"Hackers built the Internet, they made the Unix operating system what it is, and they make the World Wide Web work" (Castelluccio, 2003). Forecast 4:

Forecast 4 states, "Some computer hacker groups, notably those characterized by the 'offender' and 'predator' categories, will evolve into networked criminal enterprises."

This likely will occur in some instances. Hacker culture's desire to gain power and notoriety, combined with the need to achieve that adrenaline fix, will lead some to ultimately progress from the loosely structured culture of hackers today, to a more formalized, networked criminal group. However, for the most part, the high turnover rate of the culture, along with the desire to maintain secrecy and anonymity, is likely to prevent most from making this evolutionary leap.

It is likely that certain hackers will be recruited by other groups to commit digital crimes and digital terrorism, but again most, due to the secretive nature, will not fall into this trap.

Those vulnerable to this will likely be individuals who are on the societal fringe and are sympathetic to a particular cause or movement. In addition, it is likely that members in an established group will be trained as hackers, for the sole purpose of carrying out the wishes of the organization.

Digital terrorism can be used to intimidate mainstream society, or can be utilized to steal sensitive information...

Law enforcement will have to adjust their investigation and prosecution techniques to meet the new challenges of cyber crimes. With little physical evidence at their disposal, authorities will have to become experts at tracking virtual evidence.
Conclusion:

In the end, the increased use of computing technology and the ever-expanding nature of the Internet has led to new and greater opportunities for hackers. This male-dominated culture is based in secrecy, despite the need to relinquish this secrecy in order to gain community status, anonymity, and a love for technology. Curiosity as well as a desire for power leads many to hacking, and as technology increases, this curiosity sure will only continue to grow.