Cryptic crossword clue
Children’s author admitting actions an online threat 10

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word RANSOMWARE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "an online threat" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case an online threat = ransomware.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does RANSOMWARE mean?

RANSOMWARE noun
  1. Malware that holds the data of a computer user for ransom, usually requiring or claiming to require payment to restore access.
  2. Software that is released as open source only in exchange for payment.

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