday, and three-course dinners Sunday-Thursday. On Friday, there will be a special four-course gala dinner to celebrate the closing of the week. All meals are taken in Christ Church’s spectacular dining hall. 

Residential options are outlined below.

Please see the 'application' section above for guidance on how to book or request the right accommodation for you, including how to request a lower/ground floor room.

Accommodation options at Christ Church

Single, twin and double bedrooms are available. 

We welcome participants who want to attend multiple courses over the summer. Resident participants staying in Christ Church for consecutive weeks will have bed and breakfast accommodation arranged for the Saturday night between their courses at no extra cost.

Non-residential option

We also offer places on a non-residential basis whereby participants can take classes and have lunch and dinner at Christ Church, having arranged their own accommodation elsewhere. 

Accommodation before/after your course

We are unable to arrange accommodation at Christ Church prior to or following your course. Please contact Christ Church directly if you require additional nights of bed and breakfast accommodation, and they may be able to assist.

Additionally, family or friends who are not enrolled in the programme cannot be accommodated in college. 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support